Could These Be the Last Dolphins OTAs?

The NFLPA reportedly is pushing to end the offseason program in favor of an earlier reporting date in training camp

Miami Dolphins OTA on May 21, 2024 / Alain Poupart – SI Fan Nation DolphinsIn this story:

• Miami Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins will be conducting their second set of OTAs this week at the Baptist Health Training Complex, and these will be their last for 2024.

But if the National Football Players Association has its way, these could be the final ones for good.

The NFLPA will be pushing for the elimination of OTAs, starting as early as 2025, in exchange for reporting for training camp earlier, perhaps in mid-June or early July — according to NFL Network reporter Tom Pelissero.

As Pelissero points out, rules regarding the offseason program were negotiated and are governed by the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the NFLPA and the league, so some sort of negotiation would have to take place here.

Commissioner Roger Goodell has championed the idea of going to 18 regular season games and eliminating one preseason week, so it’s not necessarily wild to suggest that perhaps owners would be willing to change the offseason rules to get that 18th game.

This is where we bring everyone back to the spring of 2020 when all on-field work was canceled because of COVID-19 and teams conducted meetings with their players via Zoom until training camps opened in the summer.

It’s also important to note that there weren’t always OTAs in the NFL. They became part of life in the NFL in the 1990s, as former league exec Bill Polian explained for the 33rd Team website last year.

The OTAs, as with every other part of the offseason except for the three-day minicamp, are voluntary and attendance can be spotty at times. While they no doubt serve a purpose, exactly how much they’re needed can be debated.

And it’s truly not overly shocking that they could be on their way out.

Until that time comes, if it does, we’ll keep an eye on any development involving the Dolphins as they wrap up this particular offseason program.