Eagles modify spring schedule; vets are in the house, but there’s no mandatory minicamp
Nick Sirianni agrees to host three weeks of instructional work in the new schemes, for vets who weren't going to participate otherwise.
The Eagles, like other NFL teams, are modifying their spring schedule to resolve a conflict between what coaches and general managers want and what the NFL Players Association is pushing.
On the team web site Tuesday, a story announced that players and new coach Nick Sirianni had agreed to modify the original, traditional schedule, which called for voluntary OTAs this month and then a mandatory minicamp in June.
The Eagles’ players, along with other teams, had issued statements indicating veterans would not take part in on-field work this spring, in the wake of the addition of a 17th game to the 2021 schedule.
So now, the veterans have agreed to participate in three weeks of OTA work, which started Tuesday. It will be focused on “fundamentals, schemes and strength and conditioning,” the web site story said. That will be it until training camp -- no mandatory minicamp, no 11-on-11 or seven-on-seven work before late July.
“We had some really good conversations with our players, some of the team leaders, about the offseason program,” Sirianni told the web site. He was not made available to be questioned by reporters covering the team. Sirianni said the discussions were “helpful” and that the new schedule “will allow us to get some really good work in before we hit training camp. I really appreciated those conversations.”
Sirianni said the team is “focusing on the fundamentals, while taking what was learned virtually and getting the reps in person. ... So that’s what our focus is these next three weeks and then we’ll pick back up once we get back for training camp in [late] July.”