News Patriots Team Notes

[New England Patriots]

New England Patriots links 8/13/25 – Vikings a better litmus test for Pats

TEAM TALK

• Game Preview: Patriots at Vikings. Series history, team connections, tale of the tape.
• Roster moves: Patriots sign rookie RB Shane Watts and release RB Deneric Prince.
• Highlights: Patriots equipment staff packs for Minnesota. (2 min. video)
• Patriots Unfiltered: Observations and takeaways from preseason win vs. Commanders; Vikings joint practice preview. (2 hours)

LOCAL LINKS

• Mark Morse explains how this is a very important week for New England. The Vikings are going to be a much better litmus test of the offense and defense.
• Ethan Hurwitz identifies three Patriots who need to stand out this week: WR Javon Baker, CB Carlton Davis and the reserve offensive linemen.
• Ian Logue‘s Patriots Notebook: Big test for Maye, decision-making still under fire.
• Tom E. Curran spotlights six biggest surprises through three weeks of Patriots training camp. 1. Kyle Dugger getting leapfrogged? 2. Javon Baker redemption. 3. Drake Maye’s ball security.
• Doug Kyed‘s Patriots stock watch from first three weeks of training camp. Who’s up, who’s down?
• Khari Thompson‘s roster watch: 5 possible candidates for a surprise cut. Cole Strange included.
• Meghan Ottolini tries to figure out which wide receivers will make the Patriots’ 53-man roster.
• Sara Marshall says the Patriots only needed one preseason game to find their next James White
• Jerry Thornton writes how although the Patriots lost one potential folk hero for the year, they have another one emerging before our very eyes.
• Mark Daniels is hearing that draft status won’t factor in to the Patriots kicking competition.
• Lauren Campbell highlights Drake Maye describing the culture Mike Vrabel brings to the Patriots: ‘Leave your ego at the door.’
• Michael DeVito sees the Patriots rallying behind Mike Vrabel in a way they never did for Jerod Mayo
• Khari Thompson tells us what Josh McDaniels said about whether the team could adopt the ‘tush push.’
• Conor Ryan relays former Pats wideout Julian Edelman on how he was impressed with what he saw during his visit at training camp last week. “I didn’t know what was going on.”
• Karen Guregian was impressed when rookie wideout Kyle Williams showed off his juggling skills.

NATIONAL NEWS

• Michael David Smith (ProFootballTalk) Patriots receivers coach Todd Downing: Stefon Diggs is where we want him to be.
• Jared Dubin (CBS Sports) Every AFC team’s biggest challenge in 2025. Patriots: Drake Maye’s supporting cast. /Click for commentary.
• Josh Alper (ProFootballTalk) Patriots sign RB Shane Watts.
• Garrett Podell (CBS Sports) Good, bad, ugly from each team’s preseason opener. Patriots: The good: The top of their rookie class. The bad and the ugly: Campbell … getting beat clear off the line of scrimmage directly led to a fumble by starting quarterback Drake Maye — the team’s only turnover of the night. /More.
• NFL Nation (ESPN) Win-loss record ceilings, floors for all NFL teams in 2025. Patriots ceiling: 11-6, floor: 6-11. Biggest X factor: The Mike Vrabel effect. /Click for commentary.
• Bill Williamson (Yahoo! Sports) 4 NFL teams that will make the playoffs in 2025 after missing in 2024. Patriots included in the “Out on a limb” tier.
• Kevin Patra (NFL.com) James Cook, Bills agree to terms on four-year, $48 million contract extension.
• Jeffri Chadiha (NFL.com) NFL warning signs? Early concerns in training camp/preseason.
• Michael David Smith (ProFootballTalk) Dan Campbell motivated by talk of Lions struggling after losing both coordinators. /The consequence for having a good season.
• Mike McDaniel (SI) Andy Reid dismisses speculation that Chiefs’ Super Bowl window is closing. /Hee hee.
• Mike Kadlick (SI) Five takeaways from Episode 2 of ‘Hard Knocks: Training camp with the Buffalo Bills’
• Michael David Smith (ProFootballTalk) Oklahoma QB John Mateer says he never bet on sports amid scrutiny of Venmo transactions. /C’mon man… I’ve seen my kids’ venmo transactions and they’re hilarious. I absolutely believe this kid was joking. People really need to lighten up.
• ESPN Films (ESPN) Trailer: Seau. (1 min. video) /Sad.

Source: https://www.patspulpit.com/new-engl...news-links-8-13-25-vikings-better-litmus-test

 

[New England Patriots]

New England Patriots links 8/14/25 – ‘Haymakers’ fly at joint practice; Maye doesn’t blink

TEAM TALK

• Evan Lazar gives us 11 takeaways on the offense in Wednesday’s joint practice vs. the Vikings. 1. Maye seemed to handle Flores’s pressure package well, finding completions as practice wore on. There were a few instances where it was debatable whether or not Maye would’ve escaped a sack, but he seemed to hit a few roll-out completions that would’ve been good in a game. When facing a blitz-heavy defense, Maye’s ability to get out of dodge is a bonus; More.
• Transcripts: Mike Vrabel and Drake Maye.
• Press Conferences: K’Lavon Chaisson, Carlton Davis, Garrett Bradbury and Mack Hollins. (27 min. video)
• Mike Dussault and Evan Lazar break down the Patriots joint practice against the Vikings in Minnesota. Big plays and trading “haymakers.” (4 min. video)

