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Contract Negotiation NFL Players NFL Teams

When Will Jenkins Come Marching In?

Malcolmn Jenkins

First round NFL deals are moving along slower than a snail’s pace.  We saw this coming, though.  That said, New Orleans Saints fans are not happy that their first round pick, Malcolm Jenkins, continues to sit out of camp.  Their unhappiness is amplified by the fact that Brian Orakpo (picked before Jenkins) and Brian Cushing (picked after Jenkins) have already signed with their respective teams and have been reporting to camp.

Jenkins, Orakpo, and Cushing are all represented by the crew over at CAA, so as long as the Jenkins deal falls somewhere in between Orakpo’s and Cushing’s, CAA should not take a hit in the image department (something that rival agency, Athletes First, is apparently waiting on to use on the recruiting tour for next year’s class of rookies).  Maybe CAA wants the contract to be front-loaded.  I discussed the benefits of a large 3-year total (3YT) earlier today, which could be a vital negotiating point between the parties.

At least Saints GM, Mickey Loomis, is encouraged by the fact that he has a history of working out deals with CAA’s football agents.

By Darren Heitner

Darren Adam Heitner, Esq., is a preeminent sports attorney and the founder of Heitner Legal, P.L.L.C., a Fort Lauderdale-based law firm specializing in sports law, contract negotiations, intellectual property, and arbitration. He earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Florida Levin College of Law in 2010 and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, magna cum laude, from the University of Florida in 2007, where he was named Valedictorian of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Admitted to practice in the state bars of Florida, New York, and the District of Columbia, as well as multiple federal courts, Darren also serves as a certified arbitrator with the American Arbitration Association.

As an adjunct professor, Darren imparts his expertise through teaching Sports Law at the University of Florida Levin College of Law and Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) at the University of Miami School of Law in the Entertainment, Arts, and Sports Law LL.M. program. His scholarly contributions include authoring several books published by the American Bar Association, such as How to Play the Game: What Every Sports Attorney Needs to Know, and numerous articles in prominent publications like Forbes, Inc. Magazine, and Above the Law. His thought leadership in NIL has earned him recognition as one of the foremost experts by The Wall Street Journal, USA TODAY, and On3, and he has been lauded as a “power player in NIL deals” by Action Network and a “top sports trademark attorney” by Sportico.

Darren’s passion for sports law led him to establish Sports Agent Blog on December 31, 2005, initially titled “I Want To Be A Sports Agent.” The platform, created as a New Year’s resolution, has grown into a cornerstone of the sports agency community, offering in-depth analysis of industry trends, legal disputes, and agent-player dynamics. His commitment to the field is further evidenced by his representation of numerous athletes and sports agents, as well as his prior role as an Adjunct Professor at Indiana University Bloomington, where he developed and taught a course on Sport Agency Management from 2011 to 2014.

Darren’s contributions have been recognized with prestigious honors, including the University of Florida’s 40 Under 40 Award, the University of Florida Levin College of Law’s Outstanding Young Alumnus Award, and designation as the best lawyer in Fort Lauderdale by Fort Lauderdale Magazine. He remains an active voice in the sports law community, sharing insights through his weekly NIL newsletter and his X posts, engaging a broad audience on legal developments in sports.