Patriots Set Date For OTAs, Mandatory Minicamp In 2022
BOSTON (CBS) -- Football season is just around the corner.
While it's true that football season never really ends, we now have the dates when the players will actually get back onto the practice field as part of their work toward the 2022 season.
The NFL announced dates for offseason workout programs around the league, and the dates for the Patriots are as follows:
First Day: April 18
OTA Offseason Workouts: May 23-24, May 26, June 1-3, June 13-14, June 16-17
Mandatory Minicamp: June 7-9
NFL teams hold their offseason programs in a three-phase, nine-week session, with the bulk of that work being voluntary. The first two weeks of the program do not involve on-field work, instead allowing teams to hold meetings as well as strength and conditioning sessions.
Phase two lasts three weeks and involves on-field sessions. Here's how the NFL describes that phase:
"On-field workouts may include individual or group instruction and drills, as well as 'perfect play drills,' and drills and plays with offensive players lining up across from offensive players and defensive players lining up across from defensive players, conducted at a walk through pace. No live contact or team offense vs. team defense drills are permitted."
Phase three involves 10 days of organized team practice activity -- OTAs -- spread out over the course of four weeks. Live contact is not allowed, but teams can run 7-on-7, 9-on-9, and 11-on-11 drills.
Teams can also hold a rookie minicamp in May, though those dates are not yet known.