The increased market for Maurice Jones-Drew's services might have been overstated after all.
Shortly after a report surfaced claiming the Patriots and Dolphins had joined the Steelers and Jets in pursuit of Jones-Drew, strong denials came in from New England and Miami respectively.
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It's not unusual for an agent to artificially inflate the level of interest in his client.
With no team willing to meet Jones-Drew's asking price of $3 million annually, he's in no hurry to sign.
In fact, the 29-year-old running back might be willing to wait until late in the summer or even into the season as an injury replacement if he doesn't get better offers, a source tells the New York Post's Bart Hubbuch.
It's hard to blame an accomplished, proud star of Jones-Drew's caliber for holding the line. Free agent running backs have been devalued to the point where they typically earn a salary on par with the best kickers and punters.
From the prospective of the Jets and Steelers, though, it makes sense to place Jones-Drew on the back burner until after the 2014 NFL Draft. Post-June 1 signings will not be held against a player's new team in the compensatory-pick formula.
The latest "Around The League Podcast" broke down all the latest news at the NFL Annual Meeting.
