Indefinite New England Patriots Thread (5 Viewers)

[Boston]

Zolak saying that cutting Diggs is on the table.

I find that hard to believe.

Unfortunately, I don't...Diggs has put Vrabel in a real tough spot...the last few years under Mayo and when BB went from a great HC to Jordon's BF the team culture has been awful...Vrabel has been banging the culture drum non-stop and now a very high-profile veteran player pulls this stunt...not good...I bet this is 50/50 on what happens...it would be a big time statement by cutting Diggs that would most certainly get the culture message sent throughout the organization...the negative is very obvious as the WR room is subpar to begin with and losing Diggs would be a huge short-term hit...I heard Breer say that this will be taken care of very quickly and probably comes down to the Vrabel/Diggs meeting and how that goes...after a fun offseason we are now into reality and dealing with adversity...the good news is we have an HC I fully trust to make a wise decision.

Just watched A. Breer's take on it. Similar to yours. He speaks to Vrabels 26 years in NFL locker rooms.

It's only May, but I bet Diggs only gets one more strike here. Anything remotely close to another slip up and he's gone.

That would be my guess...as long as he shows he is legit sorry for the distraction he comes back but Vrabel definitely addresses it in a stern manner...no one is gonna be able to BS Vrabel...my question (and it is an old guy question) is why the F do people need to video everything they do in today's world...go do white, pink, green or purple blow...I don't care but why do you have to video everything...so childish.

 

[Bri]

"We're putting plays in today that I don't have much experience doing, but I know that they're good for our team. These guys have a lot of experience doing those things where they've been," McDaniels said. "We're a first-year staff together, and we're all just grinding away trying to make sure that we're ready each day. They've done a tremendous job with their position groups, and I really enjoy the process."

"When you take a lot of people from different backgrounds, they have such good experience and wisdom, it makes a lot of sense for me to learn from them. That stuff is going to be used to help our team produce more points, more yards, more first downs, and hopefully good plays," McDaniels continued."

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Pats site
I think y'all wanted to hear this quote. Tiny, I know, but you wanted Belichick stuff McDaniels offense but with some change and...there ya go.
***
I would guess it's two TE throwback to 80s football time.
All technique til contact is allowed in camp.
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Also, the recent is it 3-4 or 4-3 articles and questions of couple weeks ago. It's Belichick's hybrid. Vrabel loves it.
In Ten, he took over a Lebeau team (a famous D he played in) to uproot it all and instill this. People questioned and he became headstrong and I know what's best and all that.
The writers are....well they're not Boston and David. Those two would recognize the defense in ten seconds

 

[Anarchy99]

Trying to figure out what the offense will be might be next to impossible. NE is on their 4th OC in as many season (technically 5th . . . McDaniels, Van Pelt, O'Brien, and the Patricia / Judge combo). They've also rolled out 6 different starting QBs in 6 years (Brady, Newton, Jones, Zappe, Brissett, and Maye). They have a bunch of new faces, but even the guys that have been around for a while will have a new set of circumstances, teammates, and plays to work through. Consistency and stability have not been a thing in a long time. Change is good, but never-ending change is just chaotic. I have no idea how long it will take to get everyone on the same page, and we've seen how many dumb mistakes, penalties, turnovers, and mental errors they made the last few years. If all they did was clean that stuff up, they'd be a lot more competitive.

 

[Anarchy99]

LT Will Campbell has agreed to terms on a four-year, $43.66M fully guaranteed rookie contract with a $28.39M signing bonus.

 

[ratbast]

After the offseason fog has settled I still just cringe at the WRs. Diggs has to be healthy and still be 90% of his former self for this to work.
Who has a worse WR room?
Jets? I’d take Wilson and company
Bills? Close but I’d take bills WRs.
Fins? Give me Hill/Waddle of course.
How many other teams have a worse WR situation than the Pats?

The two pieces of the Pats WR room that could really change the direction of this team are Williams and Polk. But those are high hopes.

 

[Anarchy99]

PFF came out with their roster rankings for the upcoming season. They have NE ranked 26th, ahead of NYG, NYJ, CAR, NOS, TEN, and CLE.

2025 NFL Roster Rankings: Strengths, weaknesses and X-factors for every starting lineup

NFL rosters have taken shape following free agency and the 2025 NFL Draft.

www.pff.com

They also ranked the Top 32 players at each position. Here are the NE guys on those positional lists . . .

QB: Maye (22)
RB: Henderson (28), Stevenson (29)
WR: None
TEL Henry (16)
OT: None
G: Onwenu (17)
C: Bradbury (25)
DI: Williams (14)
LB: Spillane (23)
CB: Gonzalez (13), Davis (18)
S: Peppers (12)

Surprised to see 6 guys on offense but only 5 on defense.

 

[Boston]

Pretty good guess for 6/15:

Perry's 53-man roster projection: How will Pats' WR room shake out?

Phil Perry shares his early Patriots 53-man roster projection after watching the team’s OTA and minicamp practices.

www.nbcsportsboston.com

 

[Anarchy99]

Not a ton of position battles other than WR or OL. From what I have seen, it's too soon to tell what's going to happen and how things might shape out. Let's start with the WRs . . .

Diggs: I've heard everything from he's way ahead of schedule, the boat incident is in the past, and he will be 100% on Week 1 . . . all the way to NE is not convinced that he will be good to go for health or off-field issues and are not rushing to give him a physical (once he passes they have to give him $12M). It's one thing to be running on the sidelines and another to be going full bore and getting lit up by defenders. Still whispers that he could open camp on the PUP or start the season on PUP or IR (and miss the first 4 games). Bottom line, very unclear.

Williams: Curran said it best when he said he's a rookie, and rookie WRs on other teams have raised the expectations on what new guys should be able to do. Curran didn't sound like Williams was going to step in and do much, and he said maybe they'll find some situations / routes / combinations for him later in the season where he could contribute. Curran pretty much said he is a work in progress and don't expect much to start the season. He made some nice grabs and looked good in camp so far, but if you read the reports or watch the clips, those plays were usually against scrub receivers.

