FOXBORO - Where were they? Why were they staying away? When would they show up? And what will it look like when they do show up?
All were valid questions when it came to Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski's whereabouts this spring as they avoided their team's voluntary offseason training program. One was answered on Monday.
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Twenty-four before Patriots mandatory minicamp was set to begin, both Brady and Gronkowski joined their teammates, in uniform, for a fantasy camp held inside the Empower Field House behind Gillette Stadium.
Both Brady and Gronkowski avoided every session of the offseason workout program, which began on April 16. But Patriots chairman and CEO Robert Kraft said earlier this offseason that he expected both to be present for the three-day mandatory portion of the workouts, and it looks as though that will be the case. The quarterback and tight end's presence at the fantasy camp seem to confirm that.
Brady was in town on Friday for the annual Best Buddies Football Challenge at Harvard Stadium. He played quarterback for both teams, as he does every year, throwing touchdown passes to kids, donors and current and former Patriots like Troy Brown, Tedy Bruschi, Julian Edelman and David Andrews.
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James White was also at the Best Buddies event. Asked if it would take time for the offense to get back into a flow after Brady has missed team work leading up to minicamp, White said there's always an adjustment period.
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"I mean, it takes time with everything . . . Getting the practice reps as we're doing now, just continue to get the practice reps and build that chemistry as a team and eventually things will come into place," White said.
"We practice with who's out there. It's not the first time [Brady] hasn't been there. So we just go out there practice hard, practice with who's out there. Everybody's just trying to get better, trying to compete, and that's what it's all about."
For the first time in almost two months, White and his teammates will have an opportunity to compete alongside Brady and Gronkowski on Tuesday.