Jacksonville Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew might want a new contract, but general manager Gene Smith doesn't seem interested in giving him one.
Jones-Drew has skipped the team's offseason workouts thus far, apparently because he's unhappy with the two years and $9.5 million remaining on his current contract. But Smith told Tania Ganguli of the Florida Times-Union on Monday that he expects every player under contract, including Jones-Drew, to be in attendance when the team's mandatory minicamp begins.
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"He has expressed that he would like to renegotiate and we have expressed, again, that we feel he has a contract with two years left and we expect him to fulfill those obligations," Smith said.
Smith also said that the club has not engaged in discussions with Jones-Drew's agent, Adisa Bakari.
Under Article 42, Section 1(a)(ix) of the collective bargaining agreement, Jones-Drew can be fined up to $60,000 if he skips all three days of the minicamp. Smith said the decision to fine Jones-Drew would be up to first-year head coach Mike Mularkey, and that he would support Mularkey's decision.
Jones-Drew is a 27-year-old running back coming off a season in which he led the NFL in carries with a career-high 343. The window for him to maximize his earnings is closing. According to a source with knowledge of his contract, Jones-Drew is already forfeiting a $50,000 workout bonus by skipping voluntary workouts. He would basically be doubling down by incurring a $60,000 fine for skipping minicamp. That's a lot of money, but Jones-Drew is earning more than $21 million in the last three seasons on his current deal.
It would not be a surprise if the three-time Pro Bowl running back skipped the minicamp to show just how serious he is about wanting a new contract.
