Not showing up to voluntary workouts is not a red flag. Thurman Thomas never did and neither did Bruce Smith for that matter. A lot of these guys have workouts that are much more productive than what they find in a voluntary workout. The report that he is open to the idea of going somewhere else does not necessarily mean that he wants to go somewhere else. He may actually like this team. People like to speculate, yes but I reiterate that none of us here actually know what he is thinking.
Is he uncomfortable? Sure he is and who wouldn't be. The point is, it is much easier to simply write someone off because they have had some problems with the law than it is to give them a chance to set things right. If he is given a chance, he could still be great. If he isn't given the chance, and I am not even going to speculate on that, he could find himself traded. Personally, I think the reason everyone who is so on board with trading the guy is because they are not willing to give the guy his chance. I would hope that the Bill's management has a little more foresight than that.
One thing I can't understand is why some of the same people who want to get rid of ML are also open to the idea of going after Ben Rothlesburger. Seems to be a contradiction there. And not that I want him. He is Pittsburgh's problem where as ML is ours. Where I come from, we take care of our own.
As for the blow to his pride thing, so what? In my own experience that is more of a motivational reason to produce this year.