Packers Offseason Workout Dates: OTAs start May 22, 2017

On Monday afternoon, the NFL announced the dates for each of its teams’ offseason workouts, which begin in April and run through minicamp in June.

There are three phases to these offseason workouts, as delineated by Articles 21 and 22 of the 2011 Collective Bargaining Agreement between the league and the NFL Player’s Association.

Here are the Green Bay Packers’ workout dates for the 2017 offseason:

Packers Offseason Workout Dates

• First day of Phase 1: April 18th
• First day of Phase 2: May 2
• Rookie minicamp: May 5-6
• Organized Team Activities: May 23-25, May 30-June 1, June 5-6, June 8-9
• Mandatory Minicamp: June 13-15

Phase 1 of the workout program consists only of “strength and conditioning and physical rehabilitation,” according to the CBA, and that runs for two weeks. Only S&C coaches and trainers are allowed to have contact with players for on-field work and no footballs are allowed except for quarterbacks throwing to receivers as long as they are not being covered.

Phase 2 begins after that and runs for three weeks, during which offensive or defensive football drills and instruction are permitted. However, these workouts cannot include any competitive drills which would match up offensive and defensive players against each other.

Phase 3 is also known as Organized Team Activities or OTAs, and during these periods teams can conduct offense vs. defense drills, but live contact is still not permitted. Helmets are allowed, but practicing in pads is not. Mandatory Minicamp follows the same rules as OTAs, with the only difference being that teams may fine players for missing minicamp, while OTAs are voluntary.

Of course, the Packers have ensured that all of their veterans will be present for the full offseason workout program by including workout bonuses in all player contracts aside from rookie deals (which do not allow for workout bonuses).