Draft week kicks off with a horde of veterans getting back to work.
Seventeen NFL clubs with returning head coaches open Phase One of their voluntary offseason workout program on Monday: the Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, Carolina Panthers, Cincinnati Bengals, Denver Broncos, Green Bay Packers, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, Los Angeles Rams, Miami Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings, New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
On Tuesday, the remaining eight teams with returning head coaches begin their offseason workout programs. The seven clubs with new head coaches opened Phase One of their voluntary programs in previous weeks.
As clubs continue to prep for Thursday's draft in Green Bay, Wisc., the players will be in meetings and working out. Phase One consists of the first two weeks of the program, during which activities are limited to meetings, strength and conditioning, and physical rehabilitation only.
The offseason workout program is strictly voluntary, except for mandatory minicamps in June.
While most of the league will be conducting meetings and working out, several teams with new head coaches will get a little more football done this week.
The Chicago Bears, Jacksonville Jaguars, Las Vegas Raiders and New York Jets open voluntary minicamp on Monday. The New England Patriots begin their three-day minicamp on Tuesday. The voluntary minicamps must be held before the draft, but no earlier than the third week of the offseason program. The minicamps enable coaches to provide more hands-on instruction to players at this early stage of the offseason program.
