The Miami Dolphins had pretty solid attendance at their mandatory minicamp sessions last week, as even some players who were working through injuries were at the facilities.
However, one player who was not there was center Connor Williams, who head coach Mike McDaniel said was missing with an unexcused absence. The team was aware that he wouldn’t be in attendance, as he’s looking for a new contract.
Due to the mandatory nature of the camp, players with unexcused absences are subject to fines. The first-day fine is $16,459, the second is $32,920 and the third is $49,374. In total, that’s $98,753 in fines for three days of not practicing.
Any player who skips mandatory minicamp is subject to fines, with $16,459 the first day, $32,920 the second day and $49,374 the third day. — totaling nearly $99,000.
Baker won't be subject to fines. https://t.co/5ATFbw8zFI— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) June 12, 2023
Williams was signed to a two-year contract worth roughly $14.04 million last offseason. In 2023, he’s set to have a cap hit of about $8.38 million. He’s earning $6.5 million in a base salary ($2 million, of which, is guaranteed) and $500,000 in per-game roster bonuses.
At 26 years old, Williams is likely looking for a deal that puts him near the top of the center market after proving he can handle a new position last year. A contract paying him between $12-13 million annually would put him among the highest-paid centers in the NFL.