With NFL free agency mostly over and the 2021 draft in the rearview mirror, the New England Patriots will finally begin coming together as a team and working toward next season beginning this month.
The Patriots announced Thursday a couple key dates for their offseason programs.
Here's what was revealed:
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- Rookie minicamp: May 14-16
- OTAs: May 24-25, May 27, June 1, June 3-4, June 7-8, June 10-11
- Mandatory minicamp: June 15-17
The rookie camp will be extra exciting this year given the competition at quarterback that's shaping up.
Perry's very early Patriots 53-man roster projection
The Patriots selected Alabama quarterback Mac Jones with the No. 15 pick in the first round of last week's draft. He's the first QB ever selected in Round 1 by Bill Belichick during his 21-year tenure as the team's head coach.
New England Patriots
Jones figures to have a chance to win the job at some point in 2021, but he will have to beat out veteran Cam Newton and 2019 fourth-round draft pick Jarrett Stidham for that to happen.
The OTAs and mandatory minicamp will be more interesting than previous years given all of the new faces that will be at Gillette Stadium. In addition to the team's eight 2021 draft picks, the Patriots added a bunch of players during an unprecedented free agent spending spree, most notably tight ends Jonnu Smith and Hunter Henry.
Week 1 of the regular season isn't until September, but Patriots fans will begin to get a look at the team's new roster as soon as this month.