Say goodbye to training camp as we know it.
One victim of the NFLs new collective bargaining agreement is the traditional two-a-day practice schedule thats been the norm in NFL training camps for decades.
The Eagles announced Monday that with the new CBA finally approved by both owners and players, they will open their 16th training camp at Lehigh University in Bethlehem on Wednesday, with the first practice scheduled for Thursday morning. No word yet on how long practices in Bethlehem will continue.
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But however long this summers practices go, they wont be quite as demanding as in previous years.
According to the new CBA, teams can practice twice per day, but the second practice must be a so-called walkthrough with helmets not allowed.
The new CBA limits teams to four total hours of practice time, with the primary practice limited to three hours.
Andy Reid was notorious for his brutal training camps in his early years as the Eagles head coach. In his first three seasons, the Eagles first three full days of training camp practices featured two full live, fully padded daily practice sessions.
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After the death of Korey Stringer in August of 2001, the NFL informally urged teams to eliminate live contact drills from the second daily practice, and since then the Eagles have held two daily sessions for the first week of camp, with the second in pads but non-contact. After those initial sessions, the team alternated between special teams and non-contact afternoon practices.
The CBA calls for the first three days of preseason workouts to be non-padded, with the first daypresumably Wednesdaydevoted to physicals and meetings. So that means the first day of live work this summer will likely be Saturday.
The Eagles have yet to announce an exact training camp schedulewhat time practices will be and how long the Lehigh portion of camp will go on. Thats expected later Monday.
Key dates
Monday - Official NFL Free Agency list released by NFL.
Tuesday - Club facilities open to signed players at 10 a.m., trading period opens, rosters expanded to 90-man limit. Teams may sign their own drafted rookies and undrafted rookies and negotiate (but not sign) restricted and unrestricted free agents.
Wednesday - Eagles training camp opens at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pa.
Friday - Starting at 6 p.m., teams may sign all eligible players, including free agents from their own roster and from other teams.
Aug. 4 - Teams must be under the 120 million salary cap by 4:01 p.m. The 51 players with the highest cap figures count against the cap.
Aug. 11 - Preseason Game 1: Eagles vs. Ravens, 7:30 p.m., Lincoln Financial Field
Aug. 17 - Eagles break camp
Aug. 18 - Preseason Game 2: Eagles at Steelers, 8 p.m., Heinz Field, Pittsburgh.
Aug. 25 - Preseason Game 3: Eagles vs. Browns, 7:30 p.m., Lincoln Financial
Aug. 30 - Possible roster reduction from 90 players to 75 players.
Sept. 1 - Preseason Game 4: Eagles at Jets, 7:30 p.m., New Meadowlands Stadium, East Rutherford.
Sept. 3 - Rosters must be cut to regular-season limit of 53.
Sept. 4 - Teams may sign players to their practice squad.
Sept. 11 - Regular season Week 1: Eagles at Rams, 1 p.m., Edward Jones Dome, St. Louis.
E-mail Reuben Frank at rfrank@comcastsportsnet.com.