Several Big-Name NFL Players Skipping Voluntary Workouts, But Nothing To See Here

NFL teams that hired new head coaches this off-season get a jump on the new season by being allowed to start their voluntary off-season programs early. For teams with returning head coaches, Monday marked the first day that those teams could start their programs. 

A total of 25 teams began voluntary off-season workouts. There were some big-name players noticeably absent, and most of them are looking for new contracts. 

Minnesota Vikings star wide receiver Justin Jefferson was not present Monday. 

Jefferson is in the final year of his rookie deal and looking for a huge extension – perhaps the largest contract in history for a wide receiver. 

However, Jefferson wasn't present for the workouts last year, either. Remember, they are voluntary. 

Justin Jefferson, like CeeDee Lamb and Micah Parsons, wasn't in attendance for the start of his team's voluntary workouts on Monday.

(USA Today Network)

For the Dallas Cowboys, two star players were missing when Monday's events kicked off. Neither wide receiver CeeDee Lamb nor versatile defender Micah Parsons showed up. 

Lamb is in the same boat as Jefferson, as both players were taken in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft. It's going to be interesting to see which player gets a contract first because that sets the market for the other – and Cincinnati Bengals receiver Ja'Marr Chase, a first-round pick in 2021. 

Parsons is in a similar situation to Chase, since the Cowboys selected him in 2021. He's eligible for an extension, but Dallas has a lot of money tied up elsewhere, particularly at quarterback, and Lamb needs a deal sooner than Parsons. 

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb and linebacker Micah Parsons celebrate during the NFL Pro Bowl Skills Competition.

(Nathan Ray Seebeck/USA TODAY Sports)

Really, though, the no-show at voluntary workouts is much ado about nothing. They are voluntary, after all, and many guys have their own programs that they work through with their own trainers. 

The beauty of the NFL is that the news never stops. It's April and guys not showing up for a voluntary workout is news. 

Players aren't required to show up until mandatory OTAs (organized team activities), which start in early June after the NFL Draft. 

The key is whether these players get new deals before then and, if they don't, whether they are in attendance at that point. Until then, let's just try to enjoy the off-season. Clearly, that's what many players are doing.