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Voluntary in the NFL has a completely different meaning than anywhere else in the world. For an NFL team holding "voluntary" offseason conditioning program events, and preparing to hold "voluntary" Organized Team Activities (OTAs), voluntary means you need to be there unless you have an excuse. For the Miami Dolphins, safety Reshad Jones' absence from the workout session on Monday did not fit the definition of voluntary.
Jones, who had a breakout season in 2012 and looks poised to continue that success this year, is entering the final year of his contract. According to the Miami Herald's Armando Salguero, Jones' Dolphins teammates believe this could be a move by Jones to show his disappointment that the extension negotiations are not progressing as quickly as he would like. Jones is set to make $1.323 million this season, making him the lowest paid member of the Miami secondary.
While Jones missing tomorrow's first day of OTAs is pure speculation at this point, the Dolphins, according to Salguero, are at least confused by the move today. The team spent the morning trying to track down their starting safety, who, up until today, had been one of the highest attending members of the Dolphins' offseason workout program.
Miami is expecting defensive tackle Randy Starks, who was franchise tagged this offseason, to skip the OTAs in hopes of working out a new contract. Starks is slated to make a fully guaranteed $8.45 million this season, but the franchise tender is only for one season, while Starks is looking to secure a long term deal.