All 32 NFL teams have begun offseason programming in the lead-up to the 2024 season. But if the NFL Players Association has its way, zero teams will be on the field at this time next year.
The NFLPA is crafting a proposal to NFL owners to "overhaul the offseason ... as soon as 2025," according to NFL Media, with a total elimination of voluntary spring workouts and organized team activities (OTAs) "in favor of a longer training camp ramp-up, with players reporting in mid-June to early July." Essentially, the proposed shift would "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."
Currently, all NFL teams are permitted to begin workout programs in April, ahead of the annual draft, and host a rookie minicamp in May. Voluntary OTAs then follow, with many teams hosting mandatory minicamp in June. Training camps, which lead directly into the preseason, generally don't require veterans to report until late July.
A majority of NFL players support the NFLPA's proposed change, per NFL Media, and a "formal proposal is expected this summer." Offseason structures are part of the NFLPA's collective bargaining agreement with NFL owners, however, so any official changes would require a deal with the league. The NFLPA proposal stems from a desire to "reduce injuries and maximize players' recovery time" following the previous season, NFL Media reports, with virtual meetings replacing on-field workouts in the spring.
The reported proposal comes amid increasing discussion of the NFL's apparent interest in a future 18-game regular season. Commissioner Roger Goodell hasn't put a short-term timeline on the possibility, but has repeatedly left the door open for an expansion of the schedule in the future.
