NFL offseason programs consist of three phases. During Phase 1, which lasts the first two weeks, activities are limited to strength and conditioning and physical rehab, with only strength and conditioning coaches allowed on the field with players. Helmets are prohibited, and footballs are permitted on the field only for quarterbacks throwing to receivers provided they are not covered by other players.
“It’s about getting that tight-knit camaraderie,” Blasingame said, “getting to know guys, building those bonds, because that’s what wins. Nobody’s that far apart from anybody in terms of skill when it comes to how teams are built. It’s all about camaraderie and understanding that it’s going to come down to how guys fight together.”
“I think it’s just one, come closer together as a team,” said Tonyan, a Chicago area native who signed with the Bears after spending his first five NFL seasons with the Packers. “And then secondly just nail the details of the philosophy and the vision of what we want to get accomplished this year.”
In the second phase of the offseason program, which lasts three weeks, all coaches will be allowed on the field. Workouts may include individual player instruction and drills, but helmets and drills pitting the offense against the defense are prohibited.
The third phase, which will be conducted over four weeks, may include up to 10 days of organized team activity (OTA) workouts. All coaches are permitted on the field and players may wear helmets, but one-on-one drills involving the offense and defense are not allowed.
Live contact is prohibited in all offseason workouts; and (excluding OTAs and minicamp) players may not be at the club facility for more than four hours per day, four days per week, on weekends, or on the field for more than 90 minutes per day.
The Bears will conduct their rookie minicamp May 5-6, the weekend following the draft. They will hold 10 OTA practices on May 22, 23, 25, 30 and 31 and June 1, 5, 6, 7 and 8. The offseason program will then conclude with a mandatory full-squad minicamp June 13-15.
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