Buffalo Bills CB Stephon Gilmore skipping OTAs

The Buffalo Bills will open organized team activities Monday without their top corner.

NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport reported Stephon Gilmore is staying away from OTAs as the two sides negotiate a long-term extension, according to two sources involved in the situation.

The Buffalo News first reported Gilmore would skip voluntary workouts.

Rapoport noted that the negotiations aren't particularly contentious at this stage.

Gilmore is entering the final year of his rookie deal. Bills general manager Doug Whaley recently admitted he'd like to lock down his No. 1 corner and lower the $11 million salary cap figure for the 2012 No. 10 overall pick.

Since the Bills are still in the voluntary portion of the workout schedule, we don't consider Gilmore's absence a holdout. Skipping workouts is a player's only leverage at this stage. The Bills mandatory minicamp is June 14-16. If the CB skips workouts at that point, it's a full-on holdout.