With all the settlement talk this week, there have been whispers and speculation about how and when business will resume in the NFL. Free agency and all the mayhem accompanying it, looks unlikely to start until July 28, next Thursday. However, there are signs popping up all over the NFL world that football activities might return sooner than that.
Yesterday, we noted reports that there would be about a week of business before free agency. First, three days for agents and teams to learn the rules of the new agreement that will govern their activity. Then, another three day period for teams to sign draft picks, undrafted rookies and their own free agents.
It's possible that six day window also include a hastened version of mini-camp for teams, a chance for coaches to get to work installing the playbook and, more importantly, evaluate the current condition of players as well as perform medical checkups on injured players who haven't had contact with their team medical staffs since March.
Jeremy Shockey told the world that he had been instructed to report to Charlotte on Friday, July 22. Then reports last night trickled out that the Green Bay Packers had instructed players to report on Saturday, July 23. Signs of potential football activity this weekend for the St. Louis Rams have also popped up, literally. Bleachers, tents and port-a-pots are being installed along the practice fields at the Russell Training Center, where the Rams will have their training camp.
Mini-camp this weekend? It sounds like a distinct possibility.