New England Patriots training camp preview: Start date, when rookies, veterans report, position battles to watch

The New England Patriots failed to reach the playoffs in two of the three seasons since Tom Brady has been off the roster, and they missed the postseason in 2022. New England finished with an 8-9 record last season, and oddsmakers aren’t expecting much out of the Patriots looking toward this upcoming year. They currently have a projected win total at 7.5 wins on DraftKings Sportsbook.

New England Patriots training camp start date

Rookies reporting: July 21
Veterans reporting: July 25

First preseason game: August 10 vs. Houston Texans

Key position battles to watch

Quarterback

Can Bailey Zappe take over the starting QB spot from former first-round draft pick Mac Jones? The offense was a bit of a mess for the Patriots throughout last season under offensive coordinator Matt Patricia and quarterbacks coach Joe Judge. A new OC with Bill O’Brien could improve this system significantly, but it all starts with which quarterback the coaching staff will trust looking toward the start of the season.

Wide Receiver

The Patriots brought in JuJu Smith-Schuster after losing top wide receiver Jakobi Meyers this offseason with DeVante Parker likely holding down the No. 2 wideout role. The position battle in this group comes in the No. 3 WR spot with Kendrick Bourne and Tyquan Thornton as the top two candidates.

Right Tackle

The Patriots struggled along the offensive line last season, giving up 41 sacks. Trent Brown is locked in at the left tackle spot, but the right tackle options include Riley Reiff as the favorite, battling Conor McDermott and Calvin Anderson. Four players started at right tackle last season, so New England would love to get some stability at that position looking toward 2023.