Due to COVID-19 and overall concerns about player health and safety, eight different teams have seen their players opt to skip the in-person voluntary offseason workout program that is set to begin on May 17, but Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel is unsure if his team will do the same.
As it stands now, the offseason program will be broken down into three phases, and it’s a structure that was recently changed by the NFL.
Phase 1 is all virtual (April 19-May 14), while Phase 2 (May 17-21) and 3 (May 24-June 18) both have in-person workouts and practices.
Players from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Cleveland Browns, New England Patriots, Seattle Seahawks, Denver Broncos, Detroit Lions, Chicago Bears, and New York Giants have decided to opt out of the last two phases.
The NFL informed clubs it will restructure offseason programs, with Phase 1 extended to four weeks starting Monday, no on-field work until Phase 2 begins May 17 and a normal Phase 3 with four weeks of practice May 24-June 18, culminating with the mandatory minicamp. Memo: pic.twitter.com/GrFhO34jUD
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) April 14, 2021
As the NFLPA continues to butt heads with the league and push for an all-virtual offseason program, more teams are expected to follow suit.
Vrabel didn’t shed much light on his own team’s situation during an interview on PaulKuharsky.com on Thursday, but he did note that a large percentage of staff that might come in contact with players are vaccinated.
In conversation with https://t.co/WpzhO2dBF9, Mike Vrabel said he is vaccinated and a large percentage of #Titans' people who would come into contact with players are. No idea about player plans for in-person phase two of OTAs which is "so far away" and voluntary.
— Paul Kuharsky (@PaulKuharskyNFL) April 15, 2021
The Titans’ first mandatory portion of the offseason that has in-person activities for all players will come in June, when the team will hold a minicamp.
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