NFL releases key dates
OTAs in late May, early June
Green Bay — The National Football League announced dates Friday of the offseason workout programs for all 32 teams. The Green Bay Packers officially begin their preparations for 2016 on April 18.
As stipulated by the collective bargaining agreement, each team conducts a voluntary nine-week program broken up into three phases:
“Phase One consists of the first two weeks of the program with activities limited to strength and conditioning and physical rehabilitation only.
“Phase Two consists of the next three weeks of the program. On-field workouts may include individual player instruction and drills as well as team practice conducted on a ‘separates’ basis. No live contact or team offense vs. team defense drills are permitted.
“Phase Three consists of the next four weeks of the program. Teams may conduct a total of 10 days of organized team practice activity, or ‘OTAs.’ No live contact is permitted, but 7-on-7, 9-on-7, and 11on-11 drills are permitted.”
Each team also can hold one mandatory minicamp for veteran players that must take place during Phase Three.
The Packers’ program begins April 18. Organized team activity workouts are May 24-26, May 31, June 1-2 and June 6-9. The mandatory minicamp is set for June 14-16.
Additionally, teams hold a rookie football development program lasting seven weeks. It can begin as early as May 9. Teams also can hold one rookie minicamp on the first or second weekend after the draft.
Information about the dates of the Packers’ postdraft rookie minicamp and which OTA sessions are open to the public will be available at a later date.
Mulumba signs with Chiefs: The Packers weren’t willing to give outside linebacker Andy Mulumba another chance, but the Kansas City Chiefs were.
After visiting with Mulumba on Friday, the Chiefs signed the former Packers linebacker to a one-year deal that included a small signing bonus, according to agent Tom Tafelski.
The Packers signed Mulumba as an undrafted free agent in 2013 but after three seasons decided they would move on. They chose not to submit a minimum restricted free-agent tender of $1.671 million by March 9, thus making him a free agent.
“He appreciated the Packers giving him a chance,” Tafelski said. “He has no hard feelings at all.”
Because he is a Canadian citizen, Mulumba had to leave the U.S. on Feb. 29. He had been granted a work visa to play in the NFL and was working to establish citizenship, but because the Packers hadn’t made an offer, he was forced to return to his family home in Quebec.
Mulumba will not count in the freeagent compensatory pick formula because the Packers effectively released him by not making the tender offer.