NFL stars skip OTAs for variety of reasons
As of Tuesday, all 32 NFL teams had entered the third phase of voluntary workouts, the portion when players can actually scrimmage (albeit without contact). Championships aren’t won in May, but in terms of team building and on-field instruction, this is not an insignificant stage of the offseason.
Nevertheless, several stars around the league are not in attendance. Here’s a list of who’s MIA and why (we think):
Patriots QB Tom Brady
What we know: The reigning MVP has been absent all offseason, instead spending time in Qatar, among other exotic locales. It’s not necessarily unusual for Brady to miss voluntary strength and conditioning, but skipping Phase 3 OTAs is unusual. Still, he has dismissed the notion he might not return for 2018.
What we suspect: Tensions have evidently been running high in New England for months, and Brady’s (apparently) strained relationship with coach Bill Belichick was detailed by ESPN in January. Since then, the Pats lost the Super Bowl — Brady disagreed with Belichick’s decision to bench starting corner Malcolm Butler — before parting with key components of Brady’s supporting cast (Nate Solder, Dion Lewis, Danny Amendola, Brandin Cooks). To top it off, TB12 went out of his way to “plead the fifth” during a Q&A at the Milken Institute Global Conference last month when asked if he was sufficiently appreciated by the franchise. Pretty obvious Brady has taken a detour from The Patriot Way, but he’ll likely fall in line when mandatory minicamp starts June 5.
Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski
What we know: Like Brady, the allpro tight end has been adhering to his own schedule, which has included dirtbiking and Jamaican vacations with Sports Illustrated swimsuit models.
What we suspect: Gronk seems to be chafing under Belichick, too, encouraging Amendola to “Be FREE, Be HAPPY” after the wide receiver signed with Miami. Perhaps more important, Gronkowski now ranks fourth among tight ends in average annual compensation and is wrangling a revised contract out of the Patriots, according to reports. Perhaps money can buy him some happiness.
Falcons WR Julio Jones
What we know: He’s nowhere to be found, which was also the case for most of 2017. A big deal? Probably not, but it’s worth noting the Atlanta offense fell off a cliff, in relative terms, last year and needs to find a groove under secondyear coordinator Steve Sarkisian.
What we suspect: Jones caused a stir this offseason by largely purging any reference to the Falcons from his social media accounts. Never put in the diva category that many of his fellow receivers tend to be, Jones could be acting out in his own fashion now that his average salary ($14.2M) ranks him eighth at the position with his deal set to run another three years.
“It’ll be fine,” Falcons owner Arthur Blank said Tuesday at the NFL owners meeting, lending credence this is an issue about money. Blank also told a local TV reporter: “I love Julio. He loves me. He loves Atlanta. He’s going to be here forever.”
Steelers RB Le’Veon Bell
What we know: Franchised for the second consecutive offseason, Bell — he’s technically not under contract (or subject to fines) as long as the tag tender remains unsigned — is enjoying another lengthy break.
What we suspect: Bell is rumored to be seeking a deal worth $17 million annually — a number that would bring him in line with teammate Antonio Brown, a wideout, but would more than double what Atlanta’s Devonta Freeman, the highest-paid back in the league on a per-year basis ($8.25 million), pulls down.
That could mean an unbridgeable impasse in terms of negotiations with Steelers brass, never known to be held hostage in these scenarios.
Rams DL Aaron Donald
What we know: He held out last year looking for a new deal that never came. Donald and Oakland’s Khalil Mack are poised to become the league’s first $20 million a year defenders with both entering the final year of their rookie deals.
What we suspect: The Rams, who have a ton of money available under next year’s cap despite all of their highprofile moves this year, have given every indication that it’s when — not if — a new deal gets hammered out with the reigning defensive player of the year. “Pay the man,” exclaimed new Rams corner Marcus Peters on Monday.
Raiders DE Khalil Mack
What we know: His situation mirrors Donald’s, which is presumably why Mack has been staying away, too.
What we suspect: Mack, the 2016 NFL defensive player of the year and the lone game changer Oakland has on that side of the ball, will get paid — eventually. But why expose himself to injury at this stage?
Seahawks S Earl Thomas
What we know: The perennial Pro Bowler, slated to hit free agency next year, will likely stay away until mandatory minicamp next month ... barring a new contract, of course.
What we suspect: This is a pivotal time for Thomas. One of his fellow Legion of Boomers, cornerback Richard Sherman, was released in March, and another, safety Kam Chancellor, could be forced to retire.
Thomas has been the subject of trade rumors, specifically to Dallas (he expressed great interest in eventually playing there last year), and might not want to be part of Seattle’s rebuild heading into his ninth season if they’re not willing to making him the league’s highest-paid safety again.
Saints RB Mark Ingram
What we know: Coming off a Pro Bowl season, the stars seemed to be aligning for him. But Ingram will start his walk year with a four-game suspension, despite his protestations about its fairness. He informed the Saints he wouldn’t be back in the building until mandatory minicamp.
What we suspect: Hard to see Ingram’s angle here given his ban has surely cost him goodwill in a locker room with Super Bowl aspirations. But the Saints might as well get used to missing him for extended stretches.