Significant Changes to NFL Offseason Program Could Be Arriving Soon

The times they are a-changin’, potentially. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported last week that the current version of the NFL’s offseason program could be a thing of the past as 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.” 

Basically, the idea here would be to roll an extended, OTA-style ramp-up — strength and conditioning, non-padded work, etc. — straight into training camp without a six-week break/de-escalation in between. A major change. https://t.co/gVgVDiYmGj

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) May 28, 2024

The proposed rule must be collectively bargained between the NFLPA and the NFL. The offseason program currently consists of three phases — Phase One (meetings and workouts), Phase Two (individual and group drills), and Phase Three (organized team activities, also known as OTAs). 

The NFL is the only North American professional league with practices, workouts, and meetings before training camp begins, even though NFL players arguably face the most wear and tear on their bodies. That is the chief reason why the NFLPA wants to do away with the current version of the offseason program as the “NFLPA has consulted medical and performance experts to create a solution for reducing injuries and maximizing players’ recovery time,” according to Pelissero. However, virtual work would still be permitted in the spring. 

When asked about the proposed changes, Green Bay Packers president Mark Murphy noted in his latest monthly column, “I really need to know more of the details and would like to see the research that supports the proposed change.” 

Head coach Matt LaFleur was much more blunt during media availability last week. 

“I would not be in favor of that, but we’ll adjust if that’s what they want to do,” LaFleur said. “I go back to the COVID year. I don’t think that was good for anyone. There’s not a lot of time to get with these guys anyway. To cram everything in at the beginning of training camp, I think it’s particularly bad for a lot of undrafted guys because you just don’t have the time to invest in the process and learn the playbook. I don’t think it would be good for the game, personally.” 

The absence of OTAs (as we know them now) is not a new phenomenon. OTAs did not take place during the 2011 NFL lockout, which spanned from March until late July. In returning to action, injuries were rampant. 10 players suffered ruptured Achilles within the first 12 days of training camp while several others fell victim to significant injuries. 

During the 2020 offseason, which aligned with the breakout of COVID-19 around the world, teams were not allowed to host players at the facilities and instead forced to hold virtual meetings. The latest date that players could report was July 28, and there was roughly a two-week acclimation and ramp-up period until full-contact practices began on August 17. 

In an article published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, “Effects of COVID-19 on Rate of Injury and Position-Specific Injury During the 2020 National Football League Season,” the authors found “an increase in the overall rate of injuries in the 2020 NFL season, both in the regular season and postseason, compared with the 2015-2019 seasons. The overall rate of abdominal or core, groin or hip, and hamstring injuries increased.” Contributing factors included “reduced in-person training and the elimination of the preseason.” Other studies also found an increased injury rate in the 2020 season. 

Does that mean it is a foregone conclusion that we will see more injuries if the current version of OTAs are eliminated? No. It depends on when exactly the players report and how long the ramp-up period would be until full-contact practices begin. However, there is a non-zero chance there are more injuries. Nevertheless, former NFL player Bucky Brooks believes “the gradual escalation from classroom instruction on on-field practice from June through mid-August would likely result in better overall execution and performance at the beginning of the regular season.” 

I fully understand players wanting more time off to fully recover from a grueling 17-game schedule, which could eventually increase to an 18-game schedule. To that extent, I would not be surprised to see these two items go hand-in-hand. In other words, the NFL would agree to revamp the offseason program, but only if they can expand the season to 18 games. (Other trade-offs would likely be involved, but the NFL has historically obtained the upper hand.) 

We shall see, but from my vantage point, an entirely revamped offseason and an extended regular season, with Super Bowl Sunday taking place the day before Presidents Day, seems inevitable.