Don’t call Vikings defensive end Ray Edwards a holdout.
He’s one of the many unsigned restricted free agents out there, unhappy because the collective bargaining agreement kept him from hitting the open market.
Just don’t expect Edwards to be on the field for the Vikings anytime soon. He’s expected to continue to skip voluntary work, and Judd Zulgad of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports Edwards won’t be at the team’s mandatory minicamp from June 11-13. (Although it’s not really mandatory for him.)
The timing works out well for Edwards. He needs to sign his tender by June 15 or the Vikings can reduce his offer to 110 percent of his 2009 salary. Look for him to sign around June 14.
Since he’s unsigned, the Vikings also can’t fine him for skipping out. The Vikings haven’t offered Edwards a long-term deal.