Full team practices have now ended until the voluntary camp that starts June 2. But that doesn't mean the Seahawks' conditioning is over in the interim, quarterback Matt Hasselbeck said.

"We're back to work at 7:30 a.m. Monday," Hasselbeck said. "This is just part of our offseason program."

This camp gave a number of backup players the chance to get more snaps on offense and defense, with three starters on offensive line, two starting defensive linemen and two starting receivers either unable to or choosing not to participate.

One of the guys who took advantage of his opportunity was WR Jordan Kent, who made several nice catches during the week. The absence of WR Bobby Engram opened the door for guys like Kent, Logan Payne and Ben Obomanu to run Engram's routes.

Hasselbeck said Engram's absence, a message to the team about his dissatisfaction with his contract, wasn't such a big issue.

"I feel like I can throw to Bobby with my eyes closed," Hasselbeck said. "There is another side to this business and it is a job. But at the end of the day we all count on Bobby being a playmaker for us this year."

Those unable to practice today were WRs Courtney Taylor and Deion Branch, LB Will Herring, DE Patrick Kerney, DTs Rocky Bernard and Marcus Tubbs, C Chris Spencer, LT Walter Jones, TEs Zac Alcorn and Jeb Putzier, S Mike Green and LG Rob Sims.

That's the address for the team's new headquarters, which is being built in Renton.

OK. That might be overdoing it. But Putzier did return to the practice field on Wednesday. Bobby Engram is still absent, which is to be expected at this point. The workouts are voluntary and all.

WR Courtney Taylor and TE Zac Alcorn were watching the workout while wearing stocking caps because it was freezing out on the practice field.

So with Taylor sitting out, that meant Seattle had five wide receivers total on the practice field only two of whom have caught a pass in a regular-season game: Nate Burleson and Ben Obomanu.

Bobby Engram's paycheck doesn't match his performance.

One look around the NFL confirms that.

He caught 94 passes last season, most on his team and 11th most in the league. He caught only five fewer passes than Seattle’s two highest-paid receivers combined. Each of those guys is going to make well in excess of his salary of $1.7 million next season.

Factor in that Engram is playing on a contract that he negotiated coming off a season in which he was diagnosed with a serious thyroid condition and caught the fewest passes in any season in Seattle, and it's easy to understand why he's got a little bit of beef about his paycheck next season.

Coach Mike Holmgren said he has a letter on his desk from wide receiver Bobby Engram.

Engram's message, however, has already been delivered with his absence from this week's voluntary minicamp as he is apparently unhappy over his contract.

"We need Bobby. He's one of our best offensive players," Holmgren said after practice. "This isn't the first time something like this has happened," coach . There are business decisions to be made."

Engram signed a two-year contract worth $3.4 million with Seattle in 2007. He received a signing bonus of $880,000, a first-year salary of $820,000 and is scheduled to make $1.7 million next season. He turned 35 in January.

He led Seattle with 94 receptions last season, but will be the third-highest paid receiver on the team behind Deion Branch and Nate Burleson. Engram was present for the three-day mandatory camp held from Friday through Sunday, but he was not present on Monday, which is a voluntary session.

Holmgren said he expects Engram present for any mandatory sessions.

The word from Seahawks headquarters is that left guard Rob Sims, who had arthroscopic surgery this morning on his right knee, will be out for a month. According to that schedule, he'd miss the first four days of the team's voluntary June mini-camp from June 2-5, but could be back for the following week's session, June 9-12.

UPDATE:

Coach Mike Holmgren today said Sims could be out for six weeks, but he expects to have him back for the start of training camp.

Former Seahawks running back Shaun Alexander will make a free agent visit to the New Orleans Saints on Wednesday, ESPN and the NFL Network reported Monday.

Alexander was in Cincinnati to meet with the Bengals Monday.

Seahawks offensive guard Rob Sims, whom I told you missed practice today, did so because he is to have arthroscopic surgery on his right knee tomorrow at the Seattle Surgery Center, the team said in a statement.

Sims, a third-year pro, opened the current minicamp as the No. 1 right guard. He has started 19 of the 30 career regular-season games in which he has played.

Such surgery is not regarded as very serious in terms of recovery, but Sims figures to miss the last three days of practices.