India, June 12 The last step before training camps for the NFL is here, and many players who are still eager to get a better contract from their individual clubs have taken the courageous step of skipping the "mandatory minicamps," which began on Tuesday, June 10, for 24 teams. The action is not without a cost, even if it is often perceived as a slight tendency to coerce their squads.

Players are liable to pre-determined penalties if they miss mandatory minicamps, as stated in the NFL's collective bargaining agreement. The number of days a player misses determines these costs, which are consistently raised annually. Unless a player has been granted an excused absence from his team, this is the case.

As of 2025, this is the price chart of fines and penalties:

DAY 1: $17,462

DAY 2: $34,925

DAY 3: $52,381

TOTAL: $104,768

Missing minicamps is more about the message they convey than the revenue they generate, even if these fees are not likely to cause NFL players to lose a lot of money.

In the hope of bringing the other side to the bargaining table and negotiating better deals with their teams, many players have made the audacious decision to skip this year's minicamps. Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport's social media announcement that Trey Hendrickson's absence was caused by a lack of advancement in a new deal made it even more apparent that his conflict with the Cincinnati Bengals is now a widely recognized public matter.

Drama appears to be similar to that of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Steel City is now in a predicament after abandoning the Aaron Rodgers drama as TJ Watt chose to forgo organized team activities because he did not have a new long-term contract. In light of this year's Super Bowl run, Terry McLaurin, one of the Washington Commanders' most promising players, is said to be annoyed by the slow progress on a new long-term contract and has named it as the official cause of his absence.

The Miami Dolphins have suffered greatly this time, as two of their players—Jalen Ramsey and Jonnu Smith—have been benched during the minicamp period. The agreement comes in the event that Ramsey is traded to the Steelers or that, in spite of having four years left on his contract, Ramsey is cornered out of the Dolphins. If the team is unsuccessful in trading Ramsey, it is still uncertain whether he will be set free, but it is very unlikely that he will play for Miami in September.

Training camps and preseason games will quickly begin after the minicamps finish, prior to the regular season's September start.

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