The Patriots preseason schedule this year has a familiar feel to it.
Though exact dates have not yet been set, the NFL announced the league's exhibition slate on Thursday. The Patriots will host the Saints (sometime between Aug. 11-15) and the Bears (Aug. 18-22) for their first two preseason games. They'll be on the road for their final two, traveling to play the Panthers (Aug. 25-28) and the Giants (Sep. 1-2).
The Patriots played at New Orleans and Carolina last summer. They also faced the Giants in the preseason finale, as they've done for 11 consecutive years.
Last season, the Patriots held joint practices with the Saints at The Greenbrier resort in West Virginia. The two teams could decide to hold joint practices for a second consecutive year, perhaps this time in New England. Both organizations have been very open about the respect they have for each other, making another set of practices together a possibility.
The exhibition game against the Bears will provide a few sets of former teammates to square off. Former Patriots defensive lineman Akiem Hicks signed with Chicago this offseason as a free agent. On the other side, former Bears tight end Martellus Bennett (traded to the Patriots) and linebacker Shea McClellin (signed by the Patriots as a free agent) now call New England home.
The Patriots and Giants have met in each preseason since 2001, save for a one-year break in 2004. Since 2005, Tom Coughlin's second year as Giants head coach, the two clubs have played in the preseason finale. Coughlin stepped down from his post this offseason, giving way to new sideline boss Ben McAdoo, but the tradition will continue.