NFL Rumors: NFLPA to Propose Offseason ‘Overhaul’ and Change OTAs as Soon as 2025

The NFL Players Association is working on a proposal to “overhaul” the offseason schedule, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.

Pelissero reported the players’ union is pushing to remove voluntary offseason workouts in the spring in favor of a longer training camp. Camp would get underway as early as mid-June instead of mid-to-late July under the current structure.

The changes would go into effect as early as 2025.

Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio reported on this in February and provided context for what the plan would look like in reality.

“For instance, the existing series of phases and OTAs and minicamps that are followed by six weeks of down time could be swapped for four weeks before training camp,” he wrote. “That would give players a lot more time off, and it would potentially make them just as ready for camp, since they’d go straight from the pre-training camp workouts into camp.”

Questions over the value of organized team activities are nothing new.

OTAs can seemingly be beneficial for incoming rookies or players on new teams to help familiarize themselves with their surroundings. The same can be said with more tenured players adjusting to a new coaching staff.

Chicago Bears fans, for example, are getting an early look at No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams.

Detroit Lions backup quarterback Tim Boyle had a unique turn of phrase in 2021 to describe what OTAs help to achieve.

But a small handful of notable stars skip these workouts every offseason. It’s typically part of a contract dispute while some players cease viewing it as a valuable use of their time. What ultimately matters is having your full team available for training camp; what happens before that is of lesser consequence.

Adam Hoge of CHGO Sports also provided insight from some Bears players who have come to believe spring workouts are more trouble than they’re worth physically.

“The thinking is that ramping up for two months in the offseason and then taking six weeks off before training camp is detrimental,” Hoge reported. “The players have research that shows it would be better to move the ramp-up period to the summer and go straight into training camp.”

Pelissero clarified the NFLPA’s proposal “isn’t directly tied to an 18-game season,” but it stands to reason that’s one factor at play. If the NFL extends the regular season by another week, then the union wouldn’t be wrong for seeking a corresponding change to the offseason.

This is still in the formative stage. Florio posited the NFLPA “won’t change the status quo without making concessions” and that this “could be part of the broader give-and-take that precedes a push to 18 games.”