Bourne: Curran made it sound like Bourne is locked in as a starter, as he did well with JMD before, plays every WR spot, and they can move him around. More importantly, McDaniels likes him. It also sounded like Curran was told this and it wasn't his opinion. I saw a couple of other people / places echo this info. However, others have Bourne on the wrong side of the roster bubble, getting traded, or getting flat out released. Again, that's a wide range of options.

Boutte: He also falls anywhere from a likely starter by some to either being traded or released by others. One thing people point out (which I think is misleading) is how much Boutte played with the starters in minicamp. A couple things on that 1) a bunch of WRs didn't participate, so someone had to play with the starters and 2) if history repeats itself, guys that are set for starting roles or extensive playing time generally don't play a ton in the offseason and are saved for the regular and postseason. Instead, NE has treated the offseason as a chance to get backups and young guys more reps, as they will never see that many snaps in practice during the actual season. I have also seen people point out that Boutte had great chemistry with Maye, as evidenced by his 7-117-1 line in the final game of the season . . . except that game was with Milton not Maye. Boutte is another WR with a wide range of outcomes.

Douglas: He's another one that played a ton at minicamp / OTAs. A couple of people pointed out that this offseason Douglas lined up on the outside a ton and not in the slot (way more than he was used that way the past two seasons). Who knows what that means. Maybe he was one of the few guys available that knew the plays. I have seen projections from him catching 100 balls to him losing a lot of snaps to other WRs. I don't think he has the frame to take on a ton of targets, so I would guess his role won't be as one of the heavy workload guys. Also, some reports made it out like he might be a red zone darling this year (based on having 2 red zone TD in one practice). I'm guessing he may not be on the field much in the red zone . . . potentially because I heard several reports that NE has been running a lot of 2 TE and 2 RB sets with Stevenson and Henderson in the backfield at the same time.

Hollins: As pointed out in other threads, Hollins had a career season with JMD and the team just signed him a couple of months ago. It sounds like he is not against coming in as a blocker on run plays, and some of the other guys don't really have that desire or skill set. That's also why Bourne is said to have more value and experience, as he is not against helping out in the run game or blocking in the quick hitting short passing game.

Polk: I have mostly heard that he is a potential candidate for the Island of Misfit Toys. He was banged up and hasn't been on the field this preseason, and I haven't heard much that they have big plans for him. I would guess they could consider moving him for a late round pick to not have to worry about him. Maybe they try to get him on the practice squad. Or maybe they PUP him for a while, and then maybe they stand to have a better chance to get him on the practice squad once the season starts. I have yet to see anyone with a positive prognosis for him. This regime didn't draft him, so they may have no alliance to keep him around.

Baker: He's recovering from a broken thumb, and he is in the same boat as Polk (only without the Round 2 pedigree). He was said to be a potential trade candidate around the draft as he could have been used as a sweetener to move up the draft board somewhere. I have a hard time seeing Baker on the main roster. Not sure there would be much interest from other teams, so maybe he will end up on the practice squad. A lot will depend on whether JMD thinks he can find a way to use him and trust him.

Chism: I don't think Chism has quite the shine as he did at the first set of practices. At minicamp this week, with a couple of WRs coming back, Chism was relegated to mostly practicing on a different field with a bunch of non-starters. In the limited snaps he got on the main field, I don't believe he had a catch in either practice in 11 v 11 plays. He caught a lot of passes a few weeks ago, but that was mostly playing with the 2's and 3's playing against 3's and 4's. It depends on how many WR's they keep on the roster . . . but he would at best be the 7th guy (and likely wouldn't see the field very often if at all).

Considering we are basing this on OTA's and minicamp in non-contact situations with a bunch of WRs not even participating, I don't think we learned much of anything so far. We can see how things shape up in 5 weeks when training camp starts, but for now I don't think there is much to go on to come to many conclusions.

 

[Boston]

Why are the Pats in rebuild mode? From Bedard today:

• By the way, at this point, it would not be a shock to me if by the start of the season, the Patriots will have very little to show from their previous FOUR drafts.

Highly likely to stick:

2024 Draft: Drake Maye

2023 Draft: Christian Gonzalez, Keion White, Demario Douglas, Bryce Baringer

2022 Draft: Marcus Jones

2021: Christian Barmore, Rhamondre Stevenson

That's eight players out of 38.

Fighting for their roster spot this summer (setting aside the players already gone):

2024 Draft: Ja'Lynn Polk, Caeden Wallace, Layden Robinson, Javon Baker, Marcellas Dial, Jaheim Bell (Joe Milton already gone)

2023 Draft: Marte Mapu, Sidy Sow, Kayshon Boutte, Isaiah Bolden

2022 Draft: Cole Strange

 

[Anarchy99]

That's eight players out of 38.

This is why I am squeamish and skeptical that suddenly NE could have a draft for the ages. There are several key people still in the building that have had voices for years when it comes to player evaluation, scouting, and draft consideration. Ultimately the buck stopped with BB, but I think the team of evaluators presented Bill with a pared down / short list of guys to consider (meaning they were the ones that spent years researching players, monitored their development, and evaluated their NFL potential).

- Eliot Wolf has been there since 2020. As Bedard noted, not great results. Going back to the 2020 draft, they only have Dugger and Onwenu left (with Jennings on the roster bubble).
- Matt Groh has been around as a scout and personnel guy since 2011. How many great picks have the Pats had in 15 drafts with him as a contributor?
- Brian Smith has been in scouting and personnel for 20+ years with NE. He's been one of their primary player assessment guys for a long time.
- As the NE OC, McDaniels had to have input in who the team drafted on the offensive side of the ball. NE hit on some OL guys, but who did they hit on or develop since 2010 (see Groh)?

