What Does OTA Stand For in the NFL?

NFL OTAs are organized team activities. They’re essentially a series of informal summer practices that take place for a few hours a day over several weeks, before training camp really heats up in August. 

Technically speaking, OTAs are a voluntary activity. That makes OTAs different than NFL minicamps, which are mandatory. However, when you consider that most teams carry a summer roster of nearly 100 players, competition for the eventual 53 spots is fierce right out of the gate.

As a result, only a handful of players on each team have enough clout to skip OTAs without the possibility of negative repercussions down the line. 

What Do NFL Teams Do During OTAs?

OTAs are a little bit like spring football for college players. It’s an explicitly designed time for direct offseason work between the players and coaches.

Teams and their coaches can elect to focus on any fundamental drill or schematic element that they feel will be helpful during the allotted time period.

OTAs and the ensuing player-coach interactions they create are limited to a handful of days and hours in the offseason, according to the updated NFL collective bargaining agreement.