How Justified Is Each Key Absence from NFL OTAs?

Across the NFL, organized team activities—better known to the populace as OTAs—have begun in full force this week. With the start of OTAs comes stories, not about the players in attendance at these mostly meaningless get-togethers, but about the ones who aren't there. 

2012 has been no different thus far. 

Several big names have been no-shows at their respective OTAs, most with good reason not to be there, but others with questionable motives. 

While you should never take too much from anything at these OTAs—good or bad—we'll attempt to break down which of the key absences are justified and which aren't in the following slides. 

Note: Injury-related absences were not included in this list.

RB Maurice Jones-Drew, Jacksonville Jaguars

After leading the NFL in rushing in 2011, Maurice Jones-Drew is now looking to improve on the five-year, $31 million deal he signed back in 2009.

He obviously isn't happy with the $4.45 million he's scheduled to make during the 2012 season, especially after watching other backs (LeSean McCoy, Arian Foster, Adrian Peterson) lock up big deals recently. That dissatisfaction over his current contract has kept Jones-Drew out of Jaguars OTAs. 

Given the market for backs and the myriad of other factors—age, life span for backs, past production, impact on the offense—Jones-Drew appears to have a strong case for missing OTAs.

Just 27 years old, Jones-Drew will likely break the 2,000-touch mark during the 2012 season. While he's always been productive—three straight 1,300-plus rushing seasons, over 9,000 career yards, 72 career touchdowns—that kind of wear and tear on a running back means his days of being an elite player in this league are likely nearing the end. 

He'll make almost $10 million over the final two years of his deal in base salary, but Jones-Drew wants contract security that will last past 2013.

Given all the factors involved with being an NFL back, it's hard to argue that isn't justified. 

WR Mike Wallace, Pittsburgh Steelers

A restricted free agent this offseason, Steelers receiver Mike Wallace has yet to sign his one-year, $2.742 million franchise tender offered to him this spring, according to Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Wallace isn't likely to sign the tender anytime soon, which has eliminated his presence from all of the Steelers OTAs held this week. 

The Steelers have maintained all along that getting a multi-year deal done with Wallace is something they want to do, but no reports of any contract talks heating up have surfaced.

Considering that Wallace is coming off of back-to-back seasons of 1,000 yards receiving and eight or more touchdown receptions, attending OTAs with a deal that so poorly mirrors his production on the field makes little sense.

While the Steelers are putting in a new offense under offensive coordinator Todd Haley, the team won't see Wallace in camp until it gets serious about giving its star receiver the deal he has earned.  

QB Andrew Luck, Indianapolis Colts

Andrew Luck, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2012 draft and the Colts' de facto starting quarterback, is skipping all of Indianapolis' OTAs while he finishes up his degree at Stanford University. 

His coach isn't exactly thrilled with Luck's absence, according to NFL.com's Marc Sessler (via the Indianapolis Star):

"

For him to be here, taking snaps, building chemistry, the timing with the offense, timing with the receivers, all those kind of things ... it's days lost. It's like money you never get back. It'd be awesome to have him here, but we're going to make do.

"

While you can understand why a rookie head coach wouldn't be happy with his rookie quarterback missing relatively important OTAs, blaming Luck for finishing up at Stanford makes little sense.

A smart, cerebral player, Luck will be fine picking up the Colts playbook and building the repertoire with his offense once his degree is complete in early June. 

And keep in mind, the 2011 rookie quarterbacks—Cam Newton and Andy Dalton, in particular—held up fine without participating in any offseason workouts. Luck would benefit from the OTAs, but his absence in this case is more than justified.  

Franchise Tag Holdouts

WR Dwayne Bowe, Kansas City Chiefs

Bowe has yet to sign his franchise tag tender, and he's been expected to miss most of the Chiefs' offseason workouts while he negotiates a new long-term deal.  

QB Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints

Arguably one of the three best players at the game's most important position, Brees continues to work—albeit frustratingly—with the Saints to get a multi-year deal worked out. He'll miss Saints OTAs until that deal is done. 

RB Matt Forte, Chicago Bears

Forte has wanted a new deal since last season, but the Bears instead slapped him with the franchise tag this offseason and then went out in free agency and signed former Oakland Raiders running back Michael Bush. He'll be as far away from the Bears' offseason workouts as possible. 

RB Ray Rice, Baltimore Ravens

No running back in the NFL can match the combined production Rice has accumulated over the last three seasons as a runner and a receiver. But to reward Rice's three straight seasons with 1,200 yards or more rushing and 60 or more catches, the Ravens slapped the one-year tag on their best offensive weapon. Until a common ground on a new deal is reached, Rice won't be attending OTAs. 

DE Cliff Avril, Detroit Lions

Avril has shown to be one of the NFL's better up-and-coming pass-rushers, but he'll remain out of Lions camp until a new deal is formed to replace the franchise tag he received this offseason. The Lions might be better served to get this deal done before Avril has the chance to explode this next season.

Overall, all five of the players are justified in holding out of camp. While the money associated with the franchise tag is nice, no player wants to play a season under a one-year deal.

Risking any kind of injury or leverage in contract talks by attending OTAs is simply out of the question for most franchise-tagged players who haven't yet signed the tender. 

Other Names Missing

WR Donald Driver, Green Bay Packers

Driver missed all of the Packers' OTAs this week while completing his stint on Dancing with the Stars, which he won on Tuesday night. Coach Mike McCarthy is expecting him back in Green Bay next week, but the veteran receiver wouldn't have gained much from OTAs anyway. 

LB Rolando McClain, Oakland Raiders

McClain has been absent at Raiders OTAs while he continues to deal with an ongoing legal issue in Alabama, according to CSNBayArea.com. McClain is in some hot water regarding a case late last year, and you always need your young middle linebacker in camp. 

CB Mike Jenkins, Dallas Cowboys

Jenkins has technically missed all of the OTAs with a recovering shoulder that has yet to be cleared, according to the team's website. But even if Jenkins was 100 percent healthy, the cornerback likely wouldn't be in camp. He's been involved in constant trade talk since the draft, and he's looking for an upgrade on the final year of his rookie contract. 

WR Titus Young, Detroit Lions

The Lions have reportedly kept Young out of OTAs after he punched safety Louis Delmas during a fight roughly a week before OTAs began, according to Anwar Richardson of MLive.com. A second-year receiver out of Boise State, Young likely would have benefited from his first-ever OTA session.