Bengals key offseason dates: Schedule for OTAs, Rookie Mini Camps, more

This offseason will be an extremely important one for the Cincinnati Bengals as they look to bounce back after missing out on the playoffs last season. When it comes to Cincinnati's offseason schedule, there are several key dates to circle on the calendar.

If you have trouble staying on top of the NFL's spring schedule, fear not! We're here to help. Below you'll find a chronological list of all of the relevant dates coming up over the next few months.

Key Bengals offseason dates

April 15: First day of offseason workouts

April 25-27: 2024 NFL Draft in Detroit, MI

May 3-6 or May 10-13: Rookie minicamps (Per the NFL, teams may elect to hold their one three-day post-Draft rookie minicamp from Friday through Sunday or Saturday through Monday on one of the two weekends following the Draft)

May 28-30, June 3-6: OTAs

June 11-13: Mandatory minicamp

So, we don't yet know what rookies will be on the roster, but we do know when those rookies will get their first practice action as NFL players. It will likely be a crowded rookie room this year as Cincinnati has 10 total picks in the draft, including No. 18 overall. We also know when the rest of the roster will be expected to report to the team.

Joe Burrow's return date

When it comes to Cincinnati's offseason, there's one more important date to keep in mind: Joe Burrow's return date. Burrow tore a ligament in his right wrist (his throwing hand) in Week 11 of the 2023 NFL season. He was forced to undergo surgery and missed the remainder of the campaign as a result.

Last month, Burrow mentioned mid-May as his target return date. That would have him back before OTAs and mandatory minicamp, which would be great news for the Bengals.

"I think middle of May is when I am expecting to kind of be cleared for full contact and everything," Burrow said. "Over the next month [to] month and a half, we'll kind of decide all those things."

Buckle in, Bengals fan. It's going to be an eventful offseason.