Devalue the Divas

If there is one thing we have learned from the Santonio Holmes trade, its that NFL executives and coaches no longer put up with problem-child wide receivers, not matter how good. Here's Holmes, a 26 year old play maker coming off a 1250 yard season. It was just 14 months ago that Holmes was making one of the most spectacular catches in NFL history, which earned him Super Bowl MVP honors. All these accolades and Holmes netted only a 5th round draft pick in the fast approaching 2010 NFL draft. If it adds any insult to injury, the pick is in the latter part of the 5th round (151st overall.) Upon further observation, should the football world be surprised that Holmes was worth so little? It appears he is just the next in line for a long list of de-valued hot shot wide receivers.

Rewinding to 1998, Randy Moss was arguably the most outstanding wide receiver prospect the NFL had ever seen. Concerns about his judgement and character were out there, but nobody thought this good a player would be available for very long. Twenty picks later and Moss was selected by the Minnesota Vikings with the 21st overall pick. Some notable players taken before Moss in the 98 draft? Ryan Leaf, Andre Wadsworth, Curtis Enis, Jason Peter, etc. In other words, its a long list of nobodies. Moss may have been the first wide receiver to suffer a fall from grace due to character concerns but he certainly would not be the last.

Moss never truly shook off the persona of being a locker room cancer. After a reign of dominance Moss would be passed up again during the 2007 NFL Draft. To the shock of many, the Oakland Raiders traded Moss to the New England Patriots for a 4th round draft pick. That draft pick turned out to be John Bowie, a defensive back from the University of Cincinnati. Who? You get the point.

Perhaps the NFL's most famous diva, Terrell Owens, can attest to feeling abandoned and unwanted. Go back to the 2009 off season and you will find a free agent wide receiver coming off 3 straight 1000 yard seasons to go along with 10+ touchdowns. One would imagine a player of this magnitude would be swept up quickly. Not when that player is Terrell Owens. He was a free agent for over 2 weeks and had to settle for the lowly Buffalo Bills. Where is Owens right now? Oh that's right he is still unemployed after being released by...the lowly Buffalo Bills.

In the present day, the story that has not gone away has been the Denver Broncos and their attempts to trade Brandon Marshall. Marshall is a 26 year old Pro Bowler coming off 3 straight seasons with over 100 receptions and over 1000 yards. To his credit, these accomplishments have come with two different Quarterbacks in two different offensive systems. Marshall is available to every team in the league, the price being only a 1st round draft pick in return. Now perhaps nobody over-values draft picks more than NFL teams but that is another topic for another day. One would think that any team would jump on the opportunity to acquire a top 5 NFL Wide Receiver at 26 years old. Again, Marshall has been labeled a problem child, and again the same pattern continues. No interest.

In nine days the 2010 NFL Draft will kick off. The newest diva Wide Receiver? Oklahoma State University wide out Dez Bryant. After watching tape, one would not expect that Bryant will have to wait long to hear his name called. Bryant has unquestionable talent, yet, like Randy Moss before him, he will be undrafted much longer then anticipated.

Again, does a 5th round draft pick seem like an absurdly low asking price for a player such as Santonio Holmes? Sure. As history has taught us, however, teams do not want, nor will put up, with unruly pass catchers. Talent on the field has taken a backseat to the character of the man off the field and in the locker room.