Why The Secrecy At Rookie/Mini Camps?

[Calciumee]

I thought they were hiding Mike Hartline from us until he was cut...

 

[VJCPatriot]

Not to mention the less film on our guys the better. It's a competitive advantage that the other teams haven't scouted your roster top to bottom before the season starts. Also it might allow us to sneak a few good prospects onto the practice squad. Although Pats cuts generally get jumped on very quickly by other NFL teams as a general rule already.

The NFL has just recently recognized the fact that they can basically print $$ with whatever they do. The draft has been available for some time, it's just recently (in the post ESPN age) that they have marketed it as an event. The move to prime time was a stroke of brilliance. They've taken a bunch of guys sitting around a desk, smoking cigarettes and drinking coffee, and turned it into The NFL Event of April. I look for them to open up the combine in Indy to fans relatively soon. Hell, they already have a stadium.

As far as the second point goes, I disagree to a certain point. No sense having media, fans, scouts, anyone for that matter, attending and saying "X player can't move to the left in coverage." I think we can give these guys some time to get acclimated to the game and we'll see them at camp this August.