Let's get ready to ... report to voluntary offseason workouts!
Monday marks the beginning of the offseason workout programs for 26 NFL clubs.
The Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, Chicago Bears, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Kansas City Chiefs, Las Vegas Raiders, Los Angeles Chargers, Los Angeles Rams, Miami Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings, New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints, New York Giants, New York Jets, Pittsburgh Steelers, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tennessee Titans and Washington Commanders all kick off the offseason program today.
Teams with new coaches -- Arizona Cardinals, Carolina Panthers, Denver Broncos, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts -- began workouts last week.
The lone club not yet reporting for duty this offseason is the NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles, who start their offseason program on April 24. (It's not unusual for Philly to be one of the last teams to start its voluntary workouts; in 2022, it began on April 25, the second-to-last team to report.)
It's worth highlighting that this phase of the offseason is voluntary. Players are not required to attend this portion of the program. Not until June's mandatory minicamps will veterans meet compulsory attendance requirements.
Phase 1 of the nine-week voluntary offseason program covers the first two weeks, with activities limited to meetings, strength and conditioning, and physical rehab only. There won't be actual football, but teams will begin installing their playbooks and covering ground in meetings.
For instance, Patrick Mahomes will get to work on his latest Super Bowl defense with a new left tackle and retooled (once again) receiver corps. And Justin Fields will begin building chemistry with new addition D.J. Moore ahead of a pivotal rebuilding season in the Windy City.
It's vital to underscore the voluntary nature of these workouts, with some veterans who have been around the block many times -- particularly if it's with the same coaching staff -- choosing to spend time away from the facility. But it's always interesting to see who uses these voluntary workouts to highlight their desire for a new contract -- like the Jets' Quinnen Williams.
