After two years of massive organizational change, things have finally started to settle down in Foxborough again. This year’s New England Patriots training camp will be the second under head coach Mike Vrabel, and — in what feels like a blast from a not-too-distant past — see his team try to lay the foundation for another Super Bowl run.
The process of building that foundation ramps up significantly during camp. Starting with the first practice on Saturday, July 25, the Patriots will gradually increase
the intensity and competition to get ready for the start of the regular season in early September. At that point, the reigning AFC champions will also have reduced their roster from currently 92 to 53 players.
Before any of that becomes relevant, however, the team will hold 20 total practices this summer — including 13 that are free and open to the general public. To be as best informed as possible heading into those sessions, here is our annual and updated Patriots Training Camp Guide.
Practice schedule
The Patriots have already announced their full training camp schedule. While dates and times are always subject to change depending on whether or other factors, here is the list at the start of camp:
- Saturday, July 25: 10:15 a.m. ET
- Sunday, July 26: 10:15 a.m. ET
- Monday, July 27: 10 a.m. ET
- Tuesday, July 28: 10:15 a.m. ET
- Thursday, July 30: 10:30 a.m. ET
- Friday, July 31: 10:15 a.m. ET
- Saturday, August 1: 10:15 p.m. ET
- Monday, August 3: 10:15 a.m. ET
- Tuesday, August 4: 10:15 a.m. ET
- Friday, August 7: 10:15 a.m. ET
- Tuesday, August 11: 10:15 a.m. ET (joint practice with Colts)
- Saturday, August 15: 10:30 a.m. ET (exclusive in-stadium practice for season ticket members)
- Wednesday, August 19: 10:15 a.m. ET (joint practice with Eagles)
- Thursday, August 20: 10:15 a.m. ET (joint practice with Eagles)
In addition to those practices, the Patriots also will hold six others (8/5, 8/6, 8/10, 8/16, 8/17, 8/18) that are closed to the public but open to the media.
Each practice will run for approximately two hours. Gates will open one hour before each session (i.e. between 9 and 9:15 a.m. ET for regular sessions) and close about an hour after. Please note that the schedule is subject to change. If a session has to be relocated to the adjacent WIN Waste Innovations Field House because of inclement weather, it can no longer be open to the general public.
In case you plan to visit training camp, you therefore need to stay up to date. Besides visiting Pats Pulpit for updates please also call 508-549-0001 or visit patriots.com/trainingcamp.
Arrival and parking
Directions: Prior to the 2015 training camp, the Boston Globe wrote down directions to Gillette Stadium. Since none of the locations have changed, they obviously still apply and we will just quote them here:
From Boston and farther north: Take I-95 South to Exit 9. Follow Rte. 1 south approximately 3 miles to Gillette Stadium (on the left).
From Cape Cod: I-495 North to Exit 14A. Follow Rte. 1 north about 4 miles to Gillette Stadium (on the right).
From southern Connecticut, Rhode Island: Take I-95 North to I-495 North to Exit 14A. Follow Rte. 1 north about 4 miles to Gillette Stadium (on the right).
From northern Connecticut, Vermont, upstate New York: I-90 East to I-495 South to Exit 14A. Follow Rte. 1 north about 4 miles to Gillette Stadium (on the right).
Parking: Parking at the stadium facilities’ parking lots is free for all public practice sessions. If you arrive from the north (e.g. Boston), use parking lot entrance P6. If you arrive from the south (e.g. Providence), use parking lot entrance P8. ADA parking can be found in Lot 4 and in Lot 22.
Fan services
Alumni appearances: Patriots alumni will make special appearances at training camp. While those are always subject to change, the following ex-players are currently scheduled to be present at the Fan Walkway between 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. ET on the respective dates.
- Saturday, July 25: James White
- Sunday, July 26: Christian Fauria
Autographs: Autograph sessions are planned to take place after each day of practice.
Concessions: The main concession stands will be positioned behind the bleachers. All will operate cashless, but a cash-to-card machine is available as well. Bringing your own food and/or beverages to camp is permitted.
Fan activities: The Patriots will offer various fan activities around the practice area. Participants of physical and interactive activities will not have to fill out any waiver forms beforehand. Signage will be present to make them aware of the team’s terms and conditions.
Visitors with disabilities: As noted above, ADA parking lots can be found in Lot 4 and in Lot 22; there are signs leading there. Seating at the facility will be available in all the bleacher sections, located on the western end of the practice fields. For more information, call 508-384-9191.
Prohibited items: The following is a list of things you better leave in your car if you want to watch the Patriots practice: all animals except service animals assisting those with disabilities (leave them at home, not in your car), alcoholic beverages, beach balls, bullhorns and air horns, coolers, fireworks or pyrotechnics, flag poles and tripods longer than 2 feet (shorter ones will be allowed), helium balloons, illegal drugs or any other illegal substance, laser pens, noise makers, video cameras, weapons of any kind (including knives), unmanned aircraft systems, remotely controlled model aircraft, drones, selfie sticks. Additionally, any other items deemed inappropriate by stadium management (e.g. Jets jerseys) are prohibited.
Pet Adoption Day: Six different animal shelters — up from three last year — will be on-site on the first day of camp, offering the possibility to adopt dogs on July 25 starting at 10 a.m. ET.
Jersey numbers
In a break from tradition established during the Bill Belichick era, the Patriots have already handed out regular jersey numbers to all member on their roster. For every jersey number, please visit out our up-to-date Patriots depth chart.
