Raiders open training camp with coronavirus protocols in place

Training camps will officially open across the NFL on Tuesday with veteran players reporting to work. That includes the Raiders, who will welcome around 75 players to their new practice facility in Henderson.

Their first day will be a short one, as they begin the mandatory COVID-19 screening process for which two negative test results are required over the course of 72 hours before they are allowed to step foot in their team’s facility.

The different-looking opening is a prelude to the nontraditional six-week training camp that was agreed to by NFL owners and the players association.

With COVID-19 concerns still prevalent across America, the league and the players are taking every precaution imaginable in the hopes of mitigating the effect of the virus.

Here is a breakdown of what the next six weeks will look like for the Raiders and the rest of the NFL as teams go about preparing for a season while dealing with a pandemic.

COVID-19 virus pre-entry testing (Five days)

While Raiders rookies and quarterbacks Derek Carr, Marcus Mariota and Nate Peterman have either passed or began the 72-hour screening process, the remainder of the team begins that protocol Tuesday.

Players will show up, get tested and immediately go home. If the first test yields a negative result, they will return in three days for a second test. Another negative test result means moving onto Phase Two of the return protocol, which consists of access to the building, undergoing a standard physical and being fitted for equipment.

A positive test result in that process sets in motion a quarantine protocol that could last up to 10 days, depending on whether the player is asymptomatic or symptomatic.

Phase Two

Access to building (Two days)

Upon getting through the initial screening phase, players will have access to team buildings for physicals, equipment fitting and to take part in virtual football-related meetings.

Phase Three

On-field acclimation (Nine days with one day off)

After physicals, players will begin an eight-day on-field acclimation period that will be limited to strength and conditioning work and a daily walk-through. The conditioning and weight-room periods are limited to once a day for no more than 60 minutes and done in groups of no more than 15 players.

The walk-through session is 60 minutes per day for the first four sessions and 75 minutes for the remaining four. Only strength and conditioning coaches are allowed access during the weight-room and conditioning sessions, and only quarterbacks, receivers, punters, kickers and long snappers are allowed to use footballs during the on-field conditioning period.

Coaches are allowed on the field during the walk-through periods, with activity limited to instruction, drills and plays done at a moderate, Pro Bowl practice pace. Footballs are allowed, but no helmets.

Players will get a mandatory day off after the fifth day of the on-field acclimation period.

Also, players will begin getting tested for COVID-19 daily for at least two weeks. At the end of the two weeks, if the rate of positive tests is below 5 percent, players will begin getting tested every other day. If the rate of positive tests is above 5 percent — after the two weeks or at any point beyond — players will get tested every day until the rate falls below 5 percent.

Phase Four

Ramp-up period (Four days)

After the eight-day acclimation period, teams will begin a four-day, on-field ramp-up consisting of two days of Phase Two organized team activities-type work and two days of full-speed, nonpadded practices in which teams can have seven-on-seven, nine-on-seven and 11-on-11 drills.

Phase Five

Padded practices, 14 through Sept. 6

By Aug. 16, all teams must reduce their training camp roster from 90 to 80 players. At that point, clubs can begin their padded practice segment of camp consisting of 14 practices.

Note — The Raiders claimed guard Jordan Roos off waivers from the Seattle Seahawks on Monday and waived defensive end Ade Aruna.

Contact Vincent Bonsignore at vbonsignore@reviewjournal.com. Follow @VinnyBonsignore on Twitter.