Lions Set to Begin Organized Team Activities

Phase Three of the Detroit Lions' offseason begins this week.

According to the league's website, "Beginning in Phase Three, clubs may conduct in-person meetings and classroom instruction subject to COVID-19 testing cadence, tracking, facility access and other protocols. During Phase Three, 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."

Teams may hold one mandatory minicamp for veteran players. This minicamp must occur during Phase Three of the offseason program.

Despite the opportunity being present for rookies and veterans to work out together in OTAs, the practices all remain voluntary at this point in the offseason.

For most players entering the league, "rookie shock” is inevitable during OTAs.

This is their first opportunity to compete alongside established veterans, to determine what type of talent is required to even make an NFL 53-man roster.

"The older guys on the team bring finely tuned skills and an overall football experience that’s generally a lot for younger guys to keep up with," per a Bleacher Report inside look at OTA's. "Though the veterans are present, rookies still don't get a true feel for the NFL intensity and scope, but they can definitely get a reputable sampling of the speed, size and sheer mass of these professionals -- even if they aren’t allowed to hit you yet. I’ll never forget how impressed I was with the size alone of these guys during the first real practice with veterans. It truly is a daunting experience."

For supporters of the Lions, it will be the first opportunity to observe rookie Penei Sewell and Jared Goff in a Detroit uniform.

Up until this point, Detroit's skill players have been observed working out together, via various social media posts.

Over the course of the next 10 practices, intriguing position battles and scheme evaluation will begin in earnest.

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