Bears Players Petitioning Eberflus, Poles for Big Change

Like every team in the NFL, the Chicago Bears are in the midst of OTAs right now as they practice together ahead of the training camp. These on-field workouts are generally seen as a good opportunity to get a first look at rookies and new players while building chemistry before the preseason.

Whether having these workouts this far ahead of the training camp is the most optimal way to prepare for the new season is an open question. The NFL Players Association is currently working on a proposal to change this offseason schedule and eliminate the OTAs altogether. The latest reporting suggests that the Chicago Bears players are in favor of this plan, according to Adam Hoge of the CHGO Bears.

Bears Players Pushing Hard for Eliminating the OTAs

Where the players are coming from is understandable. Ramping up for two months in May and June before taking six weeks off before training camp is a questionable approach to preparing for a new season. Tom Pelissero and Adam Hoge both report that players have research that shows that an alternative offseason schedule might be more beneficial for players.

With the new proposal, players would go straight into training camp. However, instead of training camp starting in late July, they would start much earlier and extend all the way to the start of the season.

According to Hoge, Chicago's top brass is open to the idea with Ryan Poles and Matt Eberflus already having had "discussions with some of the leaders on the team" about it.

Regardless of what the NFL decides to do and how quickly they will adopt the new offseason schedule, it sounds like the Bears are ready to embrace the change.

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