Pride of Detroit
A collection of everything you need to know about 2025 Detroit Lions OTAs.
Detroit Lions kick off Organized Team Activities (OTAs) on Wednesday, which is a somewhat significant marker on the NFL offseason calendar. For players, it’s the first time offense and defense can come together and compete against each other. And for media and fans, it’s the first time we’ll get a sneak peek at the entire team competing against each other.
But I often see a lot of confusion around OTAs, so consider this a full explainer or Frequently Asked Questions of what OTAs are—and what it means for the Detroit Lions.
Lions OTAs begin on Wednesday, May 28. Detroit will have three straight days of practice, running through Friday. Their second week of OTAs run from Tuesday, June 3 through Thursday, June 5. Unlike previous seasons, the Lions will only conduct those two weeks of OTAs and will not have a mandatory minicamp, either. Or, more simply:
While we have not heard from the Lions directly on this, the general assumption is that this was in reaction to being selected to play in the Hall of Fame preseason game this year. Detroit will then have an extra preseason game (four instead of three), and they’ll likely start training camp up to a week earlier than most teams in order to prepare.
So (presumably) to accommodate a longer preseason and training camp, they shortened their spring program.
While we are not allowed to directly reveal Detroit’s media schedule, access is restricted to once per week. Media will be able to watch two of Detroit’s six OTA practices. Dan Campbell is expected to speak ahead of both practices.
No. Only mandatory minicamp is required for players to show up at or potentially face a fine. That said, several players have offseason workout bonuses that may require them to show up in order to earn it. DJ Reader, for example, explained that part of the reason he’s been part of Detroit’s offseason program is the $200,000 he’s earning just by attending.
“I got a workout bonus. I’m not in the interest of, like, giving money back,” Reader said with a smile on his face last week.
However, for many veterans, they prefer to spend their offseason working out with trainers they trust that can keep them close to loved ones. Alex Anzalone is a great example of that. Last year he skipped out on OTAs, and it appears he has not been a part of Detroit’s offseason program to date.
OTAs are the third and final phase of a team’s offseason program. During Phase 1 and 2, teams are very restricted in what kind of on-field work they can do. In the first phase,...
