Dates set for Carolina Panthers offseason programs and OTAs
The Panthers will open their offseason program on Monday, April 18, and it will run through June 16 when the team will break before training camp. Training camp is set to open in late July.
The three-phase offseason program is entirely voluntary, with the exception of mandatory minicamp, which will be held June 14-16.
Since the NFL lifted its COVID-19 restrictions, the Panthers will be able to work as a large group again unlike the past two offseasons. In 2020 and 2021, limitations included groups as small as four or five players in the weight room and no huddling during throwing sessions. Some teams canceled their workouts altogether.
The offseason program consists of three phases. The first phase (starting April 18) includes only meetings, strength and conditioning and rehab. The second phase (early May) spans three weeks and features on-field work but no offense vs. defense drills. Phase three (late May) lasts four weeks and is known as OTA practices (organized team activities). There can’t be any live contact, but teams can do 7-on-7, 9-on-7, and 11-on-11 drills. Phase three also includes the mandatory minicamp, which the Panthers will hold June 14-16.
The team will hold a three-day rookie minicamp either the first or second weekend following the draft. The draft takes place April 28-30.
No portions of the offseason program are open to the public. However, one OTA practice each week will be open to the media. The entire minicamp is also open to media. Following the completion of the mandatory minicamp, players are given a break until training camp, which for non-quarterbacks and veteran players opens 47 days prior to the team’s first regular-season game.
The NFL will likely release its schedule in May.
The Panthers expect most of their roster to participate in OTAs and minicamp. It’s unclear whether players who ended last season on injured reserve (including Christian McCaffrey and Jaycee Horn) will participate.
Panthers OTA dates
▪ May 23
▪ May 24
▪ May 26
▪ May 31
▪ June 1
▪ June 3
▪ June 6
▪ June 7
▪ June 8
▪ June 9
This story was originally published April 6, 2022 at 1:30 PM.
