Now that the draft has come and gone, the next step in the natural progression that will ultimately lead us to the beginning of the season is the start of Phase Two of the NFL's offseason program, which takes place on Tuesday.
Phase One began on April 20 and consisted strictly of strength and conditioning sessions and didn't include anything with the players on the field with positional coaches.
This changes with Phase Two.
Here's the official language in the NFL’s Collective Bargaining Agreement as to what can take place starting on Tuesday.
Phase Two. Article 21, Section 2b
Phase Two shall consist of the next three weeks of the Club's offseason workout program. Subject to the additional rules set forth in Section 5 of this Article, during Phase Two all coaches shall be allowed on the field. On-field workouts may include individual player instruction and drills, as well as "perfect play" drills (e.g., offense or defense only, but not offense vs. defense), or special teams drills on a "separates" basis (e.g.., kicking team or return team only, but not kicking team vs. return team). No live contact or team offense vs. team defense drills are permitted. No offense vs. defense drills are permitted (e.g.., no one-on-one offensive linemen vs. defensive linemen pass rush or pass protection drills, no wide receivers vs. defensive backs bump and-run drills, and no one-on-one special teams drills involving both offense and defense are permitted.) Players cannot wear helmets during Phase Two.
For a more concise explanation of what that means, Chiefs general manager John Dorsey put it simply.
"It's the opportunity for the coaches and the players to begin going through their different schemes," he said. "You get a chance to be on the field and actually make some coaching suggestions instead of having the players individually doing their stuff.
"It allows the coaches to teach, develop and refine these guys' skills."
It's also an opportunity for the new players to not only get out on the field with their new teammates, but to begin to learn the verbiage of how their new positional coaches go about teaching their technique.
Dorsey said the Chiefs positional coaches couldn't wait to get back on the field and begin working with these guys.
"They've been chomping at the bit," he said. "That's what good coaches do— they want to be able to get out there and coach, develop and build this thing to the way it's supposed to be."
The Chiefs' philosophy of building a championship team has been to not only do it through the draft with young players, but through the development of those young players by the coaching staff.
"Our coaches are great teachers," Dorsey said.
Well, Tuesday marks the first opportunity these coaches have to continue that philosophy of development, which makes it an exciting time for everyone involved.