The New England Patriots began the third phase of their NFL offseason workouts on Monday with voluntary OTAs, one of the notable absent players was reigning league MVP, Tom Brady. It has not been the norm for him to miss that as he has shown up for that process in years past.

It has created the notion that there could be much more to it than a simple no-show on his end of things due to entering his 19th campaign. Adam Schefter of ESPN stated on Monday that he believes it's a telling that it signals that there is much more to it than what is being let on publicly.

“He has been a regular participant in OTA, the third phase, in other seasons just not this one. He's not going to be there. Rob Gronkowski I don't believe is going to be there today. At some point, I think he's back there working out with the team. But we don't know when Tom Brady is going to be back with this team. The fact that he is not there, I think it's fair to wonder why is he not there. It's strange situation. There has been a lot of grumblings. A lot of mumors. A lot of whispering that he could be unhappy with certain situations there and I think that the fact that he's not there speaks in itself and makes it's own statement…He is going to be there when it counts. When it matters. In the grand scheme of things, is it a huge deal? No, but I think it's a red flag that is not perfectly well.”

Much of this disgruntlement has persisted over the season surrounding Brady's use of his personal trainer Alex Guerrero, that was causing internal conflict with the use of the team training staff. Since Guerrero saw his access to the team reduced that has created some uneasiness from the star quarterback about his entire standing with the team.

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Granted, these are voluntary team workouts that he is missing, but the fact that he has decided now that he will not participate does raise some reasonable questions about his standing with the team. Brady is expected to be there for mandatory minicamp in June, which by then things could be combed over for the time being.

In the meantime, it does signal that things are not exactly in clear and comfortable standing from Brady's end of things heading into training camp.