Orchard Park, N.Y. (WGR Sports Radio 550/WBEN) - Through the first five weeks of the Buffalo Bills offseason program, the team was not allowed to conduct any drills with offensive and defensive players lined up from each other.
That all changes on Tuesday.
The Bills will begin Phase III of their offseason program with voluntary organized team activities, commonly known as OTAs.
According to the NFL and NFLPA's collective bargaining agreement, during Phase III, teams may conduct a total of 10 days of OTAs. No live contact is permitted, but 7-on-7, as well as 9-on-7, and 11-on-11 drills are permitted.
The team began their offseason workouts back on April 21 with Phase I, which lasted two weeks and only included strength and conditioning, with no on-field work.
For the last three weeks, players have had on-field coaching and drills, but only allowed to have offensive players line up across from one another, and defensive players line up across from each other.
All OTAs are voluntary. Players cannot be fined or disciplined by the team for not attending the sessions, which are scheduled for May 27-29, June 2-3, and June 5.
The Bills will hold a mandatory minicamp June 10-12, which will conclude their offseason program until they reconvene for training camp in late July at St. John Fisher University.
Bills head coach Sean McDermott is scheduled to speak to the media at 11 a.m. Tuesday before practice begins at 11:30 a.m. We will carry his media session live on The Northtown Automotive Extra Point Show on WGR.