What is the NFL offseason workout program?
Voluntary offseason workout programs are nine-week programs that each team runs that are intended to provide training, teaching and physical conditioning for players over the course of three scheduled phases, as laid out by Article 21 of the Collective Bargaining Agreement.
Phase One consists of activities limited to meetings, strength and conditioning and physical rehabilitation only, and makes up the first two weeks of the program.
Phase Two consists of the next three weeks of the program. On-field workouts may include individual or group instruction and drills, as well as "perfect play drills," and drills with offensive players lining up across from offensive players or defensive players lining up across from defensive players, conducted at a walk-through pace. No live contact or team offense versus team defense drills are permitted.
Phase Three consists of the next four weeks of the program. Teams may conduct a total of 10 days of organized team practice activity (OTAs). 7-on-7, 9-on-7, and 11-on-11 drills can be run during OTAs, but no live contact is permitted. Teams are also allowed to host various minicamps during Phase Three depending on the circumstances and coach's preferences.
For specific information and detailed offseason program rules, see Articles 21 and 22 of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, available on nflcommunications.com.
What is the difference between OTAs and minicamps?
OTAs are 10-day offseason programs that are designed to help players improve through in-person meetings and classroom instruction, with less on-field practice. Minicamps are shorter, three-day workouts that also occur during Phase Three. Both OTAs and minicamps do not have live contact during the on-field workouts.
Are OTAs mandatory? Are minicamps mandatory?
All OTAs are completely voluntary. In contrast, different minicamps have different participation requirements. Each team is permitted to hold one mandatory minicamp during Phase Three.
In addition, new head coaches are entitled to conduct an additional voluntary veteran minicamp, which must be conducted prior to the 2022 NFL Draft (April 28-30) but no earlier than week three of the club's offseason workout program -- and after at least the first week of the two weeks designated as Phase One activities. This year, eight clubs will hold voluntary veteran minicamps.
Each club may also hold one post-draft rookie minicamp, which may be conducted on either the first or second weekend following the draft. The dates of each club's post-draft rookie minicamps will be circulated at a later date.
When are OTAs/Minicamps?
Teams may choose to schedule their OTAs and minicamps at different times, but the OTAs will generally be held over a series of days in late May and early June.
All teams that choose to hold a mandatory minicamp will be holding it within the first three weeks of June, though the specific dates vary by team.
Below are the specific dates for each team's offseason workout programs.
ARIZONA CARDINALS
- First Day: April 19
- Rookie Minicamp: May 13-15
- OTA Offseason Workouts: May 23-25, June 1-3, June 6-9
- Mandatory Minicamp: June 14-16
ATLANTA FALCONS
- First Day: April 19
- Rookie Minicamp: May 13-15
- OTA Offseason Workouts: May 24-26, June 1-3, June 6-9
- Mandatory Minicamp: June 14-16
BALTIMORE RAVENS
- First Day: April 18
- Rookie Minicamp: May 7-9
- OTA Offseason Workouts: May 24-26, May 31-June 2, June 7-10
- Mandatory Minicamp: June 14-16
BUFFALO BILLS
- First Day: April 19
- Rookie Minicamp: May 13-14
- OTA Offseason Workouts: May 23-24, May 26, May 31-June 2, June 6-7, June 9-10
- Mandatory Minicamp: June 14-16
CAROLINA PANTHERS
- First Day: April 18
- Rookie Minicamp: May 13-15
- OTA Offseason Workouts: May 23-24, May 26, May 31-June 1, June 3, June 6-9
- Mandatory Minicamp: June 14-16
CHICAGO BEARS
- First Day: April 4
- Voluntary Minicamp: April 19-21
- Rookie Minicamp: May 6-8
- OTA Offseason Workouts: May 16-17, May 19, May 23-24, May 26, June 6-7, June 9
- Mandatory Minicamp: June 14-16
CINCINNATI BENGALS
- First Day: May 2
- Rookie Minicamp: May 13
- OTA Offseason Workouts: June 6-7, June 9, June 14-16
CLEVELAND BROWNS
- First Day: April 19
- Rookie Minicamp: May 13-15
- OTA Offseason Workouts: May 24-26, May 31-June 2, June 6-9
- Mandatory Minicamp: June 14-16
DALLAS COWBOYS
- First Day: April 18
- Rookie Minicamp: May 13-15
- OTA Offseason Workouts: May 24-25, June 1-2, June 6-7, June 9-10
- Mandatory Minicamp: June 14-16
DENVER BRONCOS
- First Day: April 11
- Voluntary Minicamp: April 25-27
- Rookie Minicamp: May 13-14
- OTA Offseason Workouts: May 23-24, May 26, May 31-June 1, June 3, June 6-7, June 9-10
- Mandatory Minicamp: June 13-15
DETROIT LIONS
- First Day: April 19
- Rookie Minicamp: May 13-15
- OTA Offseason Workouts: May 24-26, June 1-3, June 13-16
- Mandatory Minicamp: June 7-9
GREEN BAY PACKERS
- First Day: April 18
- Rookie Minicamp: May 6-7
- OTA Offseason Workouts: May 23-24, May 26, May 31-June 1, June 3, June 13-14, June 16
- Mandatory Minicamp: June 7-9
HOUSTON TEXANS
- First Day: April 11
- Voluntary Minicamp: April 26-28
- Rookie Minicamp: May 13-15
- OTA Offseason Workouts: May 23-24, May 26, May 31-June 1, June 3, June 6-9
- Mandatory Minicamp: June 14-16
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
- First Day: April 18
- Rookie Minicamp: May 13-15
- OTA Offseason Workouts: May 24-26, June 1-3, June 13-16
- Mandatory Minicamp: June 7-9
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
- First Day: April 11
- Voluntary Minicamp: April 26-28
- Rookie Minicamp: May 13-15
- OTA Offseason Workouts: May 23-24, May 26, May 31-June 1, June 3, June 6-9
- Mandatory Minicamp: June 13-15
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
- First Day: April 18
- Rookie Minicamp: May 7-9
- OTA Offseason Workouts: May 25-26, May 31-June 2, June 7-10
- Mandatory Minicamp: June 14-16
LAS VEGAS RAIDERS
- First Day: April 11
- Voluntary Minicamp: April 25-27
- Rookie Minicamp: May 13-15
- OTA Offseason Workouts: May 23-24, May 26, June 1-3, June 13-14
- Mandatory Minicamp: June 7-9
LOS ANGELES CHARGERS
- First Day: April 18
- Rookie Minicamp: May 13-14
- OTA Offseason Workouts: May 23-24, May 26, May 31-June 1, June 3, June 6-7, June 9
- Mandatory Minicamp: June 14-15
LOS ANGELES RAMS
- First Day: April 18
- Rookie Minicamp: May 13-15
- OTA Offseason Workouts: May 23-24, May 26, May 31-June 2
- Mandatory Minicamp: June 7-9
MIAMI DOLPHINS
- First Day: April 4
- Voluntary Minicamp: April 19-20
- Rookie Minicamp: May 13-15
- OTA Offseason Workouts: May 16-17, May 19, May 23-24, May 26, June 6-7, June 9-10
- Mandatory Minicamp: June 1-2
MINNESOTA VIKINGS
- First Day: April 11
- Rookie Minicamp: May 13-15
- OTA Offseason Workouts: May 16-17, May 19, May 23-24, May 26, May 31-June 3
- Mandatory Minicamp: June 7-9
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
- First Day: April 18
- Rookie Minicamp: May 13-15
- OTA Offseason Workouts: May 23-24, May 26, June 1-3, June 13-14, June 16-17
- Mandatory Minicamp: June 7-9
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
- First Day: April 4
- Voluntary Minicamp: April 25-27
- Rookie Minicamp: May 13-15
- OTA Offseason Workouts: May 24-26, May 31-June 2, June 7-10
- Mandatory Minicamp: June 14-16
NEW YORK GIANTS
- First Day: April 4
- Voluntary Minicamp: April 19-21
- Rookie Minicamp: May 13-15
- OTA Offseason Workouts: May 16-17, May 19, May 23-24, May 26, May 31-June 3
- Mandatory Minicamp: June 7-9
NEW YORK JETS
- First Day: April 18
- Rookie Minicamp: May 6-8
- OTA Offseason Workouts: May 23-24, May 26, May 31-June 1, June 3, June 7-10
- Mandatory Minicamp: June 14-16
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
- First Day: April 25
- Rookie Minicamp: May 6-7
- OTA Offseason Workouts: May 31, June 2-3, June 6-8
PITTSBURGH STEELERS
- First Day: April 18
- Rookie Minicamp: May 13-15
- OTA Offseason Workouts: May 24-26, May 31-June 2
- Mandatory Minicamp: June 7-9
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
- First Day: April 19
- Rookie Minicamp: May 13-15
- OTA Offseason Workouts: May 23-24, May 26, May 31-June 1, June 3, June 6-7, June 9
- Mandatory Minicamp: June 13-15
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
- First Day: April 19
- Rookie Minicamp: May 6-8
- OTA Offseason Workouts: May 23, May 25-26, May 31, June 2-3, June 13-15
- Mandatory Minicamp: June 7-9
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
- First Day: April 11
- Rookie Minicamp: May 13-15
- OTA Offseason Workouts: May 17-19, May 24-26, May 31-June 3
- Mandatory Minicamp: June 7-9
TENNESSEE TITANS
- First Day: April 18
- Rookie Minicamp: May 13-15
- OTA Offseason Workouts: May 23-24, May 26, June 1, June 3, June 6-7, June 9
- Mandatory Minicamp: June 14-16
WASHINGTON COMMANDERS
- First Day: April 18
- Rookie Minicamp: May 6-7
- OTA Offseason Workouts: May 24-26, May 31-June 2, June 6-8
- Mandatory Minicamp: June 14-16