49ers offseason workout program dates announced

The march toward the 2015 season continues to roll along, and we have some new dates to add to the mix. The NFL announced the dates for each team's offseason workout program, which includes the start date, OTAs, voluntary minicamp, and the mandatory minicamp that wraps up the program. You can view the full list of league dates HERE.

The first day of the San Francisco 49ers offseason program is next Tuesday, April 7. They could have started as early as Monday, but the press release lists Tuesday. They can hold their OTA offseason workouts May 19-21, May 27-29, June 1-2, and June 4-5. They will have their voluntary minicamp on April 28-30, and their mandatory minicamp June 9-11. The voluntary minicamp is exclusive to teams with new coaches.

Teams will also be allowed a seven-week rookie football development program. That may begin on May 11. During this period, no activities may be held on weekends, with the exception of one post-NFL Draft rookie minicamp, which may be conducted on either the first or second weekend following the draft. The dates of the post-draft rookie minicamps will be circulated at a later date.

The 49ers offseason workout program (separate from the rookie development program) will consist of three phases. We'll get into more detail next week, but for now, here is a short rundown of what can happen in each of the three phases:

Phase One consists of the first two weeks of the program with activities limited to strength and conditioning and physical rehabilitation only.

Phase Two consists of the next three weeks of the program. On-field workouts may include individual player instruction and drills as well as team practice conducted on a "separates" basis. No live contact or team offense vs. team defense drills are permitted.

Phase Three consists of the next four weeks of the program. Teams may conduct a total of 10 days of organized team practice activity, or "OTAs". No live contact is permitted, but 7-on-7, 9-on-7, and 11-on-11 drills are permitted.

Offseason workout program dates

Start date: April 7
OTAs: May 19-21, 27-29, June 1-2, June 4-5
Voluntary Minicamp: April 28-30
Mandatory minicamp: June 9-11