New England Patriots training camp preview: Key dates, notable additions, biggest storylines
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With NFL training camps kicking off in July, it’s time to get up to speed on all 32 NFL teams. Jeremy Bergman has the lowdown on position battles, key players and notable subplots across the AFC East.
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Catch up on the New England Patriots’ offseason developments and 2024 outlook below.
- Training Camp Dates/Information
- Notable Roster Changes
- Preseason Schedule
- 2024 Schedule Notes
- Camp Storylines
Training Camp Dates/Information
- Players report: July 19 (rookies); July 23 (veterans)
- Location: Gillette Stadium | Foxborough, Mass. (fan information)
Notable Roster Changes
| 2024 Draft class | Selection |
|---|---|
| Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina | Round 1 (No. 3 overall) |
| Ja’Lynn Polk, WR, Washington | Round 2 (No. 37 overall) |
| Caedan Wallace, OT, Penn State | Round 3 (No. 68 overall) |
| Layden Robinson, OG, Texas A&M | Round 4 (No. 103 overall) |
| Javon Baker, WR, UCF | Round 4 (No. 110 overall) |
| Marcellas Dial Jr., CB, South Carolina | Round 6 (No. 180 overall) |
| Joe Milton III, QB, Tennessee | Round 6 (No. 193 overall) |
| Jaheim Bell, TE, Florida State | Round 7 (No. 231 overall) |
| Additions | Departures |
|---|---|
| QB Jacoby Brissett | QB Mac Jones |
| RB Antonio Gibson | RB Ezekiel Elliott |
| WR K.J. Osborn | WR DeVante Parker |
| TE Austin Hooper | TE Mike Gesicki |
| OT Chukwuma Okorafor | OT Trent Brown |
| LB Sione Takitaki | DL Lawrence Guy |
| CB Myles Bryant | |
| CB Jalen Mills | |
| ST Matthew Slater |
Preseason Schedule
- Week 1: vs. Carolina Panthers | 7 p.m. ET on Thurs., Aug. 8
- Week 2: vs. Philadelphia Eagles | 7 p.m. ET on Thurs., Aug. 15
- Week 3: at Washington Commanders | 8 p.m. ET on Sun., Aug. 25
2024 Schedule Notes
- New England is among five teams that will play three of their first four games away from home.
- The Patriots conclude with two consecutive home games.
- They play six games on FOX, and Tom Brady enters his first season as a FOX analyst.
— NFL Research
What You Need To Know
1) Rookie quarterbacks drafted in the top 10 tend to start right out of the gate. That may not be what happens in New England. Drake Maye was taking second-team reps behind Jacoby Brissett at mandatory minicamp, while Caleb Williams has already been anointed Sausage King of Chicago. After the Mac Jones experiment went awry, expect New England to play it smart with Maye, who is working behind a respected bridge starter in Brissett. That doesn’t mean the rookie QB’s progression won’t be the thing to watch in training camp. It will be. Prepare for a summer of throw-by-throw accounts from the indefatigable New England beat.
2) The youth movement is on in New England, starting at the top. From Bill Belichick (71 at the time of his departure) to Jerod Mayo and Eliot Wolf, the Patriots have shed a combined 60-plus years off their head coach and player personnel executive’s ages in one offseason, signaling a new era in Foxborough. With that comes a more open and colorful communication style from Mayo, who in offseason chats with reporters has already been forthcoming and quotable — though to be fair, the bar to clear in Foxborough had been historically low thanks to his predecessor. A student of Belichick, Mayo may ultimately get cagier as the summer goes on, especially when it comes to the aforementioned QB competition. But the energy he is already delivering in offseason workouts is a sign of things to come and could liven up Patriots training camp.
3) Who wants the ball? Besides Kendrick Bourne, the New England receiving corps is largely littered with castoffs and unproven youngsters. Rookie Ja'Lynn Polk is in pole position to crack the starting lineup given his draft standing, but after him, it’s anyone’s guess — and all for the taking. Veterans looking for another chance include K.J. Osborn, JuJu Smith-Schuster and Jalen Reagor, while the youth movement boasts Demario Douglas, Javon Baker, Kayshon Boutte and Tyquan Thornton. One of the most talent-poor positions in recent Patriots past is ready for its makeover, and New England nearly pulled an extreme one off by adding Calvin Ridley this offseason. But the WR opted for SEC country instead, and the Pats are left with a smorgasbord of route runners to sift through this summer.
4) Christian Gonzalez looked like a star in the making before his rookie season ended in Week 4 due to a dislocated shoulder. The cornerback said in early May that he’s healthy, and Gonzalez was back on the field for mid-June minicamp. His progress will remain something to watch, even as all signs are pointing up right now for his Week 1 availability. Gonzalez tallied 17 tackles, three passes defensed, a sack and a pick in four games last season, garnering DROY talk in his short stint in the spotlight. If all goes well in camp, imagine what a full 17-game slate will bring for the second-year stud.
5) Did New England do enough to improve a roster that paced the Pats to their worst record since the George H.W. Bush administration? The front office definitely spent money this offseason, but mostly to retain and extend its own players, including Bourne, Rhamondre Stevenson, Hunter Henry, Mike Onwenu — and we haven’t even touched the defense. Running back Antonio Gibson, on a three-year, $11.25 million deal, counts as New England’s biggest multi-year commitment to a veteran addition this spring. Wolf and Co. believe in their roster. Weighing the 2024 training camp with new leadership against last year’s will test whether New England’s self-scouting was on the money.
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