No OTA's in May or June in exchange for a longer training camp

End of OTAs? The NFL Players Association is working to finalize a proposal to overhaul the offseason starting as soon as 2025, eliminating voluntary on-field work in the spring in favor of a longer training camp ramp-up, with players reporting in mid-June to early July, per… pic.twitter.com/nQa9TmKCGO

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) May 28, 2024

Makes more sense.

The Cardinals for instance this year have OTAs from May 20th-22nd, from May 28th-30th, and June 3rd-6th, then mandatory minicamp June 11th-13th (plus rookie minicamp May 10th-12th)... and you don't even play your first preseason game until August ~11th, nearly 2 months after the mandatory minicamp and almost 3 months after starting OTAs.

Would also rather do 5 days a week in early July than 3 days a week in late May to mid-June.

So they want to cancel something that's optional to extend something that is mandatory?

Not who I want representing me in labor agreements.

(05-28-2024, 11:46 AM)bfine32 Wrote: So they want to cancel something that's optional to extend something that is mandatory?

Not who I want representing me in labor agreements.

One could also see that the voluntary workouts aren't really voluntary.  You're seen as a good citizen, a good teamate when you show up.  And while everyone will say it's voluntary, we know there's pressure to show up.  So this would take that factor out.

this would solve some issues with a few rookies who have to wait for school years to end before reporting (or whatever that issue was)

(05-28-2024, 11:46 AM)bfine32 Wrote: So they want to cancel something that's optional to extend something that is mandatory?

Not who I want representing me in labor agreements.

One of the reasons is so players can consolidate their work time and time off instead of it being broken into smaller time periods

(05-28-2024, 12:42 PM)pally Wrote: One of the reasons is so players can consolidate their work time and time off instead of it being broken into smaller time periods

Stewy Wrote:One could also see that the voluntary workouts aren't really voluntary.  You're seen as a good citizen, a good teamate when you show up.  And while everyone will say it's voluntary, we know there's pressure to show up.  So this would take that factor out.

I guess and I agree that folks like JaMarr Rankins and T-Brown not showing up to the voluntaries doesn't sit well with me as a fan, but there is something to being a "good teammate". 


The thing is, how the teammates view it and missing voluntaries doesn't cost the player $. Missing an extended mandatory will. To me it seems something the owners would push for rather than the NFLPA

(05-28-2024, 01:32 PM)bfine32 Wrote: I guess and I agree that folks like JaMarr Rankins and T-Brown not showing up to the voluntaries doesn't sit well with me as a fan, but there is something to being a "good teammate". 


The thing is, how the teammates view it and missing voluntaries doesn't cost the player $. Missing an extended mandatory will. To me it seems something the owners would push for rather than the NFLPA

Wasn't the act of shortening training camp done in the name of player safety, and the concession was to allow teams to hold voluntary OTAs? At least that is how I remember that being presented. Seems like clubs would like to see who's in shape in May while there's plenty of time to get a guy right before August, rather than having a guy just show up in August #30 overweight.

Players have to train year around regardless of whether their OTAs or not; personally I would rather them do it around team doctors and not by themselves. So no, I think this is a terrible Idea!

(05-28-2024, 01:32 PM)bfine32 Wrote: I guess and I agree that folks like JaMarr Rankins and T-Brown not showing up to the voluntaries doesn't sit well with me as a fan, but there is something to being a "good teammate". 


The thing is, how the teammates view it and missing voluntaries doesn't cost the player $. Missing an extended mandatory will. To me it seems something the owners would push for rather than the NFLPA

One note here, players don't get paid for OTA's they do get paid for anything mandatory so in this proposal it would move a cost, albeit not a massive one, to the teams from the players. 

(05-28-2024, 02:58 PM)Au165 Wrote: One note here, players don't get paid for OTA's they do get paid for anything mandatory so in this proposal it would move a cost, albeit not a massive one, to the teams from the players. 

Ah yes.  i can see the PA wanting to limit/eliminate unpaid practices.

(05-28-2024, 02:58 PM)Au165 Wrote: One note here, players don't get paid for OTA's they do get paid for anything mandatory so in this proposal it would move a cost, albeit not a massive one, to the teams from the players. 

virtually every player has off season workout incentive money built into their contracts

(05-28-2024, 01:39 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Wasn't the act of shortening training camp done in the name of player safety, and the concession was to allow teams to hold voluntary OTAs? At least that is how I remember that being presented. Seems like clubs would like to see who's in shape in May while there's plenty of time to get a guy right before August, rather than having a guy just show up in August #30 overweight.

I would think a longer training camp would be structured so that the first several weeks are similar to OTA's.  No hitting, a lot of conditioning work, a lot of meetings.  and skills training with hitting only allowed during the time period of "traditional" training camp

(05-29-2024, 05:56 PM)pally Wrote: I would think a longer training camp would be structured so that the first several weeks are similar to OTA's.  No hitting, a lot of conditioning work, a lot of meetings.  and skills training with hitting only allowed during the time period of "traditional" training camp

Possibly, I see groups like the skill players benefitting more from extended non-contact work and lengthy meetings, and groups like OL, DL, ILB benefitting more from extra padded work and hands-on coaching.

(05-29-2024, 05:54 PM)pally Wrote: virtually every player has off season workout incentive money built into their contracts

No, in reality that number is much lower. As of 2021 the number was only about 12%-16% of players depending on who you trust.

(05-28-2024, 11:46 AM)bfine32 Wrote: So they want to cancel something that's optional to extend something that is mandatory?

Not who I want representing me in labor agreements.

As I thought, players are NOT in favor of this:

https://www.tiktok.com/@nightcapshow_/video/7374910512565407018


https://www.si.com/nfl/browns/news/browns-qb-jameis-winston-chimes-in-on-nflpa-s-proposal-to-overhaul-offseason-program