Forgot about Peters

My first fumble of the season.

In Tuesday's post where I gave an overview of some of the major camp holdouts, I neglected to mention the absence of standout offensive tackle Jason Peters from the Buffalo Bills' training facility. The fifth-year pro, who was selected to his first Pro Bowl last season, is seeking a contract extension that would make him one of the highest-paid offensive linemen in the game.

Peters, a former college tight end and practice squad member who has developed into one of the league's premier left tackles, did sign a five-year, $15 million extension prior to the 2006 season, but that's a below-market value for a top-tier player at such an important position. In comparison, the Titans signed Vince Young's personal protector Michael Roos to a six-year, $43 million deal with $15 million guaranteed in April, and Roos isn't quite in Peters' class.

No. 1 overall pick Jake Long got a five-year, $57 million contract, with $30 million in guarantees, by the Dolphins prior to this year's draft before even playing a down in the NFL.

This standoff has the potential to linger deep into August and possibly beyond, as it seems the two sides are far apart in negotiations and the Bills have refused to resume talks until Peters reports. Plus Peters' agent, Eugene Parker, is a very busy man these days, as he's also the representative for current camp no-shows Steven Jackson and Ryan Grant.

On the positive side, Buffalo has shown a willingness to lock up key players this offseason. The club worked out long-term extensions for defensive tackle Kyle Williams and right guard Brad Butler in recent months and has had preliminary discussions with wide receiver Lee Evans on a new contract. The Bills have playoff aspirations in 2008 and are fully aware that Peters is an essential element towards the team reaching those goals.

Meanwhile, there's a controversy brewing in Denver regarding longtime safety John Lynch. The Rocky Mountain News reported that the perennial Pro Bowler skipped out on a team meeting Tuesday night as well as Wednesday's practice, and his four-year tenure with the Broncos may be coming to an abrupt end in a matter of days. The 36-year-old is running behind free-agent signee Marlon McCree and fourth-year pro Hamza Abdullah at the two safety spots during camp, and appears unwilling to embark on a 16th NFL season while playing a reduced role.

Lynch had been mulling retirement before agreeing to a one-year contract at a lesser salary in February. That may be an option for the engaging Stanford grad, who could get a jump-start on an possible broadcasting career. If Lynch decides to keep playing, I wouldn't be surprised if he garners strong interest from the Redskins. Washington could use an in-the-box run stopper in the defensive backfield, and he'd be a perfect tutor for 2007 first-round pick LaRon Landry and fellow youngster Reed Doughty.

I'll have more on the Redskins later on in the day with a look at Sunday's annual Hall of Fame Game, in which Washington and Indianapolis will kick off the 2008 exhibition season.