It looks increasingly likely that the Patriots will not hold any joint training camp practices this year

For the past six years, the New England Patriots brought some additional competition to their training camp practices. Each summer, the club teamed up with at least one other organization to conduct joint sessions leading up to a preseason contest between the two sparring partners. In 2017, for example, the Patriots practiced jointly with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Houston Texans.

When the preseason slate was released earlier this offseason, two teams were identified as potential training camp partners: Considering that the Patriots hold their joint sessions before either the first or the second preseason game – the third is more of a “dress rehearsal” and involves actual game planning –, it looked like the Washington Redskins and Philadelphia Eagles were serious candidates to visit Gillette Stadium ahead of the scheduled contests.

However, it appears that neither of the two teams will do that. Washington already announced joint practices in early May but did not mention the Patriots: The team, which hosted the Patriots at its Virginia practice facilities in 2014, will work together with the New York Jets this summer. Philadelphia head coach Doug Pedersen, meanwhile, told reporters earlier today that his team will not conduct joint workouts this summer.

It therefore looks like New England's streak of practicing with other teams comes to an end. Unless Washington has one more joint session up its sleeves or the Patriots – highly unlikely – go against the norm and hold joint sessions with the Carolina Panthers in week three, the Patriots will spend their summer alone.