Here are key players skipping mandatory minicamp this week

At this point in the NFL offseason, we know most of the big names who have missed OTAs, and (for the most part) what they’re angling for. Some want to get paid, some want a trade, but for some the motives are still a mystery.

Even amid all the tumultuous news, there are still surprising omissions for OTAs that could have a big impact on teams — and potentially lead to fines if the players miss mandatory minicamp starting Tuesday (save for the Chicago Bears, who held their minicamp last week with no holdouts). According to the NFL collective bargaining agreement, players are subject to a $17,462 fine if they miss one day of mandatory minicamp, then a $34,925 fine if they miss a second day. If a player misses the third and final day, the fine is $52,381.

But players are circumventing those fines by showing up for practices and simply not participating.

Here’s the latest our NFL Nation reporters have been hearing about OTA absences and what to expect at minicamp.

Jump to a player:Cousins | Cook | HendricksonStewart | Parsons | AlexanderJenkins | Ramsey | Smith | Watt | MetcalfReddick | Lattimore | McLaurin | Tunsil

Status: Attended the first day of minicamp

Cousins wants to be a starting quarterback this season. That isn’t going to happen in Atlanta, where Michael Penix Jr. replaced him as the starter last season.

Cousins’ preference is to be released, but the Falcons won’t do that. He’s owed $27.5 million in 2025 whether he’s on the roster or cut, and the organization would rather have him as a backup than be saddled with dead money. Atlanta would love to explore a trade, but only if another team picks up a significant chunk of that guaranteed money, which includes a $10 million bonus in 2026. Cousins also has a no-trade clause.

After being around for a few days during the early spring offseason program, Cousins was not present for practice during voluntary offseason team activities, but he did show up Tuesday.

Head coach Raheem Morris does not expect the veteran quarterback’s situation to be an issue for Penix. — Marc Raimondi

Status: Attended the first day of minicamp

The Bills rewarded three members of the 2022 draft class — WR Khalil Shakir, LB Terrel Bernard and CB Christian Benford — with new deals this offseason. Cook, however, was not one of them even though his representatives had discussions with the Bills. The two sides were not close as he enters the fourth and final year of his contract.

Cook, 25, is coming off the best season of his career — 1,009 rushing yards,16 touchdowns on the ground (tied for the league high) — and the team has acknowledged his importance. “He was obviously huge for us last year,” offensive coordinator Joe Brady said.

Coach Sean McDermott said he anticipates Cook practicing in the minicamp sessions “as far as I know at this point.” — Alaina Getzenberg

Status: Holding out of minicamp; sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

The All-Pro edge rusher did not participate in any of the team’s voluntary workouts as he seeks a new contract ahead of the season. The 30-year-old said he had no intention of playing on the final year of his current contract. He is seeking a long-term deal with guaranteed money, while he said the team is eyeing a short-term contract.

Hendrickson received a text from coach Zac Taylor reminding him about the fine schedule for players who skip minicamp, which triggered Hendrickson’s media tour during offseason workouts.

Hendrickson had been granted permission to seek trade offers.

Status: Attended minicamp but did not participate

This is a unique situation because Stewart isn’t technically under contract. However, it effectively will be a hold-in if he misses mandatory camp because the rookie has not signed his participation waiver and is not partaking in drills because of a contract dispute, according to a source familiar with the negotiations.

If the two sides can agree on the contract language, it should smooth things over with the team’s first-round pick.

“In my case, I’m 100% right,” Stewart said when asked by ESPN about how long the situation could last. “I’m not asking for nothing that’s never been done before. In [the team’s case], y’all just want to win an argument instead of winning more games, in my opinion.”– Ben Baby

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Why T.J. Watt is not attending Steelers mandatory minicamp

Brooke Pryor reports on Steelers pass rusher T.J. Watt not attending mandatory minicamp as he pursues a new contract.

Status: Attended minicamp Tuesday, didn’t practice

Parsons was in attendance Tuesday, but he did not do any on-field work. He said he had a tight back, and if it feels better Wednesday he would do some stuff on the field. He spoke with Jerry Jones for about 30 minutes during the practice but said it was not about the contract. He said he’s just waiting for Jones to make the next move in the talks and hopes something can get done before training camp.

