NFLPA Pres seeks to permanently end OTAs and minicamps

[Orlando Tim]

8 hours ago, CEN-CAL17 said:

How do rookies, free agents etc just come in a succeed unless you have workouts in May and June? 
 

Then start preseason in early August with only 2 Preseason games.

 

 

 

How soon everyone forgets all the chatter and injuries early in the season and many assumptions it was due to lack of workouts and preseason contact.

This was my thought also- could they have voluntary camps for extra pay? I am not sure what contracts allow but for many players the camp is not needed but some require it.

[That's No Moon]

20 hours ago, TBBills said:

We should just not even allow these guys to get together until 1 week before the season starts... You know to prevent wear and tear.

 

Did Tretter talk about giving the players less money for them having less to do?

They don't get paid for practice, they get paid for games. The league wants to move to 17 games, this seems reasonable.

[Buddo]

I don't really have too much of a problem with then lessening practises that involve hitting.

 

I do think that there's no need to curtail walkthroughs, classroom learning etc.

 

If you want to build a successful team, you need the guys to be interacting with each other.

 

 

[Punching Bag]

On 12/31/2020 at 3:44 PM, mattynh said:

 

I don't think teams ever intend to put wear and tear on the players bodies, keep them in shape physically and mentally, yes.  Beat them up, no.  I think this is just the reason they are using to get a hall pass longer in the offseason.   The owners will give something up here since it has no affect on revenues.  More guys will get out of shape in the offseason, everyone will have to deal with it in some way shape or form.  

Zoom calls have wear and tear on your eyes, they should cut back on those.

 

Perfect example is Quinton Lamar Spain.  He got new contract, had no mini camps, came into camp out of shape, went to Tennessee unhappy becuase he was not starting THEN reporting foot issue, was released and now will not play for a playoff team.

 

He did a "Tretter" and if tweeters refer to it as such the calls to eliminate it will stop.

3 hours ago, Buddo said:

I don't really have too much of a problem with then lessening practises that involve hitting.

 

I do think that there's no need to curtail walkthroughs, classroom learning etc.

 

If you want to build a successful team, you need the guys to be interacting with each other.

 

Less practices involving hitting means players do not get better in tackling.

 

If they change the rules teams need to make sure players they sign know how to tackle.

Tell agent "Have your client sign in CFL, XFL or even AFL (if it comes back) and then we will consider signing."

[Buddo]

35 minutes ago, Limeaid said:

 

Perfect example is Quinton Lamar Spain.  He got new contract, had no mini camps, came into camp out of shape, went to Tennessee unhappy becuase he was not starting THEN reporting foot issue, was released and now will not play for a playoff team.

 

He did a "Tretter" and if tweeters refer to it as such the calls to eliminate it will stop.

 

Less practices involving hitting means players do not get better in tackling.

 

If they change the rules teams need to make sure players they sign know how to tackle.

Tell agent "Have your client sign in CFL, XFL or even AFL (if it comes back) and then we will consider signing."

 

Tackling is as much about technique, as it is about hitting - and you don't have to hit someone to teach the right technique.

 

To be fair, the more I think about it, I can see where some of the Line techniques are going to be better done through some form of contact, but tackling absolutely doesn't have to be done by 'hitting'.

 

Much of the time, when we talk about guys missing tackles, we should probably be talking about the fact that they got to the right place, but were incapable of executing a tackle properly. Too often guys don't get the basics right, and also try and use their own bodies as some sort of battering ram to try and stop someone.

[Mango]

On 12/31/2020 at 9:39 PM, Ethan in Portland said:

Cancel all the preseason games.  Keep the OTA's. 

I could get behind this. Cancel preseason. Just treat it like camp, or practice, or whatever. 

[Mr. WEO]

Unless the owners offer this, it's pointless.

[nucci]

On 12/31/2020 at 3:37 PM, Whkfc said:

i have to work 50 weeks a year. These guys work what half that and thats too much.

I'm sure your job and that of an NFL player are very similar

On 12/31/2020 at 7:40 PM, Solomon Grundy said:

I’m torn. What about the fans who take their kids to the camps to see their heroes. The families who can’t afford to go to games. This is their only experience to be up close and personal to the players. To get the autographs and photos. To memorialize and share with children and grandchildren. I get the fact that they want less wear and tear on their bodies but think about the people that helps pay their salaries.

I don't think fans are allowed at OTA's...just training camp. He doesn't want to get rid of training camp...just all the extra stuff in May and June

[GunnerBill]

I don't think they should get rid of all OTAs. I do think you have seen a lot of teams where the defense was behind early this year then has got better and in my view that is at least in part attributable to a disrupted offseason. On offense playmakers can make plays off script but when a defense gets off script that normally spells trouble and it happened a lot early on. 

 

I think at the moment it is 10 days over 3 weeks that teams are allowed. If they said you can only do physical drills on 6 of those 10 the other 4 must be classroom only and got rid completely of the mini camp (but kept the rookie mini camp) then I think that would be a reasonable compromise. As has been said by others the players are late asking for this now though.... the CBA was agreed last year. 

[machine gun kelly]

On 12/31/2020 at 4:14 PM, jeremy2020 said:

Awesome, I'm sure you can discuss that in the next CBA. Owners would love to give up something that makes them relatively little money for an 18th regular season game. 

 

The current leaders of the NFLPA are morons. 

Jeremy, it took a couple of pages reading before someone basically brings up Tretter’s real intentIons.  This is nothing, but a negotiating play.  One side floats one point to the other floating a counter point.  I’m sure in many of you’re job responsibilities, many of you have a negotiated a deal with a business.  
 

Tretter knows these COVID changes will probably lead the league to change in many ways.  18 games is coming sometime in the future, preseason down to 1-2 games, and I’m guessing (not that I want it) 8 playoff team slots in each conference with back to two byes.

 

This is one concession he can win that is not a $ maker for the owners or even the players.

[BuffaloBob]

On 12/31/2020 at 3:38 PM, clayboy54 said:

They can cancel any contact or padded workouts if they want. They need the classroom study and walkthroughs.  There’s no wear and tear in that work. No need to keep them away from each other all spring and summer.

And perhaps good workouts and nutrition counseling while they are there.

[FLFan]

Since they just negotiated a new contract, it is not clear to me how he expects this to happen.  What is  he planning to put on the table in terms of concessions? It seemed to me that the lack of the usual off season camps and workouts had several negative impacts, including:

 

- lack of proper conditioning leading to higher incidents of soft tissues injuries early in the year. 

- inability of teams to adequately evaluate and train rookies and new players and incorporate them. 

- for teams with less continuity than the Bills, a major disadvantage in terms of establishing culture, learning new systems, etc.  

 

 

[Malazan]

7 hours ago, machine gun kelly said:

Jeremy, it took a couple of pages reading before someone basically brings up Tretter’s real intentIons.  This is nothing, but a negotiating play.  One side floats one point to the other floating a counter point.  I’m sure in many of you’re job responsibilities, many of you have a negotiated a deal with a business.  
 

Tretter knows these COVID changes will probably lead the league to change in many ways.  18 games is coming sometime in the future, preseason down to 1-2 games, and I’m guessing (not that I want it) 8 playoff team slots in each conference with back to two byes.

 

This is one concession he can win that is not a $ maker for the owners or even the players.

 

You ask for things you can't win then fall back to the things you actually thought you could get. Kudos to him for not just going along with conventional wisdom though.