Two of the league's top pass rushers were absent for the start of mandatory minicamps across the NFL on Monday.
Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker T.J. Watt and Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson were chief among the list of players not in attendance with their teams, per multiple reports.
The pair of AFC North defensive stars are both a year away from unrestricted free agency and looking for long-term deals, hence the absences.
According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, neither player has made progress with their respective franchises on long-term deals despite both leading the league in sacks through the last two seasons — Hendrickson at No. 1 with 35.0 sacks and Watt right behind with 30.5.
Watt, 30, is coming off an 11.5-sack season in which he started all 17 games for Pittsburgh. It was his second consecutive campaign without missing a single appearance. He also chipped in six forced fumbles, 19 tackles for loss and 27 QB hits.
The former first-rounder finished fourth in 2024 Defensive Player of the Year voting while earning his seventh Pro Bowl nod and fourth All-Pro selection.
Watt enters 2025 in the final year of a four-year, $112 million deal and is owed a base salary of $21 million for the season, per Spotrac.
Meanwhile, Hendrickson, the reigning sack leader in the NFL, is coming off a second consecutive season with 17.5 sacks. He didn't miss a start for Cincinnati for a second straight year as well, adding two forced fumbles, 19 TFLs and 36 QB hits.
The four-time Pro Bowler finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting while earning his first All-Pro selection. Hendrickson previously signed with the Bengals on a four-year, $60 million deal ahead of the 2021 season, and then re-upped with the team on a one-year, $21 million contract for 2025, per Spotrac.
Hendrickson has previously made it clear that he would not play for Cincinnati again until he receives a new deal, even noting "the lack of communication post draft made it imminently clear ... that this might not work out.”
All the while, the star pass rushers weren't the only ones not around for the start of minicamps, as Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin was another notable player missing in action, per Rapoport.
The two-time Pro Bowler is entering the final year of a three-year, $68.3 million rookie extension he signed in 2022, owed $19.5 million for the upcoming season before unrestricted free agency.
According to NFL Network's Mike Garafolo, McLaurin is set to take on fines of over $100,000 to send a message to the Commanders about his contract situation.
The 29-year-old is coming off his fifth consecutive season logging at least 1000 receiving yards and 75 catches — he's not posted lower than those markers since his rookie campaign. In 2024, McLaurin earned Pro Bowl and All-Pro selections as he racked up 1096 yards on 82 catches for 13 receiving touchdowns (second in the NFL).
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