Jamaal Charles is reportedly set to hold out of Kansas City Chiefs training camp in search of a new contract.
Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network reports that Charles will not be present when training camp begins on Wednesday barring some sort of breakthrough in his ongoing discussions with the team. The Chiefs have reportedly been discussing a new contract with Charles throughout the offseason.
As Rotoworld noted, Charles is set to make $3.9 million in 2014, which is 15th most among NFL running backs. Guys like Jonathan Stewart currently make more than Charles, so you can understand why he feels that he has outperformed his contract.
Charles turned 27 in December, so this could be his last chance to cash in on a big payday. He rushed for 1,287 yards last year and racked up 693 yards receiving. He also scored 19 total touchdowns — 14 more than any other player on the team. He is easily Kansas City’s most important offensive player after a breakout season.
Charles is not all that big and has already suffered a torn ACL during his career, but the Chiefs really have no leverage here. Their entire offense runs through Charles and he is one of the main reasons Andy Reid was able to lead such an incredible turnaround last season. Expect a deal to get done sooner rather than later.
