The Ravens were punished this week with the loss of two days of Organized Team Activities because they violated the rules related to contact at practices. That penalty is next to nothing.
The reality is, teams often voluntarily cancel their own OTAs for all sorts of reasons, as a June practice or two just isn’t a particularly big deal.
This week, for instance, the Dolphins canceled the final day of their minicamp. NFL teams have canceled June practices to play paintball, to have a barbecue and to race go-karts. Last summer Ravens coach John Harbaugh canceled a practice to tour the Pentagon.
In other words, the Ravens’ punishment (which also included a $50,000 fine for Harbaugh and a $100,000 fine for owner Steve Bisciotti) is a slap on the wrist. If the NFL really wanted to strictly enforce the rules about contact in offseason work, stripping a team of a draft pick would be the way to go. Simply canceling a couple practices doesn’t do much.