Dolphins C Connor Williams Not At Mandatory Minicamp As He Pursues New Contract

Dolphins HC Mike McDaniel informed reporters that C Connor Williams is not at mandatory minicamp and does not have an excused absence, per Joe Schad.

Williams has not been at OTAs as he angles for a new contract heading into the 2023 season. He’s entering the final year of a two-year, $14.5 million deal he signed with Miami last year as a free agent. 

By missing minicamp, Williams is subjecting himself to fines for each day he’s absent. Per the CBA, Williams can be fined $16,953 for missing the first day, $33,908 for the second and $50,855 for the third for a total of $101,716. Teams have latitude to waive or forgive these fines. 

Williams, 26, is a former second-round pick of the Cowboys back in 2018. He played out the final year of his four-year, $5,488,996 contract with the Cowboys that included a $2,071,996 signing bonus.

Williams was testing the open market as an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his NFL career when he signed a two-year, $14.5 million deal with the Dolphins. 

In 2022, Williams appeared in all 17 games for the Dolphins and made 17 starts. Pro Football Focus had him rated as the No. 4 center out of 36 qualifying players. 

We’ll have more on Williams as the news is available.