Notes: Detroit Lions offseason training program begins Tuesday

The Detroit Lions are kicking off the start of a very critical offseason training program Tuesday.

This year, there are no Covid-19 restrictions or protocols to worry about. That means the team isn’t restricted to virtual meetings or sectioning off the building. The nine-week offseason training program consists of three parts:

• Phase One: During the first two weeks, the team will only be able to work on physical rehabilitation, strength and conditioning, and conduct meetings.
• Phase Two: The next three weeks after that will include on-field workouts — individual or group instruction. Drills and plays are a go, as long as defensive players line up across from defensive players, and offensive players line up across offensive players. No live contact is allowed, nor team offense versus team defense drills. This all happens at a walk-through pace.
• Phase Three: In the last four weeks, teams can schedule up to 10 days of OTAs. They can also host minicamps, but players may not have live contact.

“We’re going to have a good turnout of our guys,” Dan Campbell said per detroitlions.com’s Tim Twentyman. “I would anticipate just about all of our guys here, if not all of them. At least, if not by April 19, within a week or two of that, for sure when we start in-classroom stuff.”

The Athletic’s Chris Burke figured out a smart way to know who’s in town:

OTAs and minicamps are different in that OTAs are meant to be more about in-the-classroom instruction and they last for 10 days. They are completely voluntary. Minicamps are three-day workouts that involve different levels of required participation.

Clubs can also hold one rookie minicamp after the draft, either the first or second weekend. New head coaches, such as Dan Campbell last year, can hold a voluntary veteran minicamp before the draft. In 2022, eight teams will hold these.

OTAs are typically held in late May and early June. Mandatory minicamps are held in the first three weeks of June, and voluntary minicamps will happen right around now — within the next few weeks before the 2022 NFL Draft, which starts April 28.

The Lions’ offseason training program begins today, with OTA workouts May 24-26, June 1-3, and June 13-16. The mandatory minicamp will be held June 7-9.

Comparing things to last year, the differences are in 2021, the Phase One meetings had to be virtual, Phase Two was shortened from three weeks to one, and Phase Three involved learning about COVID-19 testing requirements. You can read more about the differences from last year here.

And onto the rest of your notes.

• Say the Lions trade the second overall pick — what might they get for it? The Lions Wire’s Jeff Risdon explores what teams have historically received in return for the coveted second pick.

• Unfortunately the Michigan Panthers didn’t win this weekend, but you can head on over to their Twitter for some pretty cool highlights.

• Mlive’s Kyle Meinke continues his nine-part draft preview series to determine where the Lions’ needs lie. Today: Receivers.

• A similar piece from Justin Rogers at The Detroit News but he’s evaluating needs at tight end. ($)

• The ChadTough Defeat DIPG Foundation is raising funds by offering the chance to hear about the NFL draft process on a more personal level from Chris Spielman. For some background — DIPG is diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma, a brain tumor found in a part of the brain stem called the pons.

• I just liked this from Mike. That’s all.