Jaguars Kick Off Offseason Workout Program
The Jacksonville Jaguars are officially in the building.
With the Jaguars being led by first-year head coach Doug Pederson, they are one of six teams beginning voluntary offseason workouts on Monday. The Jaguars are joined by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Denver Broncos, Las Vegas Raiders, Houston Texans, and Minnesota Vikings.
According to the NFL, the rest of the Jaguars' offseason dates are as follows:
Voluntary Minicamp: April 26-28.
OTA Offseason Workouts: May 23-24, May 26, May 31-June 1, June 3, June 6-9.
Mandatory Minicamp: June 13-15.
"As per Article 21 of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, each club’s official, voluntary nine-week offseason program is conducted in three phases," the NFL said.
"Phase One consists of the first two weeks of the program with activities limited to meetings, strength and conditioning, and physical rehabilitation only.
Phase Two consists of the next three weeks of the program. On-field workouts may include individual or group instruction and drills, as well as “perfect play drills,” and drills and plays with offensive players lining up across from offensive players and defensive players lining up across from defensive players, conducted at a walk through pace. 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 11-on-11 drills are permitted."
Each team is permitted to hold one mandatory minicamp for players, while the NFL says new head coaches like Pederson in Jacksonville "are entitled to conduct an additional voluntary veteran minicamp. Any voluntary minicamp for veteran players must be conducted prior to the NFL Draft (April 28-30), but no earlier than week three of the club’s offseason workout program and after at least one week of the two weeks of Phase One activities that the clubs may hold pursuant to Article 21."
Each franchise is also permitted to hold a post-draft rookie minicamp and football development program, which can begin on May 16 and will have the dates finalized at a later date.
Pederson has been working hard toward securing strong relationships and kicking off lofty goals since the Jaguars hired him as head coach on Feb. 3. The former Eagles head coach has been a huge part of the team's evaluation and personnel process, while also chomping at the bit to get a chance to see his new players on the field for the first time.
"Well, obviously, right now, it's just on the surface, you know, we're not doing anything football, you know, with them. And it's really kind of me getting to know them, and them getting to know me," Pederson said at the league's annual meeting in March.
"And that's, I think that's the number one thing that with the new head coach, you know, for them, just kind of gaining their trust, you know, this offseason and trying to build that, anytime I get a chance to run into the guys."
