The 2026 New England Patriots have hit the ground running. Well, most of them, anyway.
The Patriots held their second practice of organized team activities (OTAs) on Wednesday at Gillette Stadium, and their first session open to the media. They’ll have seven more OTA practices over the next two weeks — May 29, June 1, June 2, June 4, June 8, June 9 and June 11 — before mandatory minicamp starts June 15.
Since OTAs are technically optional, there were some notable names missing from Wednesday’s practice. New England’s wide receiver room also might look different next week, as the team reportedly is still on track to trade for Philadelphia Eagles star A.J. Brown on or shortly after June 1.
As for those who were in attendance for the shorts-and-T-shirts session? Here’s a roundup of observations with insight from Patriots Insider Phil Perry, who was on the scene in Foxboro.
Attendance
Wide receiver Kayshon Boutte and cornerback Christian Gonzalez were the two most notable absences Wednesday.
- Kayshon Boutte, WR
- Mack Hollins, WR
- Kyle Dixon, WR
- Christian Gonzalez, CB
- Carlton Davis, CB
- Gabe Jacas, OLB
- Harold Landry, OLB
Boutte has been away from the team working out on his own this spring, and he’s been speculated as a potential trade option if and when New England acquires A.J. Brown. Gonzalez, meanwhile, is eligible for an extension this offseason, so his situation is worth monitoring as well.
QB breakdown
Starter Drake Maye took a majority of the reps during the 11-on-11 period, with Tommy DeVito slotting in as the backup.
Here are Perry’s observations of Maye’s day (via X):
Drake Maye’s first pass of the day in team periods was a completed slant to Romeo Doubs. He followed that up with a deep over to DeMario Douglas that was threaded through the secondary.
He later layered one down the field to Hunter Henry after stepping up in the pocket. Sharp early.
Not a perfect day for Maye, though. He was picked by rookie cornerback Karon Prunty later on a misfired out route intended for Kyle Williams. He and Doubs couldn’t connect deep, and Maye had a miscommunication with Henry that led to an incompletion.
He also missed one low to Lan Larison to finish up a bit of a rocky stretch.
Offensive line report
Here’s a look at the offensive line that took first-team reps with Maye under center:
- LT Will Campbell
- LG Alijah Vera-Tucker
- C Jared Wilson
- RG Mike Onwenu
- RT Morgan Moses
Vera-Tucker didn’t participate in 11-on-11 drills, per Perry, instead doing conditioning work during that period. But the veteran free-agent signing was New England’s “top option” in half-speed periods or periods with no defense, according to Perry.
A few other o-line notes, via Perry:
- Andrew Rupcich, who joined the Patriots’ practice squad last September, filled in for Vera-Tucker during 11-on-11s.
- Rookie Caleb Lomu “rotated in” at right tackle with Morgan Moses and didn’t take any snaps at left tackle.
- Second-year left tackle Will Campbell, who suffered an MCL sprain last November, “moved well” and “took a full complement of reps” on Wednesday, per Perry.
“(Campbell) was often the first to finish among offensive linemen in conditioning runs at the end,” Perry added.
Vrabel brings his usual energy
It’s been a long two months for head coach Mike Vrabel, who was photographed with NFL reporter Dianna Russini at a private resort in Arizona in late March and missed Day 3 of the 2026 NFL Draft while he sought counseling.
When asked Wednesday if he plans to miss any more time, Vrabel responded:
“I can only tell you I’m going to be there today … I can’t tell you anything other than I’m going to be out there today in full force.”
According to Perry, that was certainly the case Wednesday.
“(Vrabel) seemed like himself in the first open practice of the spring,” Perry wrote on X. “Loud. Got after players in a good-natured way during conditioning runs. Donned a No. 14 pinny at the end and got blocked by Will Campbell.”
Opportunity in the secondary
With cornerbacks Gonzalez and Davis both absent, Kobee Minor and Kindle Vildor slotted in as the Patriots’ starting cornerbacks during team periods.
“Vildor covered Romeo Doubs deep to help force an incompletion at one point,” Perry wrote. “He later had a pass breakup on a Drake Maye pass to Douglas.”
New safety Mike Brown also got some run with the starting defense in a three-safety grouping that included Kevin Byard and Craig Woodson.
Quotes of note
Drake Maye on new Patriots wideout Romeo Doubs:
“He’s eager. That’s the best thing you see in a new receiver in a new offense like Romeo… You kind of (have to) learn how he likes to do things, how he sees it.”
Milton Williams on the possibility of New England adding ex-Eagles teammate A.J. Brown:
“You see the noise. Shoot, helluva player. He can definitely help our team. But they don’t pay me to do that.”
Drake Maye on … whatever this question was:
