FOXBORO - The New England Patriots hit the brakes on day three of training camp, and the slower pace still managed to reveal a few things about how the roster is sorting itself out.
Sunday’s walkthrough lasted just under 90 minutes, with both sides spending much of the session walking or jogging through the work. There were no organized competitive drills, which meant no passing stats and no real highlight-reel moments. But even in a light session, the depth chart kept speaking.
One of the clearer developments came at wide receiver. Kyle Williams, who had gotten off to a relatively quiet start to camp, was moved down to the scout team unit for drills. The second-year pass catcher had been one of the players to watch after a busy offseason, but on this day the top receiver group went elsewhere.
The six wideouts working with the first offensive unit were AJ Brown, Romeo Doubs, Mack Hollins, Kayshon Boutte, DeMario Douglas and Efton Chism III. All six have been involved in the passing game through the first three days, while Williams is still waiting for that first big play to arrive. That becomes even more important with pads set to come on later this week, when there will be more snaps available on the outside for the 23-year-old Washington State alum, who was one of the team’s offseason award winners.
Drake Maye continued to look comfortable running the offense, and the sense around camp is that he’s settling in more and more under Josh McDaniels. DeMario Douglas said the quarterback has a better handle on the playbook this summer, and that showed in the way Maye moved through the day.
Up front, the Patriots got veteran tackle Moses back after his load management day on Sunday. He returned to the starting lineup, while first-round rookie Caleb Lomu slid back to the second team.
Lomu stayed on the right side, but for now the veteran still holds the top spot. Moses, who has played a lot of football, said he’s excited to play for a 13th season.
There was also movement in the backfield picture, though not at the top. Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson remain the top two, and Larison continued to operate as the RB3.
With Terrell Jennings on the non-football injury list, the third running back spot has turned into a four-man battle, and Larison has been getting a bigger share of the reps. He even saw work with Maye and the first unit.
The absences were mostly expected. Reggie Gilliam, who missed Sunday in what looked like a load management day, was back in full capacity. The five players on active injury lists - Terrell Jennings, CJ Dippre, Harold Landry, Gabe Jacas and Brenden Schooler - were all out again.
At kicker, Andy Borregales is the only one in camp, but he knows the job still has to be won. “I say that it's me versus me, no matter who I'm actually going against because at the end of the day, I have to be the best version of myself. ... Maybe I'm the only kicker, but technically I haven't made the team yet, so it's really just proving it to myself and the team that I'm worthy of being their kicker.”
The Patriots will close out their four-day stretch with a quicker practice Monday at 10:15 a.m. That will be the final workout before an off day on Wednesday, and then it’s likely the pads finally come on Thursday.
In Other News...
Patriots Camp Just Sent A Troubling Message About The Receiver Battle
Training camp has only just opened, but the Patriots are already making the kind of roster moves that tend to tell you where the real battles are. New England claimed rookie wide receiver Kobe Prentice off waivers from the Panthers, a move that came with a corresponding release of first-year offensive lineman Sebastian Gutierrez, and the team also added tight end Jeremiah Franklin and Gabe Jacas as it continued sorting through the early camp mix.
For a receiver group trying to establish itself under Mike Vrabels staff, the timing matters. The Patriots have been busy with fan events, practice sessions and a round of press conferences from Vrabel and team executives, yet the more revealing news has come in the personnel churn around the bottom of the roster. Adding Prentice gives the group another young name to watch, and the fact that New England felt the need to keep adjusting the board this early suggests the competition at receiver is already getting tighter than anyone would prefer. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Camp Just Dropped An Early Roster Clue Fans Will Obsess Over
Mondays training camp walkthrough gave a quieter look at the Patriots roster picture after two faster-paced practices, but even in a lighter session, a few pecking orders stood out. Lan Larison kept working as the third running back behind Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson, which is the kind of early camp detail that usually matters more than the drill itself.
At receiver, Kyle Williams and Efton Chism III continue to rotate in the fight for what appears to be the next depth opening behind the established top options. The tight end group is also worth watching, with Tanner Arkin getting meaningful reps as the Patriots sort through the fallout from Julian Hills season-ending injury and try to settle on who can handle the next layer of the depth chart. [Read more 🡒]
Romeo Doubs Is Already Facing Pressure In Patriots Camp
Romeo Doubs arrived in New England with a chance to carve out a real role, but the early returns in camp have been uneven. Through offseason workouts and the first two training camp practices, the receiver has looked like he is still getting comfortable in Josh McDaniels offense, with route adjustments and the timing of reads still a work in progress as he tries to settle in alongside Drake Maye.
The bigger issue for Doubs is that the competition around him is not standing still. DeMario Douglas has been handling the slot work, Kayshon Boutte has looked ahead of him on the boundary, and the Patriots have not even reached padded practices yet, which means the pace is only going to pick up from here. With preseason games approaching, Doubs has time to close the gap, but he also has to show he can turn a slow start into something more convincing before the depth chart hardens. [Read more 🡒]