Carlos Dunlap misses the start of Cincinnati Bengals OTA

Jim Owczarski | Cincinnati Enquirer

Show Caption Hide Caption Cincinnati Bengals 2018 NFL Draft Wrapup Cincinnati Enquirer beat writers Paul Dehner Jr. and Jim Owczarski wrap up the Bengals 2018 NFL Draft picks from Paul Brown Stadium. (Sam Greene/The Enquirer)

For the first time in 2018, the Cincinnati Bengals veterans and rookies hit the practice fields adjacent Paul Brown Stadium together for the opening of the team’s first voluntary organized team activity on Tuesday – with one notable exception: two-time Pro Bowl defensive end Carlos Dunlap.

Dunlap missed all of the Bengals’ voluntary workouts over the last month as well, though he consistently posted private drills in Florida on his social media accounts.

"It's not a big deal one way or another," Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis said Tuesday.

Lewis said he has talked to Dunlap, and when asked what the reasons were for his absence, Lewis laughed. "He's busy. Working out."

Dunlap joins a list of high profile players who are missing the start of Organized Team Activities, which includes New England quarterback Tom Brady and tight end Rob Gronkowski, Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald, Atlanta wide receiver Julio Jones, Pittsburgh running back Le’Veon Bell and Jacksonville cornerbacks Jalen Ramsey and A.J. Bouye.

Dunlap, 29, is in a contract year after he signed a six-year, $40.6 million extension in 2013. He is due to make $7 million this season. The average annual value of his extension over the last five years was about $7.9 million, which would put him 18th in annual value this season the NFL for defensive ends, per the salary tracking website www.spotrac.com.

For his part, Dunlap has remained silent on why he chose to stay away from the club during the voluntary period.

And while the workouts and the OTA are voluntary, Dunlap has cost himself $300,000 in workout bonuses.

Multiple league sources have told The Enquirer that his absence hasn’t affected his standing with the Bengals front office regarding a potential extension.

The Bengals have voluntary OTA sessions the next two weeks before the club’s mandatory minicamp June 12-14.

"I haven't asked Carlos if he'll be here for minicamp," Lewis said. "It's not a story. It's not a big deal."

Dunlap is entering his ninth season with the Bengals after being drafted in the second round out of Florida in 2010. He has 64.5 career sacks, with his only double-digit sack season coming in 2015 when he had 13.5.