Colts scrap mandatory minicamp as part of agreement with players
Indianapolis Colts players have agreed to convene for two weeks of team activities, and in exchange, the club will cancel the rest of the offseason program.
The agreement comes while many NFL players boycott voluntary offseason work with backing from the union. Minicamp in June is the only mandatory part of the offseason program, though players who aren't engaged in a contract dispute typically attend voluntary workouts and 10 days of organized team activities (OTAs).
"This is the best of both worlds," said center Ryan Kelly, who serves as the Colts' union representative, according to WISH-TV's Olivia Ray. "We get to be on the field. It's all individual, no unnecessary risk."
Kelly and the Colts' leadership committee brokered the deal with head coach Frank Reich and general manager Chris Ballard. The two-week program will wrap up by Memorial Day, and Indianapolis won't see its players again until training camp in late July.
Previously, the NFL laid out a three-phase offseason program in which teams could run non-contact drills from May 17-21 before moving into the 10 days for OTAs and three-day mandatory minicamp.
#Colts essentially traded three days of mandatory mini-camp in June for two weeks of voluntary work now. It gives the team more time to lay a foundation ahead of the time off before training camp. And it's big this year especially with new starters at QB, LT and DE.
— George Bremer (@gmbremer) May 17, 2021
The Colts initially scheduled their 10 OTAs for May 25-27, June 2-4, and June 7-10. Mandatory minicamp was set for June 15-17.
Players around the league have been seeking more rest throughout the offseason in anticipation of a more grueling 2021 schedule given the addition of a 17th regular-season game.