Former Washington TE explains what happens during OTAs
· Yahoo Sports
What goes on during NFL Organized Training Activities (OTAs)? Former Washington tight end Logan Paulsen recently provided a glimpse
The former Washington Redskins tight end sat down with Grant Paulsen on the latest "Take Command" podcast and shared some details about what this week of OTAs will be about for the Commanders.
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Logan conveyed to Grant that the OTA is a step up from the walk-throughs that occurred during the rookie minicamp. No, it's not training camp intensity with the pads, but it is more than the minicamp the Commanders conducted two weeks ago. Logan expressed that these workouts are part of phase two. "This is the first time in the offseason where you can actually line up and kinda go against somebody."
There are restrictions in terms of the type of drills that you can do," continued LP. "For example, you can't have the receiver and the DB lineup and run a one-on-one. We can't have the linemen line up and do a one-on-one." LP then expressed to GP that the NFL is really serious about not having contact yet in phase two of the workouts. "They do have a representative from the NFLPA (players association) come out and monitor, making sure the practices are not too intense."
When I was playing before the regulations were too intense, coaches would say we are having a full speed practice. But you can't be in pads, so we were in the soft shells and it would be like almost tackling to the ground and that was very common. So, one of the ways coaches got around the contact restriction was, "we're going to practice harder but not with the shoulder pads on. When you get a bunch of NFL dudes out there, they are going to do it."
Nowadays, the NFL reps are aware of it, so the NFL sends a rep out to keep the teams from practicing so hard. There are some restrictions. But if Joe Schmo were to go out and watch practice, it would be moving at a pretty good clip I think, in terms of the drill, the speed of the drills, the team periods, team pass, team run. It's going to look like a practice. So, again, the OTA is a little different than the minicamp. We're going to put pads on and it ramps up a little bit. "
LP summed up the difference, expressing, "This is going to feel like the infantile stages of the NFL practice structure."
The Commanders begin their first week of OTAs on Wednesday, with three practices this week.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Washington Commanders: Logan Paulsen explains NFL OTAs