The expectation has long been that NFL players won’t report until the start of training camp, but that reporting could be sooner than previously scheduled.
According to Albert Breer of SI.com, the NFL “has floated the idea” of starting training camps as soon as mid-July, to give players a chance to get back in football shape after an offseason of virtual work.
The new CBA says that teams can report 47 days before their first regular season game, which is July 28 for most teams.
But there are concerns about how ready to get into football action players will be, after the normal offseason programs, OTAs, and minicamps were lost to coronavirus lockdowns.
The NFL and NFLPA’s joint committee on heath and safety is recommending an acclimation period before camp, but it’s unclear how long that period might be. There’s already a five-day acclimation period built into the start of camps by the new CBA.
Last week, Buccaneers coach said he was hoping for some form of “quarterback school” or rookie school, and specifically mentioned July 15 as a possible start date.
“Walkthroughs and practices are really how our guys learn today,” Arians said. “There’s only so much attention span on a computer. That’s one thing I’ve learned in the last 15 years of teaching: Attention span isn’t the same as it used to be. Walking through and practicing is the best way to teach. Those are valuable minutes and reps missed. I don’t know how we’ll make them up. Hopefully, we get some extra time in practice in camp. A few extra days would help.”
How many days he gets remains to be seen.