ALLEN PARK, Mich. – Darius Slay was with his Detroit Lions teammates for the first time since the end of the 2018 NFL season on Thursday, having skipped both the voluntary organized team activities and mandatory minicamp and when he did talk, he didn’t shed much light on why he spent time away.

“Next question,” Slay said six times during a six-minute interview with reporters almost any time his time away from the team or his contract status came up.

He did laugh about it, though, as he repeated the same answer over and over again. He said he didn’t need to explain his time away, but he enjoyed the time he got to spend with his family. He traveled more, held camps for local high school football players and even went to one local teenager’s graduation party after he direct messaged him on Twitter.

“I enjoyed it with my kids. I had a lot of fun with my kids, traveled a lot more,” Slay said. “Man, livin', actually.”

Slay opened up training camp on the non-football injury list and said he’ll practice “when I feel better.” He didn’t, though, indicate what was wrong with him – if anything.

When asked if he was content with his current contract, he asked a reporter what he thought of his deal and the reporter responded that he thought he was a little underpaid. Slay seemed to agree.

“Oh yeah, OK then,” Slay said. “Everybody in the world know.”

He wouldn’t say, though, how close he was to getting a new deal done. Slay has two years remaining on the contract extension he signed prior to the 2016 season and is due to get paid $12.55 million in base salary this season and $10 million next year.

A two-time Pro Bowler, Slay has 91 passes defended and 17 interceptions in his career.

Slay said his teammates knew why he was away from the team and that he still had them to his suburban Detroit home for crab legs and to “kick it.” Slay said they understand it was a business decision for him to stay away.

This is the first year in Slay’s career where he’ll be looked to as a leader due to the release and subsequent retirement of safety Glover Quin -- whom Slay said he missed being on the field Thursday.

Slay said he didn’t hold out because he was going to “let them handle it,” presumably the Lions' front office and his agent, Drew Rosenhaus. So how does he envision this all ending up?

“When it turn out,” Slay said. “You’ll see.”