Yeah, I get it. Vrabel is there now. When a new coach takes over, he usually uses the personnel staff and feedback from the prior regime in terms of draft prep, scouting, and player evaluation. Most of the scouting department is still there. Besides the people I already mentioned, they also brought back Fiorini and Highsmith.

IMO, the scouting and player personnel team should have been the first group of people targeted for a makeover and major overhaul. Again, none of the rookies from this draft have played a live snap yet, so it's way too soon to suggest how they will turn out (good, bad, or indifferent). But IMO it's reasonable to question why the same people have their jobs given their decision-making and draft selections going back multiple, multiple drafts. BB has to take the majority of the blame, but lots of other people bear some culpability. Fingers crossed they have more hits than misses from the 2025 draft.

 

[Boston]

Curran: Are Patriots truly better than last year? Yes, and here are six reasons why

Should we really believe the 2025 Patriots will show meaningful progress? Yes, and Tom E. Curran explains why.

www.nbcsportsboston.com

 

[Boston]

Bedard has an article up on BSJ (I highly recommend getting BSJ it if you like Boston sports...very much worth it)...he lists a bunch players as "helped themselves" and "work to do"...overall it was good news for a lot of the players we are hoping to help...a few blurbs:

Helped themselves:

RB TreVeyon Henderson: As opposed to when I first saw Sony Michel on the practice field, you can see the talent from the Ohio State back immediately. He has burst, great balance, hands, and body control. The most impressive thing I saw was when he was lined up to Maye's left in the shotgun, the rookie saw a slot blitz coming from Marcus Jones and seamlessly crossed the formation and picked it up. Rookies usually can't do that at this stage. No redshirt for him.

LT Will Campbell: Liked the footwork and his ability to block on the move. Of course, need to see him in pads and with the DL at close to full go and not stopping after three steps.

OL Jack Conley: The UDFA out of BC looks the part and showed off his G/T versatility. Good way to make the team.

WR Demario Douglas: I thought Pop looked really good and comfortable in this offense.

WR Kendrick Bourne: Seems to have matured a bit in this offense the second time around and is more on point with assignments.

WR Efton Chism: Born to play in this offense. All he does is get open and catch the ball.

Edge Keion White: This guy is going to be a gamewrecker in this defense.

LB Robert Spillane: Looks like he's always been here at MLB.

S Craig Woodson: The more I saw him, the more I liked him - probably why the Patriots were so sold on him. Smart, great anticipation, gets in throwing lanes. He's going to push for time.

Work to do:

OL Caeden Wallace: There was a shortage of guards so it may have been a numbers game, but having a former third-round pick move into guard for minicamp wasn't a great sign to me. If he was pushing for a swing tackle spot, wouldn't they just leave him there and move someone like Demontrey Jacobs inside? Multiple league sources have told me he has all the physical tools to play OT in the NFL - even LT - but something is missing, like a lot of the 2024 draft class.

OG Layden Robinson: Way down the depth chart as he seemed to struggle with his assignments.

OG Cole Strange: His start to camp could make or break his spot. Can he grab hold of LG and never let go? Will need to show football IQ

C Garrett Bradbury: Might be the guy I worry the most about on this roster. Will be interesting to see if they give Jared Wilson a chance to take the job, and how much they put him at left guard. That might need to happen.

WR Javon Baker: Made one really nice catch but was relatively quiet otherwise.

CB Carlton Davis: He wasn't out there a ton, but when he was, he was getting beat - often by Pop Douglas.

LB Marte Mapu: Just. Can't. Stay. On. The. Field.

 

[Anarchy99]

WR Efton Chism: Born to play in this offense. All he does is get open and catch the ball.

I know Chism turned some heads in the earlier OTAs and he impressed Bedard, but most of that was playing with and against backups. As mentioned previously, a bunch of receivers were out so he got extra reps. The last two practices, he essentially got demoted back to the bottom field and the secondary players and coaches. When they brought him back to the main field both days, he did not have a catch in 11 on 11. Some other beat guys think he was a nice early camp story, and if they keep one more extra receiver to have hanging around, it would probably be him. But that might make him the 7th guy on the depth chart. It doesn't sound like he worked much with Maye . . . not sure if that might be a tell that he's on the bubble. Much more will be revealed when they can actually hit each other.

 

[Boston]

WR Efton Chism: Born to play in this offense. All he does is get open and catch the ball.

I know Chism turned some heads in the earlier OTAs and he impressed Bedard, but most of that was playing with and against backups. As mentioned previously, a bunch of receivers were out so he got extra reps. The last two practices, he essentially got demoted back to the bottom field and the secondary players and coaches. When they brought him back to the main field both days, he did not have a catch in 11 on 11. Some other beat guys think he was a nice early camp story, and if they keep one more extra receiver to have hanging around, it would probably be him. But that might make him the 7th guy on the depth chart. It doesn't sound like he worked much with Maye . . . not sure if that might be a tell that he's on the bubble. Much more will be revealed when they can actually hit each other.

Bedard's article is about who helped themselves and who didn't...Chism absolutely helped himself...that doesn't mean he is on the team or if he does that he will make an impact...they targeted him and spent good money to get him as an UDFA and he has popped...that is step one...the next step is camp when it gets real and we find out whether this is just one of those nice off-season stories that keeps everyone busy or if he is the real deal.

 

[Bri]

I've been enjoying all the Vrabel quotes today. "He's in rare form" as old timers used to say.

Nice to know Terrell Williams is back. Love that guy.

I want to see Vrabel after a year sort of non hiatus in Cleveland.

He rrrreally wanted WRs that could win their matchup and harped "did he catch the ball" after his frustration of losing AJB. It haunted him for sure. How's he gonna be with last year's rookies and even some of the average guys like Bourne?

Does he still take jabs with little comments at guys that miss time? Did he say anything to Diggs to hurry him along?

His hand placement obsession will probably be obvious tomorrow for the rest of summer he'll be coaching someone's hands in some camp video.

