The New England Patriots donned their pads again on Sunday for an extended practice in rainy Foxboro, lasting over two hours.
Here’s a summary of the day on the backfields of Gillette Stadium.
Attendance:
Absent: TE Austin Hooper*, DL Armon Watts*, LB Joshua Uche, WR JaQuae Jackson, TE Hunter Henry, DL Christian Barmore, WR Kendrick Bourne (PUP), G Cole Strange (PUP), LB Sione Takitaki (PUP)
Limited: CB Shaun Wade
Did not participate: OT Calvin Anderson, LB Oshane Ximines, LB/S Marte Mapu, OL Nick Leverett
Injured: TE Mitchell Wilcox
*New addition
On Sunday, the Patriots experienced a couple of new absences, as tight end Austin Hooper was missing after leaving practice early on Saturday, and defensive lineman Armon Watts was also not seen at the session.
The tight end group faced another setback when Mitchell Wilcox, the primary option with Hunter Henry and Hooper unavailable, left early due to a suspected leg injury.
Key Observations:
Maye remains QB2: Although Drake Maye wrapped up Saturday’s practice with some reps behind the starting offensive line, he continued to sit behind Jacoby Brissett and did not receive any snaps from center David Andrews on Sunday.
Maye’s performance is improving as the rookie appears more decisive and smooth in the red zone. His standout play came during 11-on-11s when he delivered a perfect throw on a corner route to K.J. Osborn, who made an impressive catch against Marcus Jones.
In contrast, Brissett struggled with his accuracy again, facing several overthrows. He did manage to lead one field goal drive during the only hurry-up session of the day, completing 4-of-8 passes.
Repeatedly noted, Maye has proven he deserves significant starting reps; he has been the standout quarterback on the field.
**Late Tackle Adjustments:** The Patriots’ main offensive line remained unchanged on Sunday, featuring Vederian Lowe and Chuks Okorafor as the primary tackles, with Sidy Sow, David Andrews, and Mike Onwenu handling the interior positions.
However, after experimenting with various offensive line configurations during Saturday’s practice, the rotations continued on Sunday. Noteworthy adjustments included rookies Caedan Wallace (at right tackle) and Layden Robinson (at left guard) participating in the 11-on-11 drills. Wallace particularly stepped in for Okorafor at right tackle during the last hurry-up drill with Brissett at quarterback.
In some practice segments, when Maye was taking snaps, Okorafor also played left tackle, with Onwenu moving to right tackle.
“We’re optimistic about our offensive line group,” said Eliot Wolf, the executive vice president of player personnel, before practice. “We’re still searching for the ideal combination, but I believe we have the components needed to compete.”
**Three Touchdowns:** With the top three tight ends unavailable, Jaheim Bell received more playing time and capitalized on it, catching three touchdowns from Brissett, Maye, and Joe Milton during an 11-on-11 drill in the low red zone. Each touchdown came from similar patterns with Bell moving to the flat along the goal line.
**Slye Takes the Lead:** Both Chad Ryland and Joey Slye had not practiced live field goals for several sessions, but on Sunday, they took kicks from distance while the team huddled nearby creating distractions. Ryland started and ended with a 3-of-5 performance, making a 43-yard kick in a hurry-up scenario but missing attempts from 49 and 56 yards. Slye followed, converting all four of his attempts.
**Summer Performance Update:** Ryland’s stats now stand at 32-of-39, while Slye has hit 33-of-39, indicating that the veteran currently holds the advantage in their competition.
**Slip-and-Slide Fun:** The beloved tradition returned on Sunday as the Patriots began practice at the rear of the fields, where equipment staff had soaked an area of grass. David Andrews took over the hose, while rookies and some second-year players tried to retrieve a loose football from the slick grass and mud.
As Rose Royce’s “Car Wash” played in the background, the tradition extended to the coaching staff, with several new coaches joining in the fun.
