The Patriots began their offseason virtual program last week.
Unlike most other teams, they are reportedly incorporating virtual workouts, as the vast majority of teams are focusing on meetings and breaking down film.
While it certainly isn't the same as meeting with players face-to-face and getting them into the Gillette Stadium facility, Bill Belichick said things are going well, even better than expected.
"I would say after a week of meeting with the players last week that these Webex meetings have gone very well, in a way surprising, better than I would have expected," he said in his post-draft video conference Saturday night. "Haven't really been any problems. Players are engaged. They're learning a lot of material and putting a lot of time and work in it. They're following the guidelines that we've given them in terms of their training program, on-the-field training program, weight lifting and so forth. There are obviously varying degrees of facilities, equipment and so forth. But one way or another I think they're finding a way to work around it, and we are too. I commend them for that.
"Hopefully we can string a few good weeks together and be the best prepared we can to get ready for training camp. Certainly not what we're used to doing, but everybody is dealing with the same situations. We'll try to make the most of whatever opportunities there are."
As for the rookies, Belichick said they will have a virtual minicamp.
"We'll have a rookie mini-camp, if you will, take that time to try to orient the players the best that we can to some of the things that they're going to be dealing with and also to try to start the process of new terminology, nomenclature, terms, so forth," he said. "Then eventually we'll follow that up with the rookie developmental period that according to the league I think is May 11th. That will eventually merge into a full scale like OTA type meeting schedule that we would normally have, without the on-the-fieldwork, but try to use that time to bring the team together in terms of putting our plays in and so forth, also trying to help them structure their training so they can best prepare for the season. Whatever guidance and direction we get on that, when we get it, we'll modify things as necessary.
"At this point I'd say we're planning kind of a normal spring in terms of covering material and giving them information, testing them to make sure that they are comprehending it, can give it back to us. But we'll just have to modify that as we go. Whether it's training camp in the early part of the season, so forth, however that ends up happening, we're ready to adjust along the way."
It's unclear at this time when NFL teams will be able to have players return to facilities and if training camp will proceed as normal.