Ahhh he got me fired up and curious with his quotes. I hope he does the same for the Pats. He's a good sorta different and I'm excited to watch his impact

 

[Bri]

https://x.com/JustinM_NFL/status/1947719964892532952/mediaViewer?currentTweet=1947719964892532952&currentTweetUser=JustinM_NFL

 

[Boston]

Perry: Four intriguing position battles to watch at Patriots camp

Phil Perry highlights four position battles to watch when Patriots training camp begins on Wednesday.

www.nbcsportsboston.com

 

[Bri]

Mike Reiss
@MikeReiss
·
24m
Patriots Wednesday

9:30a: Mike Vrabel

10:15a: Practice (No. 1)

12p : Interviews (Drake Maye, Pop Douglas, Robert Spillane, Milton Williams, Antonio Gibson, Stefon Diggs)

NOTES: PUP list - WR Mack Hollins, TE Austin Hooper, OT Vederian Lowe; NFI list - S Josh Minkins

 

[Bri]

Perry: Four intriguing position battles to watch at Patriots camp

Phil Perry highlights four position battles to watch when Patriots training camp begins on Wednesday.

www.nbcsportsboston.com

I remember seeing a stat that Bradbury and Dolphins Aaron Brewer were blown up far more often than any center last season.

It's a possibly demoralizing play like a teams WR1 or RB1 getting smashed by a defender.

I think if Wilson or someone else can play near as well then they'll get the job.

I remember Ben Jones helping coach with the Pats in the spring. I haven't heard if Vrabel will bring him back this summer. Have you?

I think they'll be hypersensitive to Bradbury making a mistake in camp. Other side is if he makes it thru, they coached up a guy

 

[Boston]

Perry: Four intriguing position battles to watch at Patriots camp

Phil Perry highlights four position battles to watch when Patriots training camp begins on Wednesday.

www.nbcsportsboston.com

I remember seeing a stat that Bradbury and Dolphins Aaron Brewer were blown up far more often than any center last season.

It's a possibly demoralizing play like a teams WR1 or RB1 getting smashed by a defender.

I think if Wilson or someone else can play near as well then they'll get the job.

I remember Ben Jones helping coach with the Pats in the spring. I haven't heard if Vrabel will bring him back this summer. Have you?

I think they'll be hypersensitive to Bradbury making a mistake in camp. Other side is if he makes it thru, they coached up a guy

I think Perry nails it with his analysis...as long as Wilson is the player many believe he is I think Bradbury is a bridge Center...the question is how long will that bridge be...there has been some speculation of Wilson starting the year at G...Vrabel invested heavily in the O-line coaching staff as they have Marrone as well as two other Coaches and they will be under the microscope...while everyone likes to focus on the WR position the line is the most important position group on the team...the last few years have just been horrific...if Campbell and Wilson can hit their upside and be anchors that will be a gigantic step forward for this team for 2025 and beyond...Moses has taken on an immediate leadership role on the team and if he can stay healthy he should stabilize RT at least for this year...Onwenu was a disappointment last year and they need him to play somewhere close to the contract they gave him...I could definitely see him falling out of favor with Vrabel if he doesn't get his head out of his butt...LG is an open competition and an area to watch...the wildly over-drafted Cole Strange is in the mix there along with a few other names...Caedan Wallace has been playing some Guard and youngsters like Layden Robinson and Sidy Sow are also vying for that spot...a sleeper is Jack Conley from BC but that would be a big jump going from UDFA to starting his rookie year but he is a project who could factor in long-term...another player to watch at T is their 7th round pick Marcus Bryant...the kid had a nice career at Missouri and is a big boy at 6'7" 320lbs...it would be nice if they could develop him into at a solid depth swing tackle...overall this unit is still very much a work in progress but I do expect it to be a good amount better than what they have rolled out the past couple of years because that was pretty much trash...realistically the hope is they can be at least an average NFL O-line...as you can see there is a lot of pressure on Marrone and company...if they can develop Campbell and Wilson to be on the path of high-quality starters and they also find something in kids like Conley or Bryant or do coach up young players like Wallace, Sow or Robinson that would be a gigantic step forward for this team and give them more flexibility next offseason.

 

[Boston]

This is outstanding...Vrabel calling out Ben Volin of the Boston Globe...so many of the local media that cover the Pats are first-rate...Ben Volin is the glaring example of a bad one...he is just awful and so far over his head...sad to see what has become of the Globe but if you are hiring clowns like Volin you get what you deserve:

Patriots’ Mike Vrabel Savagely Roasts Reporter for Asking Repeat Question at Presser

Vrabel isn't messing around this season.

www.si.com

 

[Boston]

https://www.instagram.com/p/DMdU681S2mO/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again

Curran and Perry with a quick recap of today focusing on Maye, Diggs and Kyle Williams.

 

[kyoun1e]

https://www.instagram.com/p/DMdU681S2mO/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again

Curran and Perry with a quick recap of today focusing on Maye, Diggs and Kyle Williams.

All rainbows and puppy dogs (literally...Vrabel's puppy) today.

Although did read about a negative being the O line (shocker).

 

[Boston]

From Bedard today (I can't recommend Boston Sports Journal enough if you follow all 4 Boston teams):

THREE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

Diggs heavily involved: There were only two team periods as part of the reacclimation process, but Stefon Diggs was heavily involved with the top unit and caught the first pass from Drake Maye in the first team period of camp. Looks good, going in motion often. Diggs and Boutte were the top pair with Demario Douglas and Kendrick Bourne next.

Rough start for pass protection, especially Morgan Moses: I counted five sacks combined with Maye getting sacked all five times — and it wasn't like he was holding onto the ball too long; the pressure was quick. Morgan Moses allowed two, Demontrey Jacobs, Rhamondre Stevenson and Will Campbell allowed one each. Harold Landry (two), Christian Elliss, Keion White each had a sack and there was a team sack.

White blew past Campbell on his sack.

Moses was replaced after the first sack, and his playing time was very inconsistent for the duration of practice.

