Breaking Down the NFL's Virtual Offseason Program & What it Could Mean for Rookies

Titans Workout Room via @Titans on Twitter

In order to compensate for the COVID-19 lockdown, the NFL and the NFLPA worked to put a new virtual offseason program into place this month. According to Jim Wyatt, the volunteer-based program "...will consist of three weeks of classroom instruction, workouts and non-football educational programs that use videoconferencing." Today, twenty NFL teams, including the Titans, embarked upon their electronic regimens. Players' phone, tablet, and laptop cameras displayed their activities in video conferences with their coaches and teammates. As of now, the virtual offseason is planned to last until mid-May.

NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo preview teams' virtual offseason programs

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Despite being presented with new territory, Titans players seem to be taking it in stride. Safety Kevin Byard even seems to be having fun: "Obviously, we can't actually be in the room together, but we're still cracking jokes and stuff like that. It's almost like we're all in the meeting room, so that has been fun" (via Jim Wyatt on TennesseeTitans.com).

However, I can't help but wonder how this situation could affect the newbies. Experienced players like Kevin Byard already have had a chance to become acclimated with their organizations' culture. Rookies, on the other hand, could be at a loss. I'd imagine a lot of the comradery that is normally gained through offseason programs could be downplayed this year. While the virtual program is still a viable alternative, in-person interaction is still how rookies traditionally become familiarized with the system.

Training camp could also be a casualty of COVID-19. With talks of the 2020 season being postponed to October, the fate of training camp becomes questionable. Only time can tell how the COVID-19 pandemic will affect rookie development, and this draft class will have to work extra hard in order to keep up.