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New England Patriots: 5 Players Whose Stock Is on the Rise After OTAs

Related Topics: New England Patriots

As slow as it may be, the discourse surrounding the New England Patriots will eventually turn to on-field activities. With OTAs commencing this past week, there's finally an opportunity to discuss more than air pressure and suspensions surrounding the defending champs.

These voluntary OTAs comprise Phase Three of the offseason workout program. According to NFL.com, no live contact is allowed, but 7-on-7, 9-on-7 and 11-on-11 drills will provide the first semblance of on-field work. The Pats will have 10 of these OTA practices, with the mandatory minicamp to follow in mid-June.

We're still in the nascent stages of positional competitions, but with the first week of OTAs in the books, there are a few early hints about which players could emerge, especially given the significant number of absences at Friday's session open to the media.