Ben Brown and Ben Wooldrige also had a fumbled snap.

Despite the pressure, Maye gets off to a good start: I had Maye finishing 5 of 5 with the 5 sacks. Even on those "sacks," he was 4 of 5 finding an outlet. He spread the ball around to Diggs, Kyle Williams, Kayshon Boutte and Hunter Henry. Not a good start for Dobbs, who was 1 of 6 with an interception by DJ James on a prayer throw to Javon Baker.

THREE UP

QB Drake Maye: Like I said, even with the pass pro issues he was accurate and confident.

WR Stefon Diggs: Just amazing he's out there right now doing what he's doing.

CB DJ James: Unheralded depth player is trying to catch someone's eye and an INT is a good way to do it. He bumped his fist as he returned the pass.

TWO DOWN

RT Morgan Moses: Two sacks and was replaced multiple times. Not sure if that's a benching or just taking it slow with the veteran.

QB Josh Dobbs: Was kind of all over the place with his passes.

 

[kyoun1e]

From Bedard today (I can't recommend Boston Sports Journal enough if you follow all 4 Boston teams):

THREE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

Diggs heavily involved: There were only two team periods as part of the reacclimation process, but Stefon Diggs was heavily involved with the top unit and caught the first pass from Drake Maye in the first team period of camp. Looks good, going in motion often. Diggs and Boutte were the top pair with Demario Douglas and Kendrick Bourne next.

Rough start for pass protection, especially Morgan Moses: I counted five sacks combined with Maye getting sacked all five times — and it wasn't like he was holding onto the ball too long; the pressure was quick. Morgan Moses allowed two, Demontrey Jacobs, Rhamondre Stevenson and Will Campbell allowed one each. Harold Landry (two), Christian Elliss, Keion White each had a sack and there was a team sack.

White blew past Campbell on his sack.

Moses was replaced after the first sack, and his playing time was very inconsistent for the duration of practice.

Ben Brown and Ben Wooldrige also had a fumbled snap.

Despite the pressure, Maye gets off to a good start: I had Maye finishing 5 of 5 with the 5 sacks. Even on those "sacks," he was 4 of 5 finding an outlet. He spread the ball around to Diggs, Kyle Williams, Kayshon Boutte and Hunter Henry. Not a good start for Dobbs, who was 1 of 6 with an interception by DJ James on a prayer throw to Javon Baker.

THREE UP

QB Drake Maye: Like I said, even with the pass pro issues he was accurate and confident.

WR Stefon Diggs: Just amazing he's out there right now doing what he's doing.

CB DJ James: Unheralded depth player is trying to catch someone's eye and an INT is a good way to do it. He bumped his fist as he returned the pass.

TWO DOWN

RT Morgan Moses: Two sacks and was replaced multiple times. Not sure if that's a benching or just taking it slow with the veteran.

QB Josh Dobbs: Was kind of all over the place with his passes.

Bedard a better writer than speaker lol. Guy fumbles his words constantly when on with Felger.

Also, Giardi is a good read as well.

That said, I aint paying for this.

 

[Boston]

From Bedard today (I can't recommend Boston Sports Journal enough if you follow all 4 Boston teams):

THREE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

Diggs heavily involved: There were only two team periods as part of the reacclimation process, but Stefon Diggs was heavily involved with the top unit and caught the first pass from Drake Maye in the first team period of camp. Looks good, going in motion often. Diggs and Boutte were the top pair with Demario Douglas and Kendrick Bourne next.

Rough start for pass protection, especially Morgan Moses: I counted five sacks combined with Maye getting sacked all five times — and it wasn't like he was holding onto the ball too long; the pressure was quick. Morgan Moses allowed two, Demontrey Jacobs, Rhamondre Stevenson and Will Campbell allowed one each. Harold Landry (two), Christian Elliss, Keion White each had a sack and there was a team sack.

White blew past Campbell on his sack.

Moses was replaced after the first sack, and his playing time was very inconsistent for the duration of practice.

Ben Brown and Ben Wooldrige also had a fumbled snap.

Despite the pressure, Maye gets off to a good start: I had Maye finishing 5 of 5 with the 5 sacks. Even on those "sacks," he was 4 of 5 finding an outlet. He spread the ball around to Diggs, Kyle Williams, Kayshon Boutte and Hunter Henry. Not a good start for Dobbs, who was 1 of 6 with an interception by DJ James on a prayer throw to Javon Baker.

THREE UP

QB Drake Maye: Like I said, even with the pass pro issues he was accurate and confident.

WR Stefon Diggs: Just amazing he's out there right now doing what he's doing.

CB DJ James: Unheralded depth player is trying to catch someone's eye and an INT is a good way to do it. He bumped his fist as he returned the pass.

TWO DOWN

RT Morgan Moses: Two sacks and was replaced multiple times. Not sure if that's a benching or just taking it slow with the veteran.

QB Josh Dobbs: Was kind of all over the place with his passes.

Bedard a better writer than speaker lol. Guy fumbles his words constantly when on with Felger.

Also, Giardi is a good read as well.

That said, I aint paying for this.

It's the only site I pay for...the coverage of all 4 sports is very deep and under one-roof...never a second thought on re-upping every year.

 

[Boston]

Interesting read about the WRs:

Curran: Patriots WR pecking order starting to emerge at training camp

What does the Patriots' wide receiver depth chart look like through two days of training camp? Tom E. Curran shares his early assessment.

www.nbcsportsboston.com

General feeling I am getting about the WRs from what I am hearing is this...Diggs looks good to go...Pop is playing well...Boutte seems to be establishing himself as a solid pro (not sure how much upside though)...Williams looks like he has a lot of potential and should break the drafting bad WRs curse...Chism seems to be losing the momentum he had...Baker is turning into the odd man out...Polk is MIA which is doing him no favors...Bourne's familiarity with McDaniels is going to help him in the short-term (unfortunately)...my guess is they start the year with 6 WRs as Hollins probably has a roster spot for this year...overall this unit should be better than last year but it is still very much a work in progress.

