The New England Patriots announced they will hold 13 open training camp practices ahead of the 2026 season, a standard but notable marker on the offseason calendar. For a team coming off a 9-8 finish and a wild-card exit in 2025, these 13 sessions represent the first real on-field data points toward Mike Vrabel's second year as head coach.
Let's cut through the schedule talk and get to what actually matters: the specific position groups where open practices will provide the most revealing information.
The Schedule at a Glance
Training camp is set to open in late July, with July 23rd marked as the kickoff date, per official league and team sources. The 13 open practices are a slight increase from the 10-12 range typical of Vrabel's first camp in 2025, when the team was still installing new systems on both sides of the ball. More open sessions suggest a coaching staff comfortable with its base installation and willing to let the public -- and by extension, scouts and opponents -- see more of the process.
The Patriots will practice at Gillette Stadium's practice fields, with the first five sessions likely focused on fundamentals and installation before pads come on for the later, more competitive periods. Joint practices have been announced with opponents including the Indianapolis Colts and Philadelphia Eagles, continuing the team's recent tradition for robust preseason preparation.
Three Position Battles That Define This Camp
1. The Quarterback Room: Maye's Starting Role Is Secure, But the Depth Chart Matters
Drake Maye enters his second season after a 2025 rookie campaign that exceeded most realistic expectations. His confirmed 2025 line: 4,394 passing yards, 31 touchdowns, eight interceptions, plus 450 rushing yards and four more scores on the ground. That's a 105.3 passer rating -- the highest for any Patriots quarterback since Tom Brady's final year in 2019. Maye is the unquestioned starter. That is not a camp battle.
Behind him, the depth chart remains unsettled. Tommy DeVito returns as the No. 2 after appearing in four games in 2025, but he threw only 17 passes. The team also drafted Behren Morton in the seventh round of the 2026 draft -- a developmental arm with a big frame but inconsistent accuracy in college. Open practices will provide the first real look at whether Morton can push DeVito for backup duties or if he needs a year on the practice squad. Maye's history of a shoulder issue that cost him two games as a rookie makes the backup battle more than theoretical.
2. Wide Receiver: Too Many Bodies, Not Enough Targets
The Patriots enter camp with 16 wide receivers on the roster. That number will be cut in half by Week 1, but the battle for the final spots carries real implications for Maye's supporting cast.
A.J. Brown is the alpha. The team acquired him in a trade this spring, and head coach Mike Vrabel confirmed Brown passed his physical and will be on the field. Brown's 2025 numbers in Philadelphia -- 78 catches, 1,003 yards, seven touchdowns -- speak for themselves. He is the first clear WR1 New England has had since the peak of the Julian Edelman era.
After Brown, the pecking order gets complicated. Kayshon Boutte (33 catches, 551 yards, six touchdowns in 2025) showed enough as a downfield threat to warrant a significant role. DeMario Douglas (31 catches, 447 yards, three touchdowns) provides slot production but has not expanded his game significantly outside the boundary. Mack Hollins (46 catches, 550 yards, two touchdowns) is the veteran possession option. Romeo Doubs, acquired in a separate deal, had 55 catches for 724 yards and six touchdowns in Green Bay in 2025.
That's five receivers with legitimate NFL production. The Patriots kept six receivers on the initial 53-man roster last season. One of those five -- or a younger player like Kyle Williams (10 catches, 209 yards, three touchdowns in 2025) or rookie Efton Chism III -- will ultimately be on the outside looking in.
The open practices will show who gets first-team reps alongside Brown. That is the tell. If Boutte and Doubs line up in two-wide sets, the coaching staff has a clear top three. If Hollins or Douglas get those reps, the hierarchy is less settled.
3. Offensive Line: A New Left Tackle Experiment Begins
The Patriots invested heavily in the offensive line in the 2026 draft, selecting Caleb Lomu in the first round and Dametrious Crownover in the sixth. Lomu projects as a left tackle with the size (6-foot-7, 310 pounds) and length to handle NFL edge rushers, but he is a rookie. Will Campbell, the team's 2025 first-round pick, will likely shift to guard after playing left tackle as a rookie -- a move that suits his arm length and skill set better in the interior.
The open practices will be the first opportunity to see whether Lomu has the foot speed to handle NFL speed rushers or if he needs a year of development before being trusted as a blindside protector. The alternative -- Campbell at left tackle, Lomu on the right -- is less ideal for a team determined to protect its franchise quarterback effectively.
Morgan Moses returns at right tackle, entering his age-35 season. He started 16 games in 2025 and played at a solid, though declining, level. The Patriots also have Caedan Wallace as a swing tackle option. The interior line is more settled with Mike Onwenu and Alijah Vera-Terra anchoring the guard spots, but the center competition between Ben Brown and rookie Jared Wilson adds another layer of uncertainty.
What the Numbers Say About This Team's Trajectory
Evaluating New England's path honestly: The offense with Maye under center ranked 11th in scoring in 2025 at 23.4 points per game. That's a massive leap from the 2024 unit that averaged 14.7 points and finished last in the league. The jump came from Maye's arm talent and the re-emergence of the running game behind Rhamondre Stevenson (603 yards, 7 touchdowns) and TreVeyon Henderson (911 yards, 9 touchdowns, plus 35 catches).
The defense lost key pieces in free agency but still boasts interior defensive linemen Christian Barmore and Milton Williams as anchors. The edge rush depth is thin behind Dre'Mont Jones and rookie Gabe Jacas. Veteran Harold Landry, acquired via trade, provides leadership but turns 30 this season. The secondary, led by Christian Gonzalez and Carlton Davis, should rank above average, but the safety group, featuring Kevin Byard and Dell Pettus, is older and may face challenges.
The Patriots are listed at +1600 odds to win the Super Bowl at FanDuel, situating them in the second tier of AFC contenders -- behind the Chiefs, Bengals, and Bills but ahead of the rest. This is a fair line considering the offense should improve with Brown in the fold and Maye's increased experience, while the defense has more questions than answers.
The Bottom Line for Minicamp and Camp
These 13 open practices matter because they give the coaching staff controlled data -- who runs with the ones, who gets cut from the two-minute drill rotation, who lines up at left tackle against the first-team defense. For a team that is one improved offensive line and one healthy season from its starting quarterback away from being a legitimate contender, those details matter.
As Mike Vrabel put it plainly in recent remarks, "We have to win. That's our job, is to win." The open practices are the first visible step toward that mandate. The pads don't lie, but they do tell a story. By the end of July, we will have a much clearer picture of this roster's true ceiling as the Patriots prepare for what promises to be an important season.