Monday, August 02, 2004 Bengals Contract Terms Cause Problems From the Cincinnati Enquirer The Cincinnati Bengals are having difficulty signing their draft picks thanks in part to a clause in their proffered contracts demanding 100% participation by the player in the team's offseason conditioning program. The players have balked at the clause as it exceeds the 80% participation requirement in most NFL contracts.
Players missing even a single workout under the 100% clause could be forced to not only forfeit NFL standard offseason-workout compensation set out in the CBA, but also part of their signing bonus.
Left with little leverage by the one-team post-draft market, the draftees have been left with a tough choice: either give in to the tough terms, or continue to hold out and miss valuable reps in training camp.
