Lions Begin Phase One of Offseason Workouts

The Detroit Lions, along with any other National Football League team with a returning head coach, are eligible to begin their offseason workout program this week.

Detroit is set to begin Phase One of the offseason workout program on Tuesday at the team's Allen Park Performance Center.

Seventeen other NFL squads had their players, on a voluntary basis, report for the offseason workout program on Monday.

The remaining eight teams decided upon Tuesday as the start date.

Collectively bargained with the players union, the Lions program, which runs over the course of nine weeks, takes place in three phases.

The first phase lasts two weeks, and involves only meetings, physical rehabilitation and strength and conditioning.

Phase Two is conducted over the course of three weeks. According to the team website, players go through "on-field workouts with individual or group instruction and drills, as well as 'perfect play drills.' Plays and drills with offensive players lining up across from offensive players and defensive players lining up across from defensive players, conducted at a walk-through pace, are permitted. No Live contact or team offense vs. team defense drills are allowed."

Phase Three is the final four weeks of the program, and includes a three-day mandatory minicamp. Ten days of organized team practice activities (OTAs) include seven-on-seven, nine-on-nine and 11-on-11 drills. However, no live contact is permitted.

Detroit has its mandatory minicamp which runs from June 10-12.

Seven teams that hired new head coaches were allowed to open their voluntary programs two weeks ago.