After a day off Sunday, the Patriots were back at it Monday, and even the rain couldn’t knock the session off its track. The team moved inside the FieldHouse, kept the pads on, and spent the day working in the red zone with a clear emphasis on the run game.
There was movement on the roster front, too. Running back Terrell Jennings was activated off the NFI list and got a handful of reps in full-team work. He also showed up as a kick returner in his first practice of the summer.
On the injury side, wide receiver Kyle Williams was limited after arriving late to practice and not taking part following what looked like a banged-up Saturday. Offensive guard Caedan Wallace, who also suffered an injury Saturday, was a new absence.
Meanwhile, TE C.J. Dippre, ED Harold Landry III, and S Brenden Schooler remained on PUP/NFI.
One of the more notable developments came from rookie pass rusher Gabe Jacas. After making his practice debut Saturday, he raised his participation level Monday, taking a handful of full-team reps and one 1-on-1 snap.
He won that rep cleanly, beating depth tackle Lorenz Metz around the edge. OLB coach Mike Smith, though, had the last laugh after Jacas bullrushed him over in drills last practice.
Smith acted like he was giving his group instruction with Jacas next in line, then tackled him onto a pad and added a few playful punches.
With Williams out, Mack Hollins and Efton Chism III stayed busy. Hollins caught five passes from Tommy DeVito, and three of them went for touchdowns: a slant, a play-action crosser, and a goal-line fade.
He couldn’t come down with his lone target from Drake Maye in the end zone. Chism, meanwhile, got some reps with Maye’s offense in run packages and caught three balls from DeVito, including a high-point touchdown grab over Marcellas Dial in the back of the end zone.
There was also a scare for A.J. Brown after Christian Gonzalez pressed him in a 1-on-1 rep and Brown suffered a dislocated thumb.
He spent time with trainers and wore a brace, but he did not miss any snaps and still caught three passes from Maye in full-team work. Kayshon Boutte added two touchdown receptions from DeVito, including a fade in the end zone to close practice.
At cornerback, Charles Woods continued to handle top duties opposite Christian Gonzalez while Carlton Davis stayed sidelined. Woods made a strong breakup along the goal line against Romeo Doubs.
The Patriots also gave more chances to younger corners. UDFA Channing Canada earned a late first-team rep after a solid day that included a breakup on Hollins, and rookie Karon Prunty kept stacking positives by forcing an incompletion on a go-ball against A.J.
Brown and nearly intercepting Behren Morton.
Inside on the line, the 1-on-1 work offered a good look at the trenches. Rookie tackle Caleb Lomu appeared to split his six reps, but he was overset and beaten inside by both Quintayvious Hutchins and Bradyn Swinson.
Hutchins also turned in a strong win over Marcus Bryant, as his speed rush kept popping. On the other side, rookie offensive tackle Dametrious Crownover had a good day, using his length to beat Elijah Ponder and also picking up a win over Swinson.
The Patriots’ run game had its most competitive day of camp so far, and the screen game chipped in a pair of positive plays. Drake Maye threw just 14 passes, with plenty of play-action and screen work built into the day’s script. On third-and-short, the team changed the atmosphere by pumping loud sirens through the speakers instead of the usual music.
Rookie tight ends Eli Raridon and Tanner Arkin continued to work with the first-team offense. Raridon had a drop in the end zone on his lone target from DeVito, but he also appeared to help pave the way in-line next to Morgan Moses on a long Rhamondre Stevenson touchdown run.
Veteran offensive lineman James Hudson got some reps at guard and won a 1-on-1 there with a strong anchor against Jeremiah Pharms. Chad Muma also stood out with a pass breakup while covering Stevenson out of the backfield and added a quick stuff in run defense.
On kick returns, Jennings and Chism were first up, followed by Lan Larison, Channing Canada, Kobe Prentice, Jam Miller, and Myles Montgomery.
The Patriots return to the practice fields Tuesday at 10:15 a.m. ET, with full pads expected.
In Other News...
A.J. Brown Injury Raises A Big Drake Maye Concern In New England
Training camp has already offered the Patriots one of their more encouraging developments in the passing game, with A.J. Brown building a noticeable connection with Drake Maye. For a young quarterback still shaping his timing and trust with receivers, that kind of chemistry matters, especially as New England tries to find some rhythm before the preseason gets rolling.
Brown's thumb injury, though, has introduced an unwelcome layer of uncertainty to that progress. Even with the issue being watched closely, anything that affects a receiver's hands can matter in a camp setting, and the Patriots now have to hope the momentum Brown and Maye were building can keep moving forward without interruption. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Camp Battle Is Already Putting One Roster Hope In Trouble
A week into Patriots training camp, the offensive line picture is already starting to take shape, and not everyone is benefiting from the early shuffling. Will Campbell, Caleb Lomu and Dametrious Crownover have all put together notable stretches, which has only sharpened the competition for backup spots and made the depth chart more interesting as the team sorts out its protection options.
Caedan Wallace is one of the players feeling that squeeze. The third-year guard has slipped behind in the race for a reserve job and has been running with the third-team group in recent practices, a sign that his hold on a roster spot is far from secure. Unless New England decides to keep a bigger offensive line group than expected, Wallace will need to make up ground quickly to stay in the mix. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Camp Just Raised Bigger Roster Questions Than Expected
Heavy rain pushed the Patriots eighth training camp practice indoors, but the change of venue did not quiet the competition. Reporters got a closer look at red zone work and player interactions, with several veterans back on the field, including Reggie Gilliam, Alijah Vera-Tucker, Morgan Moses and Terrell Jennings. The session had a sharper edge than a typical rainy-day workout, with Mack Hollins, Efton Chism III, Kyle Dixon and Christian Gonzalez among the players who stood out as the team worked through a series of competitive drills.
The setup also added a strange layer of noise, as siren sounds were introduced during third-and-short situations to make the offense fight through distractions. Even with some players still absent, the day underscored how quickly camp can turn into a roster evaluation, especially when familiar names are back in the mix and the staff is still sorting out who fits where. One of the more interesting little signs from the field suggested a possible change coming behind the scenes, the kind of move that often says as much about a players standing as any rep in practice. [Read more 🡒]