Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell said he is "indifferent" to an NFL Players Association proposal that would dramatically alter the NFL's offseason calendar.

“I’m always going to lean on the side of what’s best for our team," Campbell said. "It’s hard to be caught in the middle of it a little bit, between the players and the — so for me, it’s whatever. If that means it’s a longer training camp and that’s better for us as a team, then I’m all for it. If it means keeping it split as it is, I’m all for it."

NFL Network reported this week that the NFLPA is readying a proposal to eliminate voluntary on-field work in the spring in favor of a longer training camp that would have players report for an extended ramp-up period in late June or early July.

The proposal is designed to improve player health and would allow teams to still hold classroom sessions in the spring.

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Currently, the NFL offseason consists of three phases, with two weeks of strength and conditioning workouts, followed by three weeks of limited on-field week, before concluding with four weeks of pad-less practices. All of the workouts are voluntary, except for a mandatory three-day minicamp conducted in Phase 3.

Training camp typically begins in late July, and most teams play three preseason games before embarking on a 17-game regular season schedule.

The new proposal would have to be collectively bargained to be adopted, and some see it as the NFLPA's answer to the 18-game regular season schedule that many feel the league will go to in the next CBA.

Campbell said he has no strong opinion on going to an 18-game regular season, though he said shortening the preseason to two games would hurt the development of young players.

"You look at what we were able to do with some of our young guys last year, and how important they were to us winning, but there’s a process to it," he said. "If you don’t get them developed or get them enough reps to where they help you, then — that’s the only thing. That’s what you lose, so there again, we’ll make it work. It’s a long season right now, and we’ll make it work either way.”

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Ultimately, Campbell said the same applies to the offseason program.

"I’m kind of indifferent right now," he said. "Whatever happens or however this goes, we’re going to make it work either way. We’ll be just fine."

Replacing Reynolds

The Lions return nine of 11 starters on the offensive side of the ball, but offensive coordinator Ben Johnson said replacing one of the ones who left — wide receiver Josh Reynolds — won't be easy.

"That was eye-opening during the self-scout period, to be honest with you, was he was an explosive play waiting to happen," Johnson said. "A number of his receptions were big plays for us. So something we’ve talked about with this skill group, those opportunities go elsewhere now, and we need guys to step up and rise to the occasion just like he did."

Reynolds caught 40 passes for 608 yards and five touchdowns last season and had a team-leading (among players with more than one catch) 15.2 yards per reception.

The Lions never made a strong offer in free agency to keep Reynolds, who signed a two-year, $9 million deal with the Denver Broncos in April.

Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams return as the Lions' top receivers this fall, while Kalif Raymond, Donovan Peoples-Jones and Antoine Green are the top candidates to fill Reynolds' shoes at No. 3.

"It might be someone that didn’t have as much production last year, say an Antoine Green or a Peoples-Jones or some of the guys that we had on the scout team," Johnson said. "Or it could be some of the other guys. Maybe it’s another carry for David Montgomery or (Jahmyr) Gibbs or it’s another target for (Sam) LaPorta. It could be — we might have to spread it out that way. So, that’s what we’re trying to find out here this springtime and in training camp is not just who the guys are that we’ll hang our hats on, but also how we distribute those carries and those targets as the season goes."

Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on X and Instagram at @davebirkett.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Lions Dan Campbell 'indifferent' on offseason schedule change