The team of new head coach Mike Vrabel is starting Phase 1 of voluntary workouts.
The New England Patriots will be back at Gillette Stadium on Monday for the start of their offseason workout program. Their change at head coach from Jerod Mayo to Mike Vrabel earlier this year allows them to start one week ahead of other teams’ schedules.
The first phase will be voluntary for players to attend, but the expectation is that a significant portion of the new-look team will participate. Among the players set to arrive at the Patriots’ facility on Monday are starting quarterback Drake Maye as well as well as most if not all of the team’s free agency acquisitions.
Sweetening the deal for some players is the fact that they have offseason workout bonuses in their respective contracts. A total of 28 players therefore have financial incentive to attend, with the size of those bonuses ranging between $500,000 (G Michael Onwenu) and $25,000 (S Jaylinn Hawkins, S Marcus Epps, LS Joe Cardona).
As administered by Article 21 of the NFL-NFLPA Collective Bargaining Agreement, the offseason workout program consists of three phases.
The first will focus solely on strength and conditioning. Players are allowed to spend 90 minutes on the field each day and two hours in total at the club facility under team supervision. Under new head coach Mike Vrabel, this process will be led by first-year Patriots director of sports performance Frank Piraino.
The Patriots also will hold a voluntary minicamp April 22-24.
Starting with Phase 2 in May, the Patriots will be permitted to hold individual and group drills over a three-week period. Additionally, offensive players will be allowed to line up across from other offensive players, and defensive players will be permitted to do the same on their side of the ball.
The third phase, meanwhile, will cover the final four weeks of offseason workouts. The team can hold 7-on-7, 9-on-7 and 11-on-11 drills, but neither full pads nor any live contact will be allowed until the start of training camp in late July. Phase 3, which will begin in late May, will also feature 10 days worth of organized team activities as well as mandatory minicamp on June 9-11.
The full offseason workout schedule was announced by the club last week.