 

[Bri]

ByMarkDaniels
Mike Vrabel said the Patriots will have a conversation about Christian Wilkins. Added he recruited him when he coached at Ohio State

 

[Bri]

DougKyed
·
3m
Not seeing WR Ja'Lynn Polk, WR Mack Hollins, S Josh Minkins, OT Vederian Lowe at Day 3 of Patriots training camp.

****
Walk thru today and ...Polk is sitting for "muscle tightness" with a head coach that is obsessed with "availability."

Terrible look. Drink 10000 gatorades, get massages, eat bananas, get on the trainers table, do the stationary bike...guy should have done anything he can to be active today

 

[brun]

DougKyed
·
3m
Not seeing WR Ja'Lynn Polk, WR Mack Hollins, S Josh Minkins, OT Vederian Lowe at Day 3 of Patriots training camp.

****
Walk thru today and ...Polk is sitting for "muscle tightness" with a head coach that is obsessed with "availability."

Terrible look. Drink 10000 gatorades, get massages, eat bananas, get on the trainers table, do the stationary bike...guy should have done anything he can to be active today

Yeah. Chronically unavailable isn't helping the team any more than chronically injured.

 

[Bri]

DougKyed
·
3m
Not seeing WR Ja'Lynn Polk, WR Mack Hollins, S Josh Minkins, OT Vederian Lowe at Day 3 of Patriots training camp.

****
Walk thru today and ...Polk is sitting for "muscle tightness" with a head coach that is obsessed with "availability."

Terrible look. Drink 10000 gatorades, get massages, eat bananas, get on the trainers table, do the stationary bike...guy should have done anything he can to be active today

Yeah. Chronically unavailable isn't helping the team any more than chronically injured.

Vrabel looks like a parent frustrated with a teenager when he talks of this and a guy is about to be gone.
You'll see and ...see it once, you'll know from that point forward. I like it. I can easily relate to it.
If so, then you'll turn into a teenager parent and hoping Baker behaves.
I swear welcome to camp Vrabel

 

[SeniorVBDStudent]

A rare thing we have in common with Jets fans....being stoked for the arrival of football. and rivalry unis.

https://x.com/Patriots/status/1948748074244780069

 

[Boston]

From Bedard today:

RECEIVER

This seems to be the pecking order at the moment, but it's still really early for this:

Stefon Diggs
Kayshon Boutte
Demario Douglas
Kyle Williams
Kendrick Bourne
Efton Chism

After that, we don't know where Mack Hollins (who will be here) and Ja'Lynn Polk (very iffy, needs to get on the field soon, but he does seem to be ramping up) fit in.


And then it's a big dropoff to everyone else, including Javon Baker.

 

[kyoun1e]

Interesting read about the WRs:

Curran: Patriots WR pecking order starting to emerge at training camp

What does the Patriots' wide receiver depth chart look like through two days of training camp? Tom E. Curran shares his early assessment.

www.nbcsportsboston.com

General feeling I am getting about the WRs from what I am hearing is this...Diggs looks good to go...Pop is playing well...Boutte seems to be establishing himself as a solid pro (not sure how much upside though)...Williams looks like he has a lot of potential and should break the drafting bad WRs curse...Chism seems to be losing the momentum he had...Baker is turning into the odd man out...Polk is MIA which is doing him no favors...Bourne's familiarity with McDaniels is going to help him in the short-term (unfortunately)...my guess is they start the year with 6 WRs as Hollins probably has a roster spot for this year...overall this unit should be better than last year but it is still very much a work in progress.

Polk and Baker are as good as gone.

 

[Boston]

Interesting read about the WRs:

Curran: Patriots WR pecking order starting to emerge at training camp

What does the Patriots' wide receiver depth chart look like through two days of training camp? Tom E. Curran shares his early assessment.

www.nbcsportsboston.com

General feeling I am getting about the WRs from what I am hearing is this...Diggs looks good to go...Pop is playing well...Boutte seems to be establishing himself as a solid pro (not sure how much upside though)...Williams looks like he has a lot of potential and should break the drafting bad WRs curse...Chism seems to be losing the momentum he had...Baker is turning into the odd man out...Polk is MIA which is doing him no favors...Bourne's familiarity with McDaniels is going to help him in the short-term (unfortunately)...my guess is they start the year with 6 WRs as Hollins probably has a roster spot for this year...overall this unit should be better than last year but it is still very much a work in progress.

Polk and Baker are as good as gone.

I don't see any path for Baker...he's a goner...Polk is doing himself no favors...if I had to bet right now, I would say he doesn't make it...he is really gonna have to impress if/when he gets on the field and even than that may not be enough if his attitude isn't right...with Diggs looking like he will be ready for week 1 that takes away an opportunity for an extra roster spot in weeks 1-4 which some had projected...Chism may not make it thru to the practice squad so that factors into this whole equation...if they like him they may have to give him a roster spot...a trade of someone like Bourne is still possible but as we have stated in the past the return would be minimal...with FA WRs like Cooper, Davis, Allen, Agholor and Boyd available for nothing why give up a pick for Bourne.

 

[SeniorVBDStudent]

Stefon Diggs
Kayshon Boutte
Demario Douglas
Kyle Williams
Kendrick Bourne
Efton Chism
Mack Hollins

plus the TEs plus the RBs feels like riches compared to the last 3 years.

 

[kyoun1e]

Interesting read about the WRs:

Curran: Patriots WR pecking order starting to emerge at training camp

What does the Patriots' wide receiver depth chart look like through two days of training camp? Tom E. Curran shares his early assessment.

www.nbcsportsboston.com

General feeling I am getting about the WRs from what I am hearing is this...Diggs looks good to go...Pop is playing well...Boutte seems to be establishing himself as a solid pro (not sure how much upside though)...Williams looks like he has a lot of potential and should break the drafting bad WRs curse...Chism seems to be losing the momentum he had...Baker is turning into the odd man out...Polk is MIA which is doing him no favors...Bourne's familiarity with McDaniels is going to help him in the short-term (unfortunately)...my guess is they start the year with 6 WRs as Hollins probably has a roster spot for this year...overall this unit should be better than last year but it is still very much a work in progress.

