The NFL officially released the 2021 offseason schedule on Thursday and for the New York Giants, time to report is just around the corner.
As Giants Wire previously noted, rookie minicamp is scheduled to run from May 14 through May 16. However, the NFLPA has advised all draftees and undrafted rookies to skip those practices.
DeMaurice Smith recommended that rookies not attend rookie minicamps. There was pushback from agents, especially those who represent undrafted free agents, One emphasized agents have fiduciary responsibility to give clients' best possible chance to make team by attending
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) May 3, 2021
That comes on the heels of the league limiting the number of minicamp tryouts to five.
Thus far, the Giants have signed just three UDFAs and not invited a single player in for a tryout. Their roster sits at 90 (with an exemption for RB Sandro Platzgummer).
Additionally, the Giants have set the following dates for organized team activities (OTAs):
- May 24-25
- May 27
- June 1
- June 2-4
- June 14-15
Similar to rookie minicamp, the NFLPA advised all veterans to skip OTAs, and Giants player have obliged.
“Our team is a strong, unified brotherhood of professionals who love the game of football and work year-round to perfect our craft. We also have to make the best decisions to protect our health and safety, which is why players on our team are exercising our CBA right to not attend in-person voluntary workouts,” Giants players said in a statement released by the NFLPA.
“We stand in solidarity with players across our league who are making informed decisions with the help of our union, both in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and what the data shows about the benefits to our overall health and safety.”
The first mandatory minicamp will take place from June 8 through June 10. However, guaranteed workout bonuses begin kicking in on May 24, so it’s possible some players actually show up by then.