The offense will once again wear white jerseys, while the defense will wear blue ones. Quarterbacks and players not to be touched even in full pads — i.e. those recovering from injuries — will be in red.
Injury lists
The Patriots currently have two players on their active/physically unable to perform list (PUP):
- TE C.J. Dippre
- ED Harold Landry III
In addition, another player finds himself on the active/non-football injury or illness list at the moment (NFI):
- RB Terrell Jennings
With veterans set to report to training camp on Friday, July 24, there is a chance that more players are added to the respective injury lists.
All players on PUP/NFI can return at any time during camp. If such a move does not happen by final roster cutdowns on August 30, however, the players still remaining on the the active/PUP/NFI lists will transfer to reserve/PUP/NFI; they will no longer count against the 53-man roster and would have to miss at least the first four games of the regular season.
Position battles
There will be multiple position battles throughout training camp, but the five most interesting from our current perspective are the following.
Third running back: Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson project as one of the top running back duos in the NFL this season, but the depth spots behind them are up for grabs. Based on the offseason, Lan Larison and the aforementioned Terrell Jennings look like the frontrunners, but rookies Jam Miller and Myles Montgomery are also likely to be in the mix.
Depth tight end: Hunter Henry is locked into the starting tight end spot, but who will occupy the other positions in the room is currently TBD. One spot will go to third-round draft pick Eli Raridon, even though it remains to be seen how big of a workload the rookie will actually get. Other than those two, Jack Westover, C.J. Dippre, Tanner Arkin and newly-signed Mitch Van Vooren will compete for what might not be more than one roster spot.
Defensive edge: As things currently stand, the Patriots’ edge is a major question mark. Harold Landry is on the PUP list, while second-rounder Gabe Jacas has yet to sign his rookie contract. This leaves Dre’Mont Jones as the only presently-available roster lock among the group. Sophomores Elijah Ponder and Bradyn Swinson also project to factor into the mix to some degree, as could offseason acquisitions Quintayvious Hutchins, Xavier Holmes and Jesse Luketa.
Depth linebacker: Similar to the running back position, the Patriots have two players clearly atop the depth chart. Who will join Robert Spillane and Christian Elliss, though, is anybody’s guess at this point in time. Chad Muma positioned himself well during the spring, with veterans K.J. Britt, Otis Reese and Amari Gainer as well as rookies Namdi Obiazor, Khalil Jacobs and Riley Wilson also competing for practice reps and roster spots.
Depth cornerback: Besides the big question that is Christian Gonzalez’s participation level in camp — he was a limited participant in the spring while looking for a new contract — the Patriots also will need to find depth players to complement him, Carlton Davis and Marcus Jones. Veteran free agent Kindle Vildor and fifth-round rookie Karon Prunty looked good in the spring and should get a realistic shot at making the team. Also part of the competition are Charles Woods, Kobee Minor, Marcellas Dial Jr, Brandon Crossley, Channing Canada and Kenneth Harris.
For further information on camp competitions, positional previews and more, please make sure to check out the Pats Pulpit training camp section.
Preseason schedule
Training camp is not the only big event this summer. The Patriots will also be playing the standard three preseason contests in August.
August 13: Preseason Week 1 vs. Indianapolis Colts (7:30 p.m. ET). The Patriots will host the Colts for one joint practice ahead of the two teams’ preseason debut. Two days after that session, they will meet at Gillette Stadium.
August 22: Preseason Week 2 vs. Philadelphia Eagles (7 p.m. ET). The A.J. Brown Bowl will not have quite the same buzz as it would have outside of preseason, but the new Patriots wide receiver facing his former team will nonetheless be the big story of the week. Of course, we will also keep a close look on the two joint sessions taking place Aug. 19. and Aug. 20.
August 27: Preseason Week 3 at Cleveland Browns (8 p.m. ET). The Patriots’ traditional preseason finale versus the Giants will not be taking place in 2026. Instead, Mike Vrabel will visit his former club to close out the exhibition schedule in a game that will primarily feature backup players and those firmly on the roster bubble.
August 30: Roster cuts from 90 to 53. As implemented in 2023, there is only one roster cutdown deadline now. Teams need to go from a maximum of 90 players to 53 by August 30 at 6 p.m. ET (i.e. two hours later than usual). Players can be moved off the roster by being waived, traded, or moved to an injury reserve list.
August 31: Practice squad creation/Waiver claims. The first practice squad for the 2026 season can be built the day after the cutdown deadline. Clubs can send up to 16 players to their developmental rosters. In addition, they will be busy on the waiver wire to pick up players released from other clubs. The Patriots, however, might not be quite as active considering that they are 31st in the waiver claim order.
September 9: Regular season Week 1 at Seattle Seahawks (8:20 p.m. ET). The Patriots will open their 2026 season on the road against the team that just beat them in the Super Bowl. They also will open on a Wednesday night, a byproduct of the NFL’s international schedule.
Pats Pulpit
As usual, Pats Pulpit will have you covered throughout training camp and preseason. Make sure to regularly check back to patspulpit.com for all the latest news, rumors and analysis, and to also follow us on Bluesky, Twitter/X, Facebook and Instagram.
Credentialed Patriots beat writers Brian Hines (@iambrianhines), Andrew Guindon (@NestPgs) Taylor Kyles (@tkyles39) will bring you live updates from camp on their Twitter/X feeds, so please make sure to give them a follow.