Polk and Baker are as good as gone.

I don't see any path for Baker...he's a goner...Polk is doing himself no favors...if I had to bet right now, I would say he doesn't make it...he is really gonna have to impress if/when he gets on the field and even than that may not be enough if his attitude isn't right...with Diggs looking like he will be ready for week 1 that takes away an opportunity for an extra roster spot in weeks 1-4 which some had projected...Chism may not make it thru to the practice squad so that factors into this whole equation...if they like him they may have to give him a roster spot...a trade of someone like Bourne is still possible but as we have stated in the past the return would be minimal...with FA WRs like Cooper, Davis, Allen, Agholor and Boyd available for nothing why give up a pick for Bourne.

I'm surprised they don't take a flyer on Cooper or Allen for a year. Why not? Surround Maye with more talent at what should be low cost.

 

[SeniorVBDStudent]

Genius talking heads expect Pats to try to land a big WR in trade. They mention McLaurin and Juwan Jennings. This is equivalent to me saying I'm going to either order the ribeye or chopped steak.

 

[Bri]

Genius talking heads expect Pats to try to land a big WR in trade. They mention McLaurin and Juwan Jennings. This is equivalent to me saying I'm going to either order the ribeye or chopped steak.

They have the most cap space so this will probably be a theme this summer by talking heads

 

[Lansdowne]

The problem with potentially trading for McLaurin is the contract he’d demand on top of whatever assets they’d have to move for him. He’s a steady performer and averaged 75-1050-5. Pretty dang solid but he’s going to want to get paid based on his TD spike performance last year (13 TD) and he’s entering his age 30 season which means whatever contract he gets probably won’t age well after a few years. He’s absolutely wise to try to secure the bag now but I’m not sure I want the Pats to be the ones to give it to him. In a vacuum it would be exciting to add him to the offense but the cost of acquisition may not be worth the return on investment. I don’t see it happening anyway but it gives something for the media to speculate on. I’ll bet the Commanders eventually strike a deal with him, they’re not going to want to derail the momentum they have with their young franchise QB.

 

[kyoun1e]

Interesting read about the WRs:

Curran: Patriots WR pecking order starting to emerge at training camp

What does the Patriots' wide receiver depth chart look like through two days of training camp? Tom E. Curran shares his early assessment.

www.nbcsportsboston.com

General feeling I am getting about the WRs from what I am hearing is this...Diggs looks good to go...Pop is playing well...Boutte seems to be establishing himself as a solid pro (not sure how much upside though)...Williams looks like he has a lot of potential and should break the drafting bad WRs curse...Chism seems to be losing the momentum he had...Baker is turning into the odd man out...Polk is MIA which is doing him no favors...Bourne's familiarity with McDaniels is going to help him in the short-term (unfortunately)...my guess is they start the year with 6 WRs as Hollins probably has a roster spot for this year...overall this unit should be better than last year but it is still very much a work in progress.

Polk and Baker are as good as gone.

Lol. Baker with a 70 yard TD today.

He's coming on!!

 

[SeniorVBDStudent]

The problem with potentially trading for McLaurin is the contract he’d demand on top of whatever assets they’d have to move for him. He’s a steady performer and averaged 75-1050-5. Pretty dang solid but he’s going to want to get paid based on his TD spike performance last year (13 TD) and he’s entering his age 30 season which means whatever contract he gets probably won’t age well after a few years. He’s absolutely wise to try to secure the bag now but I’m not sure I want the Pats to be the ones to give it to him. In a vacuum it would be exciting to add him to the offense but the cost of acquisition may not be worth the return on investment. I don’t see it happening anyway but it gives something for the media to speculate on. I’ll bet the Commanders eventually strike a deal with him, they’re not going to want to derail the momentum they have with their young franchise QB.

completely agree, but this doesn't stop the talking heads from babbling incessantly. really dislike that part of preseason.

 

[Boston]

Is Boutte climbing the WR depth chart? Curran and Perry discuss

Tom E. Curran and Phil Perry discuss Kayshon Boutte seemingly climbing the Patriots’ wide receiver depth chart early in training camp.

www.nbcsportsboston.com

 

[Bri]

Sirius has the rookie T started his first day in pads being knocked down to one knee and finished putting someone in the dirt.

I like that. Succinct. A day in the life of a rookie. All that type stuff.

 

[SeniorVBDStudent]

rookie fullback to IR. bummer as it was setting up as back to the future run game with mcdaniels and fullback.

 

[Boston]

Both Campbell and Wilson seem to be impressing...would be such a positive for them if they found the anchors to their O-line out of one draft...as far as the draft goes there are some positive early signs...besides Campbell and Wilson Henderson has been impressing and it appears Williams is worthy of his third round selection but is still a work in progress...Woodson looks like he will contribute and the rookie kicker may be their long-term answer...not hearing much (good or bad) on Farmer, Swinson, Bryant and Ashby...I guess Minor has started a scuffle or two.

Been a constant drumbeat of positive news about Boutte...he not only seems like a lock but right now he is probably in their top 3 along with Pop and Diggs with Williams probably settling in as the #4 as of right now...reports are Baker and Polk actually looked good yesterday...not hearing much about Bourne and Hollins is still MIA...haven't heard anything about Chism lately so the shine may be off of him...would not bother me if they moved on from Bourne and gave one of the youngsters an opportunity.

