Important summer dates for the Patriots
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| Patriots training camp start July 24th (Jim Rogash/Getty Images) |
July 20th - Patriots rookies report for camp: The likes of Dominique Easley, James White, and Bryan Stork will all be arriving in Foxborough to prepare themselves for the grind that will be the next seven or more months of their lives. Ideally, this will be a quiet day and all rookies will be in attendence.
July 23rd – Veterans report for camp: This day will be, hopefully, another uneventful day for the Patriots. Veterans will show up to Foxborough and begin the journey of the 2014-2015 season.
July 24th – First Day of Training Camp: All players will be in Foxborough for the start of training camp. This will be a time to see how healthy players are including: Aaron Dobson, Rob Gronkowski, Josh Boyce, Jeremy Gallon, Vince Wilfork, Dominique Easley, Tommy Kelly, Will Smith, Logan Mankins, Brandon LaFell, DJ Williams, and Alfonzo Dennard. Don’t expect to know anything resembling a depth chart until at least the third preseason game. Patriots have two sets of friendly practice dates with the Redskins and Eagles this year which is something Belichick has made a desired occurrence across the NFL due to the change of pace and experience it gives players and coaches. For times of practices here is a link to the Patriots' website with training camp information.
August 4th through August 6th - Patriots joint practices with the Washington Redskins in Richmond, VA: Given the positive reviews from Belichick himself, and his concerted effort reported by Mike Jones of The Washington Post, each of these practices will be important to players preparing themselves for the regular season. Players will be given the chance to compete with unfamiliar faces which will push them to another level of effort. One concern with the extra effort is injuries, and last year gave us one that made everyone doubt joint practices.
August 7th - First Preseason game at Redskins: This is the first action of the year, which will follow after a few days of practicing together. It will be fun to watch, if only for a quarter or so, the match up between Darrelle Revis and DeSean Jackson given Jackson’s explosiveness and speed. Don’t expect Wilfork, Gronk, Easley, or Kelly to be out there. There is no need to risk anything this early in the year, but being able to see the majority of the players out there will bring us one step closer to the games that matter.
August 12th through August 14th - Patriots joint practice with the Philadelphia Eagles in Foxborough, MA: Following the success of last year's joint practices, Belichick and Chip Kelly decided to do it again with Kelly returning the favor according to Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com . A match up I'm excited to watch is the Patriots' LB corps against the speed and quickness of RBs Lesean McCoy and Darren Sproles. I see the likes of Jamie Collins and James Anderson being tested here. The intensity of last year will likely be matched this year given both teams' success last year.
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| Chip Kelly and Bill Belichick redefining training camp (John Geliebter) |
August 15th - Preseason game vs. Philadelphia Eagles: The second preseason game of the year will allow the veterans to have a bit more game time together. The Patriots will have to defend against the likes of QB Nick Foles, RB Lesean McCoy, and WR Jeremy Maclin in Chip Kelly's fast and explosive offense. This will show some of the potential of the Patriots defense considering this may very well be the best offense they play in the preseason.
August 22nd - Preseason game vs. Carolina Panthers: Following last year's frustrating loss to the Panthers, I'm sure a few players will look forward to this game. Carolina is one of the top defensive teams in the league, which will be a nice test for the Patriots offense, but their offense is far from intimidating following the losses of almost all of their receivers. Typically, this is the game where the veterans receive the most playing time, which could mean some quick glimpses of previously injured players if Belichick feels confident enough to let them get out there.
August 26th – Roster cut-down deadline to maximum of 75 players (4 pm Eastern): One of the worst days in the NFL. Many players will lose their jobs, never to play for another NFL team again. Given the depth of the Patriots roster don’t be surprised to see some regular names be cut on this day. It also could mean the Patriots add players that were cut by other teams following this day.
August 28th - Preseason game at New York Giants: The fourth and final preseason game has become a seemingly annual event where the Patriots play the Giants in the antithesis of a Super Bowl game. This is the last chance for players to show they deserve to make the 53 man roster or practice squad. Don't expect many veterans to get much time, this game is meant for the young and not experienced.
August 30th – Roster cut down deadline to maximum of 53 players (6 pm Eastern): The last cut down to get down to the required 53 man roster for the regular season. Names to watch that could be cut by this time that fans are used to seeing include: Patrick Chung, Kenbrell Thompkins, Josh Boyce, Brandon Bolden, Joe Vellano, Tavon Wilson, Dan Connolly, Nate Ebner, and Jake Bequette. Also don’t be surprised to see a signing or two of players that were surprise cuts from other teams.
August 31st – Teams may begin to establish eight-man practice squads (12 pm Eastern): Given a lot of the young talented player on the team, this day will be vital to their careers. Many practice squad players have made the jump from the practice squad to the 53 man roster to being serious contributors. These eight players will be the last ones cut that the Patriots feel can help them during practice and could contribute sometime down the road. Some names to watch here are Dax Swanson, Roy Finch, Stephen Houston, Asa Watson, Justin Jones, Jeremy Gallon, and Zach Moore.
September 7th – Opening Game vs. Dolphins Away: And...Here...We...Go...
Here are some other dates to look at once the season starts.
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