Gibbs, Vea, Tuipulotu listed as hold-ins

ESPN reported on Thursday, August 6, that Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs, Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive tackle Vita Vea and Los Angeles Chargers edge rusher Tuli Tuipulotu remained in hold-in status as the NFL preseason opened. The designation refers to players who report to camp and stay with their teams but do not take part fully in practice while contract talks continue. ESPN’s tracker also listed Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson among the notable unresolved cases. The preseason begins Thursday night with the Hall of Fame Game between Carolina and Arizona. ### What is a hold-in, and why are teams seeing more of them? NFL players who hold in report to training camp instead of staying away entirely, but limit or skip on-field work while seeking a new contract. That approach keeps the player in the building and avoids the escalating fines tied to a traditional holdout under the current labor system, while still signaling that negotiations are unresolved. ESPN’s August 6 tracking said the current list of prominent hold-ins included Gibbs, Vea and Tuipulotu as preseason games were about to start. The practical effect varies by team, but hold-ins usually leave a player present for meetings, conditioning or side work while teammates take full practice reps. ### Why is Jahmyr Gibbs still on the sideline in Detroit? Jahmyr Gibbs said on August 3 that “only time will tell” when he will return to practice as he seeks a contract extension. ESPN reported that Gibbs has remained around the Lions during camp but has not returned to full team work. Brad Holmes, the Lions’ general manager, addressed Gibbs’ negotiations this week, according to Lions Wire, as Detroit opened camp with one of its top offensive players still not practicing fully. Gibbs is one of the highest-profile skill players in this year’s camp standoffs because he is central to Detroit’s offense and is still in his mid-20s. ### What is driving Vita Vea’s situation in Tampa Bay? Vita Vea reported to Buccaneers camp but remained in a hold-in as his contract situation lingered into the start of preseason coverage. Earlier reports around camp said Vea had been present but not participating fully on the field while discussions continued. Tampa Bay’s case drew extra attention because Vea is a veteran anchor in the middle of the defense. Reports before the start of preseason also said Vea had requested a trade, adding another layer to the contract dispute even as he stayed with the team at camp. ### Why are the Chargers dealing with Tuli Tuipulotu now? Tuli Tuipulotu continued his hold-in during Chargers camp while pursuing a new deal, according to reports cited in ESPN’s roundup. The Chargers edge rusher has been present but not working as a full participant while negotiations continue. Los Angeles has support for Tuipulotu inside the locker room, according to camp reports, but the timing matters because preseason practice reps help shape early defensive rotations. A prolonged hold-in can leave coaches managing workloads and substituting younger players into team periods. ### Does this mean these players will miss preseason or regular-season games? ESPN’s August 6 tracker framed the immediate question as whether any of the players would be willing to miss games if talks remain unresolved. As of Thursday, the reported status for Gibbs, Vea and Tuipulotu was that they were still with their teams rather than away from camp entirely. Thursday’s Hall of Fame Game starts the three-week preseason schedule. The next developments to watch are whether any of the three players return to full practice, whether teams alter preseason usage, and whether ESPN’s hold-in tracker changes in the days after August 6.