5 takeaways from Patriots minicamp follow on Wednesday
New England Patriots
“In every single place he’s gone, he’s been a man that you simply see him on SportsCenter the following day.”
FOXBOROUGH — The Patriots had been again at their follow fields behind Gillette Stadium on Wednesday for the second day of the membership’s necessary minicamp.
After placing in some intensive red-zone reps on Tuesday, Mike Vrabel and his employees opted for a lighter follow the next afternoon, with zero aggressive drills in what was extra of a walkthrough follow.
“Right this moment will in all probability look a little bit totally different,” Vrabel stated forward of follow. “It in all probability received’t be as a lot velocity stuff, however we’ll come again and get that very same velocity that we had yesterday additional down within the purple zone tomorrow. So, it is going to look a little bit totally different at present, simply by design, so far as the tempo that you will note.”
Even with a neater workload, there have been a number of noteworthy developments from a muggy afternoon in Foxborough.
Listed below are 5 takeaways from Wednesday’s follow:
Maye continues to focus on Brown closely
The early returns have been very promising for new Patriots wideout A.J. Brown and his chemistry with Drake Maye.
After hitting Brown with a number of spectacular back-shoulder heaves throughout 11-on-11 drills Tuesday, Maye continued to focus on his new pass-catching weapon early and infrequently on Wednesday.
Even throughout Wednesday’s simpler carry so far as aggressive drills go, Brown at one level snagged three-straight catches from his QB throughout a red-zone sequence.
Talking after follow, Maye did little to masks his enthusiasm for attending to work with an All-Professional expertise at wideout shifting ahead.
“It’s exhausting to not get excited; what a participant he’s,” Maye stated of Brown. “What an amazing teammate to this point. He’s wanting to be taught. He’s nice with the blokes within the locker room, and we simply sit up for taking part in with a man of that caliber. I do know he’s been an amazing participant on this league.”
Brown’s versatile skillset needs to be a welcome sight for a Patriots offense that — whereas explosive final season — nonetheless sputtered down the stretch throughout the playoffs.
Standing at 6-foot-1 and 226 kilos, Brown has the bodily body to out-muscle smaller defensive backs and beat them on the surface as an “X” receiver.
However, the 28-year-old wideout nonetheless has the shiftiness and velocity to chop inside and achieve chunk yardage on slants, curls, and different routes that Josh McDaniels and Co. will look to make the most of this season.
After capitalizing final season whereas working alongside one other established wideout in Stefon Diggs, Maye is worked up to see what Brown can supply this workforce shifting ahead.
“In every single place he’s gone, he’s been a man that you simply see him on SportsCenter the following day, you recognize, making performs and scoring,” Maye stated of Brown. “And one of the best factor about him, he’s been a winner.
“He is aware of what it’s wish to win and he provides one thing in that room that we’ve sort of been searching for. … I believe Stef supplied for us final 12 months, and there’s been guys which are rising within the roles, however simply coming in with that stature and his potential and his measurement and simply the respect that you simply stroll in there with that sort of Stef had. A.J.’s received it, too.”
Lomu steps in as starter as soon as once more
For the second follow in a row, Patriots 2026 first-round decide Caleb Lomu logged common reps because the workforce’s beginning proper sort out.
Lomu initially projected as extra of a backup/swing sort out this season — giving him ample time to work on his craft earlier than ultimately shifting right into a full-time function in 2027.
However New England’s beginning proper sort out, Morgan Moses, has been absent throughout minicamp after showing to undergo an harm throughout OTAs final week.
“We’re simply managing Morgan and are excited that he’s so dedicated to our soccer workforce and the folks right here … It’s an extended season,” Vrabel stated Tuesday. “He was necessary to us, and he will probably be essential to us going ahead. So, simply making an attempt to be sure that we handle him. Determine that each rep now might be one much less that he might take within the season.”
Even when Vrabel isn’t sounding the alarm with Moses, the 35-year-old sort out’s well being will probably be price monitoring this 12 months — particularly if it pushes Lomu right into a featured function as a rookie.
