Cornelius Lucas signs RFA tender as Lions begin offseason workouts

Monday marked the first time the 2017 Detroit Lions congregated as a team. Their offseason workout program started on Monday with a voluntary workout. The NFL holds very strict rules regarding their workouts, and seeing as this is the first workout of the year, it falls under the league’s “Phase 1” rules:

Two Weeks | Limited To Strength And Conditioning Activities (“Dead Ball”); Only Strength And Conditioning Coaches Allowed On Field

90 Minute Max On The Field

Clubs Can Only Specify 2 Hours For Players To Be At Facility

Players Choose The Other 2 Hours For Weights, Etc

According to Pro Football Talk, there’s a little more to it than that:

Footballs can be used for kicking and punting only (but not for punting-and-skeet-shooting). Quarterbacks can throw to receivers, as long as those receivers aren’t covered.

During Phase One, the head coach and other members of the staff can be involved in up to two hours of classroom work and film study; however, no player can be at the facility for more than four hours per day.

Because the practice is voluntary, not every player is required to be there. Typically, however, the only players that do not show are involved in some kind of contract dispute. Even Cornelius Lucas, who had not signed his restricted free agent tender, showed up, signed his tender and is expected to be a part of this week’s workouts:

While the workouts don’t mean much for the fans, it is another step towards the beginning of the 2017 football season: Just a mere four and a half months away!