Whether or not the player-ran workouts being conducted by most teams across the NFL are good, bad or indifferent, the window for the Packers to actually organize one will be shutting soon.

They've certainly gotten a lot of attention, most recently from former NFL linebacker Tedy Bruschi of ESPN for criticizing the leadership of the reigning Super Bowl champions for not holding a large-scale one of their own.

We've seen all the reasons why by now. Linebacker A.J. Hawk has called some of workouts other teams are holding a "disaster." Quarterback Aaron Rodgers has reasoned that they're difficult to arrange with players living in every corner of the country. Wide receiver Donald Driver rationalized that they're the defending Super Bowl champs and let the audience interpret that Green Bay's talent must make workouts less necessary.

And that's not to say that pockets of players haven't been practicing. Several members of the offensive line got together to much fanfare in Tennessee. The specialists are practicing their trade at St. Norbert College in De Pere, Wis. Several players have been working out at Don Beebe's House of Speed right in Green Bay. Rookie Randall Cobb joined Greg Jennings in training with Larry Fitzgerald in Arizona. Jarrett Bush, Brandon Chillar and Brett Swain have been getting together in their native California.

Right now it's early June. And in a normal year without labor issues, minicamps around the NFL would be wrapping up right around mid-June.

From the mid-June to late-July time frame, players are going through a period of active rest until the grueling start of training camp. There's a reason coaches end minicamps by mid-June. They don't want their players practicing in July. They want them resting up.

It's not as if they want them on their couches eating potato chips in July. They still want them to stay in shape. But they also want to give them a period of time to rest and recuperate before beginning the marathon NFL season.

So whether the Packers eventually decide to end the rampant media and fan speculation and hold a large-scale workout or not, time is of the essence.

Maybe the time will come next week when the entirety of last year's team convenes in Green Bay for the Super Bowl ring ceremony on Thursday June 16.

But if the Packers don't do it by then or shortly thereafter, don't expect them to do it at all.

Without a doubt, the uncertainty of the labor negotiations could change things. If it starts to get to late July and an agreement still hasn't been reached, players will likely once again get together and hold their own training camps of sorts.

But until then, the opportunity for player-organized workouts may be coming to temporary close.