The Denver Broncos slapped Demaryius Thomas with the franchise tag.
The receiver has yet to sign the tag and wants a new deal consummate with his production as one of the top receivers in the NFL. Like other players tabbed with the tag -- Dez Bryant, Justin Houston and Jason Pierre-Paul -- Thomas didn't attend the opening of voluntary workouts this week.
It's customary for tagged players to skip opening workouts, but that didn't stop Broncos executive vice president, John Elway, from railing against Thomas' absence.
"To be dead honest with you, I see absolutely zero value with him being away from here," Elway said. "Him being away from here there is zero value not only to us, but to him. To me it makes no sense.''
"As far as negotiations ... we'd like to get something done," Elway said. "But by him being away from here, there is zero value, not only to us, (but) to him. To me it makes no sense. That actually has no effect to anything we're talking about, trying to get a contract done with him, because that's ultimately what we'd like to do. But for him not to be here it has zero effect."
Not only could Thomas skip the start of workouts, if a deal isn't done there is a chance the wideout's holdout could stretch well into the summer.
Many players stay away from offseason workouts without a new deal in part to gain leverage and also to avoid potential injuries.
However, when told injury was one reason for Thomas' absence, Elway offered a rebuttal:
"That makes no sense to me," Elway said. "Him not getting hurt? If he gets hurt here, he's covered. If he gets hurt somewhere else, he's not. Tell me why that makes sense, that he wouldn't be here working out with us. I don't understand it all. That's part of the game, but it makes no sense for him not to be here."
It seems that is a chance Thomas is willing to take as negotiations appear poised to extend into the sweltering months.
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