“He’s been round a ton, and he’s been one of many largest helps for me, particularly coming in not realizing the playbook as a rookie,” Lomu stated of working with Moses. “He’s been by it [for] so a few years within the league, he is aware of what to anticipate, and now he’s been guiding me rather a lot by these practices and conferences that we have now. He’s been an enormous assist, and so it’s been superior to have the ability to have him and his expertise within the room to have the ability to assist me develop as a rookie.
Lomu — who established himself as a high NFL prospect whereas taking part in left sort out at Utah — says he’s discovering his footing at proper sort out to this point this summer time.
“It’s only a factor you’ve simply received to get used to [and] get a number of practices in,” the 21-year-old Lomu stated. “The primary follow was a little bit bizarre at first as a result of I wasn’t very used to it, however I really feel very comfy at proper sort out proper now.”
Attendance report
Very similar to Tuesday’s follow, the Patriots had three absences on Wednesday — Moses, Gabe Jacas, and Harold Landry.
Much like Moses, the Patriots look like limiting Landry’s workload this summer time, with the veteran pass-rusher hindered final season with a nagging knee harm.
“Harold has performed numerous soccer, and so we simply should attempt to — that is all a part of everybody has a little bit totally different plan. … For him to take reps proper now within the spring, I really feel like, is pointless,” Vrabel stated Tuesday. “We’ll simply maintain working to be sure that he is able to go once we want him.”
Jacas — New England’s 2026 second-round decide — has additionally not been current at each OTAs and minicamp.
Vrabel famous on Tuesday that Jacas underwent a process earlier this offseason, however the gifted pass-rusher has additionally but to signal his rookie contract in New England.
After taking restricted aggressive reps on Tuesday, Christian Gonzalez was a full participant throughout workforce drills on Wednesday.
However, with the ultimate day of minicamp anticipated to be extra of a higher-tempo, aggressive session, it stays to be seen how concerned Gonzalez — nonetheless mired in a contract dispute with New England — will probably be within the subsequent follow if the workforce rolls out 11-on-11 drills as soon as once more.
Including a good finish?
The Patriots had a major loss earlier than the 2026 season might even start in earnest, with tight finish Julian Hill struggling a season-ending harm throughout offseason exercises final month.
Hill — who signed a three-year, $15 million contract with New England earlier this offseason — was anticipated to step into a major function because the Patriots’ backup tight finish behind Hunter Henry in 2026.
The 25-year-old tight finish spent the final three seasons with the Dolphins, reeling in 15 catches for 140 yards over 11 video games in 2025 whereas contributing in cross safety and the run recreation by the use of some hard-nosed blocks.
However, with Hill now out of the equation, Vrabel acknowledged on Wednesday that New England is likely to be out there for one more tight finish this summer time.
“Simply from a numbers standpoint at camp, I believe that’s someplace the place we’ll in all probability have to guage the numbers,” Vrabel stated. “I imply, there are 90, 91 guys on each workforce, so we’ll simply have to try that. However I might say that’s in all probability someplace the place we must deal with.”
Past Henry, the Patriots nonetheless have Jack Westover, CJ Dippre, and rookies Eli Raridon and Tanner Arkin on the depth chart at tight finish.
Whereas pass-catching targets like Darren Waller stay accessible in free company, the Patriots doubtless covet extra of a run-blocking choice as Henry’s backup for this season.
A aggressive ‘household’
The Patriots ended follow on Wednesday in distinctive vogue — with trainers and coaches bringing out a number of wood sleds close to the top zone.
In whole, teams of seven totally different Patriots gamers throughout a number of place teams teamed as much as try to push the sled 40 yards down the sphere, with coaches timing which group might end first within the drill.
Talking after follow, Maye stated that Vrabel and his employees have already integrated a number of team-building workouts this offseason — splitting the roster into random teams referred to as “households” to construct camaraderie throughout totally different segments of the membership.
“We cut up up into groups, cut up up from the households originally of the offseason. Form of had about 13 groups, had some captains in every workforce and have about seven gamers in every,” Maye stated. “So we’re sort of maintaining some extent tally. … I believe my household could also be in second [place].
“We received some work to do… It’s simply one other approach of workforce constructing and competing and having to strategize and sort of have one thing that will not go proper and attempt to repair it.”
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