SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- If retired offensive lineman Anthony Davis is serious about his intent to make a comeback this season, it might not be with the San Francisco 49ers after all.
Davis was not in attendance when San Francisco opened its three-day minicamp and has yet to officially file for reinstatement with the NFL after abruptly calling it quits a year ago.
At the time, the former first-round draft pick left the door open to a return, saying he wanted to take time off to heal from injuries. Davis has reiterated that stance several times since then on social media and even met with members of new 49ers coach Chip Kelly's staff to discuss the situation.
Davis' no-show at minicamp is indicative that issues might still exist between the two sides. Davis signed a five-year, $37.2 million extension prior to the 2014 season and was forced to give back some of the signing bonus he received shortly after deciding to retire.
Rumors also circulated in February that 49ers general manager Trent Baalke was attempting to trade Davis, though a deal has yet to materialize.
If Davis does come back with the 49ers, he'll be doing so from the ground floor up -- a point that San Francisco offensive line coach Pat Flaherty made emphatically clear on the first day of the minicamp.
"He knows this, coming from me, if he wants to play then he's got to come back and prove he can play," Flaherty said. "It's got to come from within. You can tell him exactly what I just said. Listen, you'll have an opportunity to play. But that's all it is. You decided for whatever reason to retire. If you come back in the game, nothing is going to be handed to you. You're going to have to work your tail off.
"And the conversation that I've had back when I first got here was he was acceptable to that. Now, I don't see him. I don't know why. I can't answer that one."
The 11th overall pick in 2010, Davis started 71 games at right tackle for the 49ers before retiring. Erik Pears, an undrafted journeyman offensive lineman, started all 16 games in 2015 in place of Davis.