As the Atlanta Falcons begin their summer minicamp, star WR Julio Jones is not in attendance.

Jones, a former Alabama star, would reportedly like a new contract (though he’s denied that’s the reason for his absence from offseason activities).

On Monday, the Falcons released a statement addressing the absence of the star receiver, which you can read below:

“We have been in contact with Julio and his representation. We will not discuss those conversations publicly except to say we feel they have been productive and constructive. We understand the concerns and thoughts from their perspective.  Although not ideal, Julio informed us today he would not be attending mini-camp.

“We have much respect for him and what he means to our team, our city and our fans.”

The player this potentially has the most impact on isn’t Jones. Instead, it’s rookie (and fellow former Alabama WR) Calvin Ridley.

Having Jones around would really help Ridley get up to speed, but for now, he might have to wait until the preseason (or even later) for Jones to come back.