NFL Teams With New Head Coaches May Begin Off-Season Workout Programs

Under the old collective bargaining agreement, NFL teams would be a few weeks into their off-season workout program. The 2011 collective bargaining agreement pushed that back a month -- teams with returning head coaches cannot begin their programs before the third Monday in April -- but today marks the first day that NFL teams that changed head coaches in the off-season are eligible to begin their off-season workout programs.

The teams that could start their off-season workout programs today would be the Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Miami Dolphins, Oakland Raiders, St. Louis Rams and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Coaches have players for four hours per day -- two hours of workouts, two hours of meetings per day -- for four days per week, weekends excluded.

Phase One of the off-season workout program limits workouts to strength and conditioning and rehabilitation only for the first two weeks. Only full- and part-time strength-and-conditioning coaches with no additional duties are allowed on the field. Quarterbacks may elect to throw to uncovered receivers at this time.

Phase Two is a three-week period that consists of limited on-field work with coaches. Individual drills, offense or defense only drills (no offensive vs. defense), special teams drills (kickoff team only, kick return only, etc...) are allowed. Helmets are not allowed to be worn, so one-on-one workouts pertaining to pass rush, pass coverage, pass protection, etc...are not allowed during this phase of the off-season workouts.

Phase Three is the final four-week period of the off-season workouts. Teams are permitted to hold ten (10) days of Organized Team Activities (OTA), with a maximum of three (3) days the first two weeks and a maximum of four (4) days in either the third or fourth week, with a Mandatory Veteran Minicamp held in the other week. During a week with three OTA days, a fourth non-OTA workout governed by the rules in Phase Two is allowed.

No live contact or one-on-one drills are permitted in Phase Three workouts. Teams are allowed to do offensive vs. defense and special teams drills, provided no live contact occurs. Teams may also require players to wear helmets, but no shells are permitted in Phase Three workouts or the minicamp.