Why 28 NFL Teams Are Using Joint Practices in 2026
- Football Nation
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
Updated: 12 hours ago
Updated August 3, 2026. Joint practices have become one of the most important parts of NFL training camp because they give teams competitive work against a different opponent without requiring coaches to treat every rep like a full preseason game.
The NFL announced that 28 of the league’s 32 teams will participate in joint practices during the 2026 preseason. League rules allow a team to conduct up to four joint-practice sessions, and a session cannot be held on the day immediately before a preseason game. The league said 29 teams participated in at least one joint practice in 2025, so the trend remains nearly universal.
The 2026 joint-practice schedule
The schedule begins August 11 with four pairings: Cowboys at Rams, Colts at Patriots, Buccaneers at Jets and Titans at 49ers. Other notable sessions include Ravens at Vikings on August 19, Eagles at Patriots on August 19 and Bills at Browns on August 20.
For Football Nation readers following Carolina and Arizona, the Panthers visit Jacksonville for a joint practice on August 19 and later host Houston on August 26. The Cardinals travel to Green Bay for a session on August 26. These practices are normally scheduled near a preseason matchup, but the practice and game do not always involve the same opponent.
Why coaches value joint practices
A normal training-camp practice eventually becomes predictable. Teammates know each other’s calls, route tendencies, pass-rush moves and preferred techniques. A joint practice introduces unfamiliar personnel and forces players to communicate and adjust in real time.
Coaches can also script situations that may appear only a few times in an actual game. That includes red-zone work, third-and-long, two-minute offense, backed-up possessions, goal-line packages, kickoff coverage and punt protection. If a unit struggles, the teams can repeat the situation instead of waiting for the game to naturally produce another opportunity.
The biggest advantage is controlled competition. Starters can face quality opponents while coaches manage the number and type of contact reps. That does not make a joint practice risk-free, but it gives teams more control than a live game with an unpredictable number of snaps.
What fans should actually watch
Start with the offensive and defensive lines. One-on-one periods reveal whether a tackle can handle speed, whether an interior lineman can anchor against power and whether a young pass rusher has more than one move. The results are not perfect evaluations because one-on-ones favor the defender, but repeated wins or losses matter.
Next, watch communication. Protection changes, route adjustments and coverage checks are harder against an unfamiliar team. A quarterback identifying pressure before the snap or a secondary passing off routes cleanly can be more meaningful than a single highlight catch.
Finally, watch roster-bubble players on special teams. Coaches usually know which stars can play. The difficult decisions involve reserve linebackers, defensive backs, receivers and running backs who must prove they can cover kicks, block in space and avoid assignment errors.
What not to overreact to
Joint practices do not have an official score, and the two coaching staffs may be emphasizing different situations. One offense may be testing deep throws while the other is concentrating on third-down efficiency. A viral clip rarely shows the play call, down, distance or previous reps, so isolated wins should not be treated like final judgments.
The best use of these sessions is identifying trends. A rookie repeatedly earning first-team work, an offensive line consistently struggling with pressure or a veteran returning to full-speed reps can matter. One interception or one long touchdown usually does not.
Comments