Wilfork to report on time

While there continues to be no substantial movement on a new contract, Vince Wilfork [stats] will not use training camp to show his displeasure.

According to a source in the Wilfork camp, the Pro Bowl nose tackle will be at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro on Thursday for double sessions when the Patriots [team stats] officially open training camp. He will not hold out and use his absence to leverage a new deal.

Wilfork, who is entering the final year of his contract, had opted to skip the team’s voluntary organized team activies in May to send the first signal he wasn’t happy about his current contract status.

However, he stated early last month during mandatory minicamp that he had no plans of staging a holdout and would live up to his contract and meet all of his obligations. That was the plan last month.

“It’s still my decision,” Wilfork said when asked in June if his agent told him to hold out. “I’ll talk to my wife (Bianca) and see what it may be, but it’s hard to tell a guy that loves the game the way I love it to sit out. . . . Now things are happening that I need to be here for and I’m going to be here.”

The source indicated yesterday nothing had altered Wilfork’s line of thinking, and he would “be in camp 100 percent committed to his job.”

The 6-foot-2, 325-pound defensive lineman has said he would prefer getting a deal done now, rather than play the contract out and hit the open market. He doesn’t want to tempt himself with the possibility of being lured elsewhere.
“I want to get locked up because I don’t want to go on the free market. It’s a possibility if I reach that part I won’t be here, and I don’t want that to happen,” Wilfork said last month. “That’s why I’m doing everything in my will power to stick around, get something done before the end of this season.

“I’m pretty sure the Patriots are going to do the same thing. There’s no bad blood here. I know the Krafts are the same way. They know what kind of player and person I am.”

Wilfork has claimed to not be seeking Albert Haynesworth money ($100 million for seven years, with $41 million guaranteed from the Washington Redskins). At minimum, he’s probably looking for $7 million a year and $20 million guaranteed.


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(boston.com)