Although he said he would be in Oxnard for training camp, he was noncommittal about whether he would actually practice without a contract. — Todd Archer

Status: Is getting released

News broke Monday that the Packers plan to release Alexander. Both sides were frustrated when last season ended, with Alexander refusing to comment because he wasn’t sure whether he’d be back with the team and the Packers disappointed that he played in only seven games for a second straight season.

The sides had attempted to come to a revised contract but couldn’t reach a deal, a source said, leading to the Packers’ decision to move on from Alexander before minicamp.

Status: Reported to minicamp, but didn’t practice

According to sources, Jenkins was OK with the Packers moving him from guard to center but wanted his contract adjusted to protect against the loss of future income (centers are typically paid less than guards). Though the Packers don’t usually renegotiate contracts with two years remaining, as Jenkins has on his deal, perhaps they could offer to guarantee some or all of his remaining money, considering there are no guarantees left on his contract. — Rob Demovsky

Status: The team is seeking a trade

Ramsey is on his way out of South Florida after just two seasons.

General manager Chris Grier said in April that the team was actively looking to move Ramsey, but the financial ramifications were too great to trade him before June 1. Now that the calendar has turned, a trade might materialize soon.

Ramsey’s absence from minicamp is excused as both sides look to facilitate a trade, according to coach Mike McDaniel.

Status: Skipping minicamp

Smith signed a two-year, $8.4 million deal with Miami last offseason and turned in the best statistical season by a Dolphins tight end in history (88 receptions, 884 yards, 8 TDs). Now he’s looking for a pay increase, and although Miami briefly entertained a trade, that looks unlikely to happen.

Unlike with Ramsey, Smith’s absence is not excused. — Marcel Louis-Jacques

Status: Skipping minicamp, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

One of the league’s premier pass rushers and the Steelers are working on an extension as he enters the final year of his contract.

Though he hasn’t talked publicly since the end of the season, Watt appeared to telegraph that negotiations aren’t going to his liking when he posted a picture to his Instagram story holding up a peace sign in a Steelers jersey. With Cleveland’s Myles Garrett signing a record $40 million-a-year extension earlier this offseason, Watt’s price seemingly keeps going up.

Status: Attending minicamp

Although he attended more than half of the first two offseason workout phases, new Steelers receiver Metcalf wasn’t spotted at any of the team’s OTA practices. That is not the case at minicamp with Aaron Rodgers now in the fold. — Brooke Pryor

Status: Skipped OTAs, but participated in the first day of minicamp

Given his extended holdout with the New York Jets last year, Reddick’s lack of participation in Buccaneers OTAs raised some eyebrows. The team didn’t express concern, as head coach Todd Bowles said he kept tabs on Reddick through position coach Larry Foote.

Worried Bucs fans can breathe a sigh of relief as Reddick practiced. — Jenna Laine

Status: Participating in minicamp

Washington acquired Lattimore in a midseason trade with New Orleans, but a hamstring injury limited him to two regular-season games (and all three playoff games) with the Commanders.

Status: Holding out of minicamp

McLaurin, coming off his most productive season — with 82 receptions, 1,096 yards and a career-best 13 touchdowns (one fewer than he had the previous three years combined) — is entering the final year of his contract. The two sides have been discussing an extension but have not struck a deal.

McLaurin skipped voluntary sessions as well as the mandatory minicamp in 2022 before signing a three-year extension.

He had been attending all offseason workouts until the week of May 20.

Coach Dan Quinn is not concerned. “Terry’s had a great offseason,” he said.

Receiver Deebo Samuel, who held out for several days early in the 2022 training camp with San Francisco, said, “I understand the business side of the things, and when he stopped coming, I understand his side of the story.”

Status: Attending minicamp

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Washington acquired Tunsil in a March trade, and he has shown up to some of the voluntary offseason work. But he often missed voluntary work while playing in Houston, so it wasn’t a big surprise that he did not attend Washington’s first OTA practices.

His presence will help, considering he’s with a new group and there’s a good chance he’ll be playing next to Brandon Coleman, who is not only a new teammate but also new to left guard in the NFL.

But Tunsil’s track record of in-season success will alleviate concerns. — John Keim