Report: NFL could start holding mini-camps in June

With COVID-19 continuing to cast its shadow over just about everything, the National Football League appears to be taking steps towards getting their 2020 season started on time, as they’ve maintained they have every intention of doing.

Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports is reporting that NFL head coaches could start returning to team facilities as early as next week. Depending on how different states handle the COVID-19 issue, that could pave the way for teams to start holding mini-camps in mid-to-late June. Robinson reports that the camps could be scheduled for as early as 15 June or as late as 27 June.

Once the mini-camps are completed, the league would have to make a decision on when Training Camps would be allowed to start. Obviously, the later the mini-camps happen, the greater the likelihood that the start of Training Camp and the start of the regular season could get pushed back. If memory serves correctly, the Vikings usually have their veterans report for the start of camp on the last Friday in July. That could, theoretically, still be the target date if things go well.

The NFL has maintained all along that they fully intend to start the 2020 regular season in early September, releasing the full season schedule a couple of weeks ago with some built-in precautions in case things needed to be rearranged due to COVID-19. There are still a number of other questions that need to be answered, such as fan attendance and things of that nature, but I’m assuming those questions will be answered as we get closer to things actually happening on the field.

But, if things go the way the NFL is hoping that they’ll go based on Robinson’s report, we may actually have. . .get this. . .actual football things to talk about. Wouldn’t that be something?