Patriots Reveal Dates for Spring Schedule

The New England Patriots will begin their defense of both their division and conference titles in late April.

Jul 28, 2025; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel heads to the practice fields for training camp at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

With the 2026 NFL Draft just under one month away, the New England Patriots, in accordance with the NFL, have announced some key dates for their offseason workout program.

Voluntary offseason workout programs are intended to provide training, teaching and physical conditioning for players. Per the NFL’s Collective Bargaining Agreement, the voluntary nine-week offseason program is conducted in three phases:

The NFL has announced offseason workouts dates for all 32 teams: pic.twitter.com/qtFVZbkIZO

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 3, 2026

• The first day of New England’s voluntary program will be April 20.

• Commencement of organized team activities, or OTAs will be conducted on the following days: May 27, May 29, June 1-2, June 4, June 8-9, June 11

• The Patriots will conduct mandatory minicamp from June 15-17 on the newly-commissioned New Balance Practice Fields adjacent to Gillette Stadium.

New England will also be conducting a rookie minicamp during the month of May, at a date which has yet to be determined.

The first phase of the program consists of activities including meetings, strength and conditioning and physical rehabilitation. These activities take place over the course of a two-week period.

During the second phase, teams are able to increase their activities to on-field workouts. For the Patriots, the workouts will take place in Foxborough over the next three weeks. They may include individual or group instruction and drills, as well as “perfect play drills,” and drills and plays with offensive players lining up across from offensive players and defensive players lining up across from defensive players, conducted at a walk through pace. No live contact or team offense versus team defense drills are permitted.

The third phase takes place over the final four weeks of the program. Teams may conduct a total of 10 days of organized team practice activity, otherwise known as OTAs. At this time, 7-on-7, 9-on-7 and 11-on-11 drills are permitted without live contact.

Full-pads practices and contact drills will arrive when the Patriots regroup for training camp in late July.

Patriots Look to Move Forward in 2026 with Mike Vrabel, Drake Maye

New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel talks to quarterback Drake Maye (10) during the second quarter at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025. | Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

In only his first year at the helm in New England, Vrabel was named NFL Coach of the Year by the Associated Press, as well as the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA). Vrabel led the Patriots to a 14-3 regular-season record, including a 10-game win streak from Weeks 4-13 in his first season coaching the franchise. 

As such, he guided the Pats to their first AFC East division title since 2019, their 12th conference championship and is about to lead his team against the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl LX. It is their first appearance in the game since their run to their sixth Super Bowl title under Bill Belichick in the 2018 season. 

To say that New England has thrived under Vrabel’s leadership may be an understatement. After consecutive 4-13 finishes in 2023 and 2024, the 50-year-old has instilled both an aggressive style of football on the field, as well as a culture of accountability throughout the team. Accordingly, the Patriots have become one of the most exciting and fundamentally-sound football teams in the league.

New England also thrived at the quarterback position, thanks to the exemplary play of starter Drake Maye. The 23-year-old was not only among New England’s top contributors in 2025, but he was also a key component in their deep playoff run. He amassed 4,394 passing yards and 31 touchdowns to just eight interceptions — helping to lead the Patriots to a 14-3 record and their first postseason appearance since 2021. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that Maye earned deserving mentions as a strong candidate for NFL MVP. Although he fell short of winning the award, Maye ultimately secured a second-team All-Pro selection, along with his second straight Pro Bowl nod. 

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