As you likely already know, Larry Fitzgerald has been organizing player workouts at ASU to replace those that would have taken place at the team facilities. The players feel they need to be working out so to not lose that competitive edge. The same thing is happening with other teams and other players. Mark Sanchez has organized "Jets West" in California. Fitz' workouts have brought Donovan McNabb, Donald Driver and several of the Cardinals players.
But with the lockout going on currently, is this really a wise thing to do?
SB Nation's NFL page comments on what one GM said to SI's Don Banks regarding player workouts and the risks they are taking.
"I just think the potential downside outweighs the benefit. I know that's probably not conventional thinking, considering the Redskins won two championships off this kind of thing. But the athletes today, with the conditioning they have, it's not like it used to be when players had to come to training camp to get into shape. So to sit here and think it's going to give someone an edge, I don't know. Let someone lose their quarterback for eight months because he slipped and hurt something, be it a Drew Brees, a Tom Brady or a Peyton Manning, then we'll see how fast these camps continue.''
I don't know how much of actual contact is happening or how much is even touch football, but this could potentially ruin a player's career.
Now, how much productive working out is getting done is another story. Rex Ryan, when interviewed recently on Sportscenter, downplayed how much was done on the workout side. He said that more than anything it was about being with teammates and building relationships.
Ryan may be right. Naturally there will be working out. And we would have to assume that the players, who are not getting paid and could not claim an injury during the lockout as a football injury.
Sustaining an injury outside the realm of their contract could get them cut and cause some to lose out on potential earnings for themselves and for their family.
I know that if it were me, I would be keeping up with the cardio and weights, but I would not likely do that, other than to be with my fellow players. Yes the workouts help with the players' image and yes it keeps them in a routine, but since they otherwise would still be coming into camp ready to get into football/hitting shape.
My question to you is whether you would be one of the players who works out and whether you would be worried about getting hurt when your health insurance is gone and you are locked out of your job?