After going completely virtual during the 2020 offseason, the NFL announced on Thursday the dates for the voluntary offseason workout program for 2021, which are all intended to provide training, teaching and physical conditioning for the players.
The offseason is broken up into three phases, with adaptations for the 2021 offseason based on what has been the norm in the past.
In addition to announcing the dates of the phases, the NFL also released the dates of the team's rookie minicamp and the mandatory minicamp. The rookie minicamp will be held May 14-16, while the mandatory minicamp will be held June 15-17.
The breakdown of the phases is below:
Phase One (April 19-May 14): This phase has been extended from the normal two-week period to four weeks, and activities are limited to strength and conditioning, virtual meetings, and physical rehabilitation only.
Phase Two (May 17-21): This phase has been shortened from three weeks to one week. In this phases, on-field workouts may include drills with guidelines, which follow: Individual player instruction and drills, 'perfect play' drills, drills and plays conducted with offensive players lining up across from offensive players and defensive players lining up across from defensive players, with each group permitted to align eleven or fewer players across from eleven or fewer players. Players on one side of the ball may execute a play, but players on the opposite side of the ball may not initiate contact with, or attempt to impede the progress of, players who are running the play. All such drills must be conducted at an acceptable walkthrough pace (i.e. Pro Bowl practice).
Phase Three (May 24-June 18): This phase will remain as it normally has, which is four weeks. Beginning with this phase teams may conduct in-person meetings and classroom instruction subject to COVID-19 testing cadence, tracking, facility access and other protocols. Teams may conduct a total of 10 days of organized team practice activity, OTAs, during this phase. No live contact is permitted, but 7-on-7, 9-on-7, and 11-on-11 drills are permitted.
