FOXBORO — It only took a few moments to realize that training camp had changed.

In recent years, the Patriots had opened camp with spirited sessions in full pads, jumping quickly into contact. But on Thursday’s training camp opener behind Gillette Stadium, it was strictly a shorts-and-jerseys affair as the players went through a slow-speed walkthrough that had all the intensity of an elementary-school flag-football game. The first session was as light as they come, while both the speed and energy picking up in the afternoon.

It’s all part of the NFL’s new collective bargaining agreement, which dictates no pads through the first two days of camp. There are also no more two-a-days, but teams are allowed one padded practice limited to three hours, with any second practice up to a four-hour limit being a walkthrough. And even after they are allowed in pads, the number of padded practices for each team will also be reduced.

That’s just a small sample of the changes. Off the field, free agents signed by the team — even their own — are required to report with their team, but are not allowed to take part in physical workouts until the official start of the league year, Aug. 4. Prior to that date, signed free agents (including their own re-signed free agents) can be required to attend meetings, classroom instruction and any other non-physical activities scheduled during the training camp. They are not allowed to participate in on-field activities, workouts, weight training, or other physical activities. (However, these restrictions do not apply to drafted or undrafted rookies who are under contract at any point.) This is why several players who have agreed on new deals — like Logan Mankins and Sammy Morris — were not on the field Thursday morning.

Throw all that into the mix, along with a constantly changing free agent landscape, and you have a fluid situation across the league, one where every team in the league — including the Patriots — is struggling to keep up.

“The player personnel rules, the practice rules, the contract rules, those have even changed hourly over the last few days,” said Patriots coach Bill Belichick. “So it’s still an ongoing process. Whatever they are, then we’ll adjust to them.

“It’s just all happening in a short amount of time. It’s been pretty fast and furious with all the things going on with the league as well as free agency, signing undrafted players, brining in the draft choices, new policies and new rules on the draft choice contracts and all that. It’s just been the combination of all of those things. There’s no insurmountable mountain here; it’s just getting it all done.”
As for the cutdown in contact, you won’t find many players upset about that situation. However, there is a question as to how football-ready they will be once it’s time for game action. The biggest thing that players feel have going for them is the fact that everyone across the league is learning as they go.
“We understand the situation. We have to deal with it. We’re just going to move forward and get ready for the season,” said wide receiver Deion Branch, who doesn’t believe the lack of hitting in camp and in practices will have an impact going forward.
“I think the biggest thing everybody has to deal with it. Not like anyone has an advantage, or we’re at a disadvantage. Like I said, I think we’re going to deal with the situation and move forward.”

“Coach Belichick will find a way to get us in shape and get us ready to go for four quarters, so that’s what we’ll do,” said linebacker Jerod Mayo. “To be honest – whatever the rules are, they are and I’m willing to do it any way – two-a-days, three-a-days, whatever.”
While fewer padded practices are good for resting the body, it also means less of a chance for some guys who might be at the back end of the roster to get a chance to show their stuff for coaches. However, defensive lineman Ty Warren doesn’t believe the practice restrictions will make it tougher for coaches to know who can play and who can’t.
“No — at the end of the day, it’s football,” he said. “You’ve seen enough guys run around and play particular positions where you can see if a guy’s footwork is right, hand placement is right, leverage is right, strength is good, all that type of stuff, speed is good. At the end of the day, those skill sets are always in place.”

There’s also the question of how much can be retained by the new guys — both new free agents and rookies — in a relatively short amount of time. In a regular offseason, players would be in the facility for a sizable chunk of the offseason. Instead, they’re going to have to learn quickly, as the first preseason game is Aug. 11.

“Everything is all based on how guys come in and prepare themselves,” Branch said. “You have to put a lot more work into it once they leave the building. It’s just not about consuming everything in the meeting rooms now. Guys get back to the hotel, they have to focus on getting in the playbook.”

In the end, despite the new rules, veteran Vince Wilfork said that the players have very little control over what happens at this time of the season. Instead, that burden lies with the head coach, and they’ll take their cues from him going forward.

“Whatever Bill gives us, we’re going to have to take. The one thing that we can do is go in, get in this playbook, learn whatever he’s installed and come out and put in on the field. Everything else, we don’t know. You’d have to ask Bill,” Wilfork said.

“You got to learn quick,” he added. “We don’t want to take any steps backwards. So we have to learn each day and make the time we have on the field and in the film room, we got to take that time and make it positive. It’s going to be tough, but I think we’ll get there. No question in my mind.”