Originally posted by NinerGM:
Boone's agent is simply not playing his cards right. It's just not a good time to force the question. Essentially you're creating a situation forcing the team to choose an alternative route to an ultimatum. It also could potentially free up money to keep Iupati or Crabtree - two players who play a much larger impact. If the team discovers someone is better, he's screwed, not to mention - Snyder - is still on the team (even though he's terrible). I guess a holdout is usually a tactic utilized by players critical to the team's success. Boone, you're a OG dude on a running team, not a LT on a passing team. It's just the worst advice you can give your player. As others have said, wait until next year to ask for a new deal with the expected loss of two high priced vets. You've just made management's job easier if they feel like a cheaper option must be considered and your salary cap space goes to someone else. You've also just given the team a really long window to evaluate their options - lol. So even if a great option isn't playing on the team today, all other 32 teams are shaking out their rosters also and there's always a great player as we know who gets cut the deeper we get into the summer. This tactic has absolutely NO leverage at all. NONE. Bad business.
This. Boone's agent is not giving him sound advice. After the 49ers just added Martin, Martin and Thomas, considering they have Looney, Kilgore and Seymour, along with the aforementioned but hopefully gone soon Snyder, Boone really doesn't have as much leverage as he seems to assume he might by skipping mandatory team events/practices. I could see the 49ers reluctant to change out 2/3 of their interior OL if needed but it isn't beyond the realm of possibility certainly. With Looney, Kilgore, Seymour and even Marcus Martin who spent most of his time at USC playing guard all hungry for playing time/roster spot, I could see one of them making a major push for that right guard spot if Boone doesn't come to his senses.
Based on his current position, his protest/complaint/b***hing/moaning/crying, whatever you want to call it, stands to hurt him more than it hurts the 49ers so I hope he snaps out of it soon and gets back out on the field then works on a possible contract extension or raise early in the next offseason.
The 49ers took a chance on this guy when he was an alcoholic with a police record that had completely fallen out of the draft, they paid him more money than his performance had suggested at the time and really invested a ton of time and coaching into him.
I can understand the desire for better pay and realistically he should be better compensated as his pay is mediocre for a starting NFL guard, especially a quality starting NFL guard but the way he is going about things is not the right way to do it and its not the way likely to yield the most benefits for him, it is however the way that he can best encourage the 49ers to erase him from their long-term plans.
[ Edited by Phoenix49ers on Jun 13, 2014 at 7:08 PM ]