Surprising former Patriots set to attend 2024 training camp
With Patriots training camp underway for the 2024 rookie class and the veterans set to report this week, there is a lot for fans to look forward to for the remainder of the summer. We will finally see how this team looks after all the changes made this offseason, especially at quarterback and wide receiver.
Those might be some of the most exciting parts of training camp and preseason, but the Patriots made things a bit more interesting by announcing that practices will be attended by several team legends, some of whom are surprising.
The team announced the list of alumni set to attend practices via social media, revealing a list of players from those who retired over a decade ago to a few who decided to hang up their cleats earlier this offseason.
- July 24: Rob Ninkovich and Ted Johnson
- July 25: Sony Michel
- July 26: Danny Amendola
- July 28: Patrick Chung and Brian Hoyer
- July 29: Rex Burkhead
- July 30: Marcus Cannon
- August 1: Dan Koppen
- August 2: Brandon Mitchell
- August 3: James White
- August 12: Damien Harris
- August 13: Deion Branch and Corey Dillon
Some franchise greats are coming back to @GilletteStadium!
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) July 19, 2024
Everything you need to know for #PatsCamp: https://t.co/VyHOijpbhF pic.twitter.com/RMe0YNI8gP
Some of the more interesting names who will attend a practice are Danny Amendola, who hasn't had a lot of positive things to say about the Patriots since he left the team in 2018, Damien Harris, who recently spoke about Bill Belichick ruining Mac Jones, and Sony Michel, who was traded after being a significant part of the Patriots playoff run in 2018.
Given their checkered past with the team, or more specifically Belichick, it's fair to assume they likely would not have agreed to be part of a practice if he were still the head coach.
It looks like the latest sign of a new era with these three players returning to Foxboro, an overall positive sign for the team's future. Other than their struggles on the field leading to losses, the lack of unity in the locker room was also a hindrance. With that not being the case this year, the Patriots might fare better during a transitional season than most anticipate.
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