The Patriots took the practice field for the first time in the Mike Vrabel era Monday for organized team activities.

Media will be present on Tuesday for the Patriots’ second practice of the spring. With a new-look coaching staff and roster, here’s what we’ll be looking for at OTAs:

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How practice is structured

Patriots practice has been structured roughly the same since 2000, when Bill Belichick took over as head coach. There were some slight tweaks last season when Jerod Mayo took over, but Mayo only played and coached under Belichick during his pro career, so he was mostly going to borrow from the previous regime’s structure.

Mike Vrabel played under Belichick too, but he has his own way of doing things from his six years as head coach of the Titans. So, we might see some new drills and new sequences at practice this spring.

What Josh McDaniels’ new offense looks like

It would be easy to guess that Josh McDaniels’ offense will look a lot like what he ran with the Patriots for years. But not only does McDaniels have a much different quarterback in Drake Maye than he had with Tom Brady, but he also has an experienced staff which comes from varying backgrounds.

No one on the Patriots’ offense staff has previously worked under McDaniels, so the returning OC has lots to borrow from this season. He also has one of the most athletic and mobile quarterbacks in the NFL in Maye. We’ll find out if McDaniels and Vrabel are willing to send out Maye on more designed runs that Mayo and Alex Van Pelt allowed last season.

McDaniels used Cam Newton, another mobile QB, on 117 designed runs in 2020. Newton’s play-action passing rate was 33.8% that season.

Last year, Maye had just nine designed runs, and his play-action passing rate was just 19%.

Maye is a more effective passer than Newton was in 2020, but expect to still see his designed runs and play-action rate increase in 2025.

Offensive line combination

It’s safe to assume we can pencil in first-round pick Will Campbell at left tackle, Mike Onwenu at right guard and Morgan Moses at right tackle. There are two top options to kick off the spring at center: Garrett Bradbury and rookie Jared Wilson. It feels like a safe bet to put Bradbury at center.

It will be fascinating to see who’s the top option at left guard, however. Choices include Layden Robinson, Wes Schweitzer, Sidy Sow and Cole Strange.

Top wide receiver combination

Expect an open competition for top wide receiver spots this spring and summer, as well.

Javon Baker, Demeer Blankumsee, Kendrick Bourne, Kayshon Boutte, Efton Chism, Stefon Diggs, DeMario Douglas, Mack Hollins, John Jiles, Ja’Lynn Polk, Jeremiah Webb and Kyle Williams make up the whole group of wide receivers on the 90-man roster.

Expect Diggs to start when fully healthy. Realistically, Baker, Bourne, Boutte, Douglas, Hollins, Polk and Williams all could compete for starting jobs.

Starting defense

The Patriots added offensive players like Diggs and Moses in free agency this offseason, but most of their money was spent upgrading the defensive side of the ball.

In a nickel defense, a starting combination of Christian Barmore and Milton Williams at defensive tackle, Harold Landry and Keion White on the edge, Robert Spillane and Christian Elliss at linebacker, Christian Gonzalez, Carlton Davis and Marcus Jones at cornerback, and Kyle Dugger and Jabrill Peppers at safety seems solid.

K’Lavon Chaisson, Anfernee Jennings, Jahlani Tavai and Marcus Epps are also players with pro starting experience.

Who’s not accounted for

Don’t expect full attendance for OTAs. They’re voluntary practices, and injured players obviously won’t be participating.

So, it will be difficult to tell which players are absent because of injuries, but we do know that Diggs is coming off of a torn ACL, and Polk is recovering from a shoulder injury.

Jones, Jabrill Peppers and Jaquelin Roy also finished last season on injured reserve.

Who’s running the defense

Patriots defensive coordinator Terrell Williams missed rookie minicamp with an undisclosed medical condition. Williams and Vrabel both declined to give a timeline for his return.

So, it was Patriots inside linebackers coach Zak Kuhr running the defense last week. We’ll find out Tuesday if Williams is back or if Kuhr is still working as a de facto coordinator.