The smell of football was finally in the air again on Wednesday, as the New England Patriots returned to the field for their first official day of training camp.
There was a different buzz in the air, despite all of the gloom and doom talk throughout the offseason. The attendance was great, and Patriots newcomer JuJu Smith-Schuster served as the team’s personal hype man on the field.
Overall, it was a lively atmosphere that ultimately put the excitement for the return of football into perspective.
There was also a sense of normalcy with Bill O’Brien calling the offense. The team looked as energized as ever, and the fans were happy to see them kick-start their journey towards the regular season opener against the NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles in September.
Here are seven takeaways from the Patriots’ first training camp practice: