Green Bay Packers: 5 takeaways from first wave of organized team activities
By Joe Kipp
The first wave of organized team activities has came and went for the Green Bay Packers. Here are the five main takeaways from the first three days.
The offseason is moving along rather quickly. The big ticket free agents have all been signed, the NFL Draft is long gone and organized team activities (more commonly known as ‘OTAs’) are in full throttle for the Green Bay Packers. Before we know it, training camp will be here.
In the mean time, we’ll have plenty to talk about with OTAs. In case you didn’t know, organized team activities are training sessions used to develop players and acclimate them with the coaching staff. They are the only official team practices that occur between the end of the previous season and the start of the current season’s training camp.
Organized team activities are extremely important for younger players and rookies. It allows them to get acquainted with NFL expectations and showcase their talent for a roster spot. For the Packers, this is especially important with the addition of new general manager Brian Gutekunst.
It’s also important for veteran players. The coaching changes from last season to this season were widespread, most notably at offensive and defensive coordinator. Players will need to learn the new playbooks of offensive coordinator Joe Philbin and defensive coordinator Mike Pettine.
The current collective bargaining agreement allows teams to hold ten OTA sessions each offseason. The Packers’ dates were set for May 21-23, May 30-June 1 and June 4-7, with mandatory mini-camp occurring June 12-14.
The first three days of OTAs took place from Monday thru Wednesday of this week. Fans are permitted to attend three practices, with the first opportunity having happened on Tuesday. The next two opportunities occur on May 31 and June 4.
Some players were no-shows at the first session, which is fine because OTAs are optional. With injuries being a huge part of the game, many players take this time to train on their own. But for the players who were there, what could we gather from the first three days? Here are the five main takeaways from the first session of OTAs.