[sportscurmudgeon]

Irish:

They are "voluntary workouts" because the Collective Bargaining Agreement spells out just how much time the teams can demand from the players. So there are mandatory minicamps and workouts and there are "voluntary ones".

Teams do not have the authroity to fine or suspend a player for missing a "voluntary one", but teams have the unfettered right to cut any player any time they want. So some teams use that threat to raise the importance of the "voluntary workouts" in the minds of players.

The NFLPA has already agreed to the concept of "voluntary workouts" and complains only if something short of cutting the player is done to change that status.