Inside Allen Park: What Voluntary Workouts Really Are One week after the 2026 NFL Draft, Allen Park is busy. The Detroit Lions are in the voluntary phase of the offseason workout program. Photos show players in the building. Gibbs is there. Branch is there. Tarion is there. It’s not practice. Not yet. Players are in meetings. They lift. They run. Injured players rehab with staff. Coaches sit in on meetings but do not coach on-field actions. That comes later. OTAs and a Firm Mini Camp on the Calendar The NFL calendar is set. The Lions released their OTA dates. They start later in May. There are three three-day periods. The mandatory mini camp lands around Father’s Day weekend. That’s the first time the entire team is required to attend. A holdout can happen, but it’s rare. Last year was different. The Lions canceled mandatory mini camp because they were preparing for the Hall of Fame Game. In hindsight, that move did not help. There’s no sign they will cancel it this year. Rookie Minicamp Canceled, What Changes for Newcomers The team canceled rookie minicamp. So what happens now? The rookie draft class and signed undrafted free agents will still be in the building. Contract signings are expected this weekend. The official UDFA list is likely to post today. New players will get orientation. Lockers. Food. Training rooms. Where to be and when. They also plug into parts of the offseason program tailored to rookies. They will attend the NFL PA rookie seminar. The message is direct. Do not gamble on sports. Do not gamble in the team hotel or lobby. Even if it’s not football. Go across the street if you must. The J Mo situation still hangs over that topic. He got six games. The rules are the rules, even if they feel contradictory. There is a cost to scrapping the rookie minicamp. No invitee local players this year. That’s where Natelyn once showed up and made noise. Ian Kennelly from Grand Valley State did the same last year and earned real preseason run. Those football reps matter for long shots. Agents notice. They are disappointed. So are some of us who value those looks. A Younger, Healthier Push by Detroit The Lions are changing things. What worked got them to a point. It felt like they plateaued. So they are pushing different buttons. Younger. Healthier. That theme runs through free agency and the draft. Tomorrow’s guest on the Detroit Lions Podcast underscores it. This is a conscious shift by Brad Holmes and his staff. The same old approach wasn’t enough. Detroit is trying to clear the hump, and the plan is clear. #detroitlions #lions #detroitlionspodcast #nfl #allenpark #offseasonworkoutprogram #otas #mandatoryminicamp #rookieminicampcanceled #undraftedfreeagents #rookieseminar #nflpa #strengthandconditioning #alexanzalone #gibbs #branch #tarion Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices