Bears Remove a Week of OTAs from Their Offseason Work

While almost every NFL team is slated for three weeks of OTAs and mandatory minicamp, the Bears have just two weeks of OTAs.

The Bears are scheduled for fewer OTA practices this year than other teams. / Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports

The Bears will take it easy this spring, at least compared to other NFL teams.

The early start to the Bears preseason is reflected in their offseason work schedule, and it's one giving them more offseason time away than the other NFC North teams have.

The NFL released its schedule for minicamps and OTAs on Friday.

The Bears are slated for the Hall of Fame game to kick off the preseason Aug. 1 in Canton, Ohio against Houston, meaning they'll need to open training camp around July 16 or 17 to get in two weeks of work prior to the start of exhibition season.

As a result, players would have only 4 1/2 or five weeks of rest after the normal end to June mandatory minicamp.

So the Bears will only hold two sessions of voluntary organized team activities instead of three. They will be May 20, 21 and May 23, then May 28, 29 and 31. Their mandatory minicamp will be held June 4-6, allowing six weeks until training camp.

They also do not have a voluntary minicamp as those are allowed but only for teams with new head coaches and staffs.

The league allows teams to have a total of 10 OTAs with no live contact but non-contact work in 7-on-7, 9-on-7, and 11-on-11 can take place.

So the Bears are holding only six of the voluntary OTA practices, at least according to the official schedule for all teams released by the NFL. It's going to lead to questions about why they would do this when they have a new starting QB coming in, presumably Caleb Williams, and a new offensive coaching staff installing a new offense.

Although the Texans play the Bears in the Hall of Fame Game, Houston is not eliminating a week of OTAs. The Texans are scheduled to take the same number of OTAs as most teams and will have nine practices from May 20-June 6 prior to their June 11-13 mandatory minicamp.

Ultimately, the amount of work the Bears will do will be the same as every other team except for Houston because they are opening training camp earlier and play a preseason game a week before other NFL teams begin preseason. They'll have four preseason games instead of the three everyone else has except for Houston.

This elimination of a week of OTAs is voluntary, because the Bears had the right to have all of the offseason work other teams will have.

The Lions, Packers and Vikings will all have three weeks of OTAs and a minicamp. Minnesota and Detroit will hold their mandatory minicamp before their final OTAs in June.

The Bears return to Halas Hall for two weeks of conditioning work April 15. Then rookies will come to Halas Hall for a rookie camp after the April 25-27 NFL Draft.

OFFSEASON WORKOUT SCHEDULES FOR EVERY TEAM

Bears Offseason Dates Minicamp

Voluntary Organized Team Activities: May 20, 21, 23, 28, 29, 31.

Mandatory Minicamp: June 4-6