Patriots Discussing Potential Joint Practices With Eagles

Although the start of the NFL season is months away, the New England Patriots are still chipping away at what their 2026 summer might look like -- including who may come to town during training camp.

According to Mike Reiss of ESPN, the Patriots are in conversations with the Philadelphia Eagles about potentially hosting joint practices at Gillette Stadium in August. This would also conincide with a preseason game between the two teams.

"(Patriots head coach Mike) Vrabel and Eagles coach Nick Sirianni have had preliminary discussions about the possibility of having the teams practice together in the preseason -- likely in Foxborough, according to a league source," Reiss wrote. "Part of that would be tied to the NFL granting the teams' request to face each other in the preseason, which isn't usually a major hurdle. If it happens, the atmosphere and competition at the newly named New Balance Practice Fields would be buzzing."

The Eagles are not new to joint practices and preseason games in New England. In 2024, the Eagles came to town for a couple of spirited practices before a 14-13 Philadelphia victory -- the second-ever game of Drake Maye's career and the head coaching tenure of Jerod Mayo.

Part of the process of creating these joint practices are about familiarity between the franchises. The Patriots consistently welcome in NFC East teams to their facility for games and practices. Last season, the Washington Commanders came to town for the first preseason game of the year, while New England traveled to face the Giants in the preseason finale.

Should the Patriots host a joint practice, the newly-renovated New Balance Practice Fields will be part of the backdrop. Set to open in Spring 2026, the team has poured millions of dollars into building a state-of-the-art, 160,000-foot facility adjacent to the practice fields for the players and coaches to utilize throughout the year.

Dec 8, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown (11) reacts in the second half against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Does This Change Any AJ Brown News?

Now of course, when the Patriots and Eagles are linked in one capacity, it will lead to speculation about another hot button item. New England continues to be connected with star Eagles wide receiver AJ Brown via trade, and the fact that both of these teams may potentially suit up against each other might make a trade that much more interesting should it go through.

Of course, it takes two to tango for a swap to make sense.

"I think that at the end of the day, you know there's a lot of conversations in the offseason about players on your team on other teams," Eagles general manager Howie Roseman said. "You know that's really the job, that's the fun part about the offseason is the opportunities to improve your team, the opportunities to make trades, but at the end of the day, we're trying to get better, and it's hard to do that if you're just subtracting great players."

It's likely this matchup will take place this summer. But what side with Brown be playing for? That's the main storyline throughout the next few months.

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