Updated

Updated · ESPN · Jul 19

Patriots Open Camp on a Saturday for First Time in 24 Years as Sept. 9 Opener Looms

Updated

Updated · ESPN · Jul 19

Patriots Open Camp on a Saturday for First Time in 24 Years as Sept. 9 Opener Looms

Q: Is trading a future first-round pick for A.J. Brown, despite his known knee issues, the Patriots' ticket back to the Super Bowl?

No. Trading for A.J. Brown looks like a strong win-now move, but not a guaranteed ticket back to the Super Bowl. The case for the deal is clear. Brown gives Drake Maye the true No. 1 receiver New England lacked, and his production remains elite by most measures: six 1,000-yard seasons in seven years, top-tier efficiency, strong tight-window catching, and major value after the catch. Maye has already said Brown is the kind of target you can “throw it near” and trust. For a team that just reached the Super Bowl and wants to maximize Maye’s rookie-contract window, that is a meaningful upgrade. The risk is also real. Brown is 29 and has a documented degenerative knee condition, even if he and the Patriots have downplayed concern. Eliot Wolf and Mike Vrabel have said the medical staff approved the trade and Brown passed his physical, but other teams reportedly viewed the knee as a red flag. His 2025 numbers were still good, though less explosive than his peak. The bigger issue is that one receiver does not solve everything. The Patriots face a harder schedule, tougher AFC competition, and still have questions on the offensive line, linebacker depth, and overall roster durability. Even after the trade, ESPN’s FPI gave New England only a 6.7% chance to return to the Super Bowl and a 2.7% chance to win it. So the trade raises the Patriots’ ceiling and improves their odds. It does not, by itself, make a Super Bowl return likely.

3 articles · Updated · ESPN · Jul 19

Saturday’s 10:30 a.m. ET practice at Gillette Stadium will be New England’s first training-camp opening on a Saturday since moving there 24 years ago, with one of the year’s biggest crowds expected.
The earlier start is tied to the Patriots’ Sept. 9 regular-season opener at Seattle — the NFL season opener and a Super Bowl rematch — with coaches due back Monday and most players reporting Friday.
13 open practices are scheduled, all with free admission and parking, including joint sessions with the Colts on Aug. 11 and Eagles on Aug. 19-20; opening day also features a 'Pawtriots' dog adoption event.
Drake Maye framed camp as a reset after the Super Bowl loss, telling campers the team was close but must 'get back to work' while owner Robert Kraft said his expectation is that New England makes the playoffs every year.