Rumor: Long-time Patriots veteran said to be holding out of minicamp over contract

The Patriots began their mandatory minicamp on Monday morning, and some key absences were quickly noticed, including that of former captain Lawrence Guy.

Theories began swirling online regarding the possible reason for Guy not attending practice, especially since players are heavily fined when they don't show up for mandatory activities. But ESPN's Mike Reiss made sure to clear the air not long after camp concluded for the day, revealing the defensive tackle did not show up purposely.

Reiss noted that Guy tested free agency during the 2021 offseason and ultimately returned to the Patriots with a four-year contract. Now that he has a new agent, it's rumored that he is holding out due to issues with his current contract, which had a base value of $11.5 million. However, he's set to make $2 million for the 2023 season.

"In March 2021, after testing the market as an unrestricted free agent, Guy signed a four-year contract to return to the Patriots. The deal had a base value of $11.5 million, with a maximum value of $24 million.

Guy, who has since changed agents, is believed to be looking for an adjustment to the contract after what sources had previously described as a challenging negotiation."

Guy also didn't participate in any of the Patriots' organized team activities over the last couple of weeks, but not much was made of that since they are not mandatory.

Now that minicamp has begun and will continue the rest of the week, Guy's absence will likely become one of the bigger storylines to watch.

He's been a mainstay of the defense since joining the team in 2017, playing in 93 games and started 91, and is one of the last remaining members of the roster who won Super Bowl LIII. His leadership as a former team captain and reliability in his position will inevitably be missed when the defensive line is practicing this week.

Regarding how much holding out impacts Guy directly, Reiss detailed the fines players receive when skipping mandatory practices, which continue to rise as more days are missed.

"Players who don't report for the official start of mandatory minicamp can be fined. The penalty would be $16,459 for the first official practice day, $32,920 for the second practice day and $49,374 for the third practice day."

Whether or not things change this week is unclear. It's not often that a Patriots player holds out over contract concerns, so there's no real timetable for the two sides to come to a solution.