2019 Packers joint practice with the Houston Texans
Some NFL teams were holding out hope of conducting minicamps this month, but it appears that players will not return to team facilities until training camps open.
Most teams have already reopened their facilities on a limited basis for essential employees amid the coronavirus pandemic, but healthy players are not allowed to return yet.
On Tuesday, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell sent a memo to teams, informing them they must hold training camps at their main practice facilities because of the virus. That doesn’t affect the Green Bay Packers, but ten of the league’s teams practiced away from their main practice facilities last year.
The memo also said teams will not be allowed to hold joint training camp practices with other teams. That’s something the Packers did with the Houston Texans last year and were planning to do the same with the Cleveland Browns this year, but those plans are now on hold.
The issue is fairness. The NFL feels if all 32 teams can’t hold on-field minicamp workouts, then there will be none. Official start dates for training camps haven’t been announced either, but none of the teams are expected to start until all 32 teams can do so.