Perry's Stock Watch: Patriots' rookie o-linemen star in 1-on-1 battles

Phil Perry spotlights the Patriots players who shined and those who struggled during Tuesday’s training camp practice in Foxboro.

www.nbcsportsboston.com

How Kayshon Boutte has impressed so far at Patriots training camp

Tom E. Curran and Phil Perry explain why they’re high on Kayshon Boutte amid the third-year Patriots wideout’s impressive training camp.

www.nbcsportsboston.com

MSN

From Bedard:
Rookie linemen making a move: Draft picks Will Campbell and Jared Wilson each went an impressive 2-0 in 1-on-1 reps, and it wasn't against slappies, either. Campbell, who lost his only rep Monday to Keion White, got the best of White and K'Lavon Chaisson on Tuesday. Both times, Campbell was able to latch on to the rushers and show off his very strong hands. If Campbell gets a hold of you, he's tough to shake loose from. Campbell also appeared to have a strong practice. He did give up a sack to Chaisson, but Campbell seemed to argue the DE jumped the snap early - which has been an issue (no refs yet).

Wilson defeated Christian Barmore in both his reps and showed little stress is shutting down the DT. He's very efficient and plays with great technique. In practice, it seemed like Wilson had jumped to the head of the line at left guard over Caeden Wallace and Cole Strange, who dropped behind Wilson and Wallace in terms of pecking order. Wilson also received good reps at center. That might be useful because Garrett Bradbury went down near the end of practice and did not return. That could stunt Wilson's assault on the left guard position if Bradbury is sidelined.

 

[Bri]

A JRob interview just ended. Some Patriots organization mentions and Vrabel.
He works for an agency now that prepares coaches, executives, and players for interviews. He told a couple stories one was Brock Bowers. Watching tape and doing mock interviews and everything to get ready.

Whenever it comes out who they represent next year...I think some do you diehard Pats fans should review their draft prep clients.

Vrabel is definitely calling his BFF to get his thoughts on players he sat down with. I wouldn't be surprised if there's some sort of cheat some sort of hmmm to that list. Y'all know his background and that'll speak to the organization too.

I don't know exactly just guessing but I'd bet there's gonna be something there for you to chew on

 

[greenmountaingoat]

The prospect of having 3/5 O Linemen that would even have a chance to start for many other teams is like rain in the desert.

Campbell -- Strange/Wilson -- Wilson/Bradbury-- Onwenu -- Moses.

And having one of Strange or Bradbury getting pushed to the bench and being able to fill in. Good god.

Obviously they're not done and still don't have enough quality depth. But if Wilson emerges, it's huge.

 

[Boston]

From Bedard:

FIVE ASCENDING PLAYERS

G/C Jared Wilson: This is a layup considering how much I've been writing about him. It didn't take him very long to show that he's an NFL starter either at center or left guard. Apparently the Patriots think Wilson at left guard and Garrett Bradbury at center is the best path forward for the team. That will leave them an all-rookie left side of the line, but I have no issues with that as Wilson and Will Campbell are mature and very smart - they aren't your normal rookies. Wilson has a great build for the interior with a powerful lower body, and his balance is excellent; you rarely see him off-kilter.

CB DJ James: Former sixth-round pick by the Seahawks who spent all of last season on the Patriots' practice squad had an interception the first day and has just continued to make plays every single day to rise to defacto starter opposite Carlton Davis (when he's out there) with Christian Gonzalez on the mend. Not the biggest guy, but he has long arms for his size to help him deflect balls away.

DE K'Lavon Chaisson: Hasn't shown great in one-on-ones, but he has in team periods. He has appeared to pick up where he left off for the Raiders at the end of last season, when he had 16 pressures in his last six games. And he's not just a designated pass rusher, either. The Patriots have used him in run situations as well. He's built low to the ground and has shown good flexibility going low around the tackles.

WR Kayshon Boutte: Figured it was just a matter of time before the Patriots moved on from Boutte in a crowded receivers room, but he's been a consistent performer throughout camp and has earned starter reps. We'll see if that changes with Mack Hollins back, but as of today, Boutte is solidly on this team.

OG Caeden Wallace: Another young player with a dubious future entering camp after a wasted rookie season in which he entered as a possible left tackle, ended up at right tackle and then was switched to left guard entering training camp. It's been a transition, but Wallace has had a solid camp to the point that he apparently has beaten out Cole Strange for backup left guard. And Mike Vrabel actually said nice things about Wallace. “Big, strong, powerful kid, and just looking to put everybody in an opportunity for them to excel and a place to compete, which he’s done,” Vrabel said. “I would say that he’s been headed in the right direction these last couple days since we put pads on. I think he’s gotten more comfortable. I think he’s – they all have – everybody’s going to make mistakes, but I think that there’s been a lot of really positive plays and then continue to move forward.”

FIVE DESCENDING PLAYERS

G/C Cole Strange: We covered most of this on Wednesday, but he's gone from the starter at left guard to third string at center. There's still time for him to recover, but it needs to happen soon.

WR Kendrick Bourne: There was a lot of optimism for Bourne entering this camp, considering his background in this offense, but it hasn't really translated on the field. He was on the backup field on Thursday, while even Javon Baker was over with the starters. And Bourne hasn't gotten many looks in practice, either. Seems like it's Boutte vs. Bourne, and right now Boutte is winning.

DE Anfernee Jennings: He's still the same good, solid player he rose to last season — he shows up against the run and the pass in team periods — but it just seems like he can't quality reps in practice behind Harold Landry, Keion White and K'Lavon Chaisson. And there are some talented youngsters like Truman Jones, Elijah Ponder and Bradyn Swinson who seem like better fits for this defense. You would think Jennings would be a prime trade candidate.

OG Layden Robinson: This started a while ago, so not much of a surprise, but Robinson just can't get any traction and looks beyond the third team. It's too bad, because Robinson is very talented, and he shows that off in 1-on-1s. But it doesn't translate to the team game on the practice field. Maybe the light goes on soon.

K Andy Borregales: Has made a big comeback the past few days, making all nine of his attempts, but he got off to a rough 4 for 8 start, and Parker Romo hasn't cooled off yet. A very long ways to go in this competition.