LOCAL LINKS

• Andrew Callahan‘s Day 1 joint practice takeaways: Drake Maye, TreVeyon Henderson hit long TD in 2-minute drill; ‘All told, the Pats wrestled Minnesota to something close to a draw or a small win Wednesday, thanks to the pressure their defense generated against the Vikings’ offense on another field. Seven different players tallied would-be sacks, and several others had run stuffs’.
• Mark Daniels shares 6 Patriots takeaways from an eventful practice: O-line tested, Big highlight plays, Defense felt good; More.
• NBC Sports Boston‘s Patriots-Vikings joint practice recap: Roller-coaster Day 1 for offense; More!
• Mike Reiss shares the latest intel and updates from training camp. Kyle Dugger update; CB Marcus Jones had an interception of QB J.J. McCarthy in 7-on-7 drills on a pass sailed over the middle; Vikings’ pressure-oriented defense was noted by starting center Garrett Bradbury, who said of the team’s blocking performance: “Some good, some bad. When we blocked it up, we hit some home runs.” More.
• Mark Morse notes joint practice #1 was a good test of the progress of the offense & defense. Drake Maye had a good practice against a difficult Vikings defense. He fought back after a tough start; I think the Patriots have a drastically improved pass rush based on the quality opponent they went up against today; More.
• Karen Guregian emphasizes how Drake Maye didn’t blink under Brian Flores’ barrage of pressure.
• Michael Hurley relays Phil Perry on how Drake Maye had a better day than J.J. McCarthy at practice.
• Mark Daniels tells us how the offensive line fared vs. a talented Vikings defense.
• Conor Ryan notes WR Mack Hollins punted a football into crowd during joint practice yesterday because he believed the team needed a spark.
• Conor Ryan spotlights four training camp battles that are heating up: The kicker competition, wideouts on the roster bubble, Craig Woodson’s pursuit of starting reps, Depth at O-line.
• Conor Ryan projects the roster heading into preseason Week 2: Pats have some tough decisions to make at WR and other positions.
• Khari Thompson points out that if the Patriots start rookies at left tackle and left guard they will be only the second team to do it in the last 25 years.
• Jerry Thornton says the early returns on Will Campbell are that the Patriots ‘love what they’ve seen.’
• Doug Kyed highlights OLB K’Lavon Chaisson going out of his way to defend the play of Will Campbell through three weeks of camp.
• Alex Barth notes Mike Vrabel reveals what he’s looking to see from Kyle Dugger to get back into the mix for a starting job.
• Doug Kyed looks at the Pats’ options with Kyle Dugger, who has been demoted to the 2nd-string defense.
• Mark Daniels highlights CB Carlton Davis saying he’s ready to start the season despite injury
• Michael Hurley talks about Mike Vrabel demanding leadership from Drake Maye: ‘I always want more.’
• Alex Barth explains why versatility could lead Jack Westover to a roster spot and starting job with the Pats.
• Chad Finn says there’s not much positive to look back on from the 2024 Patriots season, except these two Drake Maye highlights.
• Nick O’Malley catches us up with former Pats OL Dan Connolly, who had that legendary kick return in GB.

NATIONAL NEWS

• Dave Campbell (AP) Pats-Vikes joint practice prompts plenty of reunions & valuable tests, with no tussling
• Josh Alper (ProFootballTalk) Mike Vrabel: Kyle Dugger has to keep working, keep progressing.
• Eric Edholm (NFL.com) NFL preseason, Week 2: How to watch every game, what to know for all 32 teams. Patriots: The rookie class. /Click for commentary.
• Conor Orr (SI) Predicting all 272 regular-season games. Patriots: 8-9. Wins over LV, PIT, TEN, CLE, NYJ, NYG, BUF, MIA.
• Zachary Pereles (CBS Sports) Are Bills, Ravens, Bengals ready to dethrone Chiefs?
• Josh Alper (ProFootballTalk) Dolphins sign OL Yodny Cajuste. /Good luck with that.
• Marc Raimondi (ESPN) Inside the strategy of organizing an NFL locker room.
• Brigid Kennedy, Kristen Wong (SI) One Taylor Swift song to describe every NFL team entering the 2025 season. Patriots: “The Lucky One”. /If you want to, click for more commentary. The SI NFL page is weirdly littered with Taylor Swift headlines.
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Tom Brady had “growing pains” during his first year in the booth.
• Andy Backstrom (Yahoo! Sports) Greg Olsen says he and Tom Brady have built ‘really nice personal relationship’ this past year at Fox. /Brady’s a good guy. You were mad Fox gave him your spot — even though you knew you only had it until Brady was done playing. You sat on a freaking panel siding with the dirty league that framed Brady for the Ideal Gas Law. You’re lucky he doesn’t hold grudges.

Source: https://www.patspulpit.com/new-engl...aymakers-fly-joint-practice-maye-doesnt-blink

 

[New England Patriots]

7 performances of note from the Patriots’ second joint practice with the Vikings

The New England Patriots and Minnesota Vikings were back on the TCO Performance Center practice fields in Eagan, MN, on Thursday for their second joint practice of the week. From a Patriots perspective, this one did not go as well as the first.

You can recap all the action here. As for our traditional rundown of who caught our eyes for better or worse, it looks as follows.

Standout of the day​

Offensive line: For the first 15 practices of training camp, we always recognized a positive performance as our standout of the day. But, you can also stand out for all the wrong reasons — which is precisely what New England’s offensive line did on Thursday. So, here we are.

Obviously, the group’s inexperience especially on the left side did not help; rookie tackle Will Campbell had a bad day that included three sacks given up in an 11-play span at one point, while guard Ben Brown was unexpectedly inserted into the starting lineup following Jared Wilson’s exit. Also not helping was the fact that Minnesota’s defense is simply pretty darn good.

Still, the unit as a whole had a rough outing and put forward a performance than can best be described as unacceptable: even considering the at-times unfavorable circumstances, the crew needs to perform better than it did in order for New England to have a functioning offense. On Thursday, the team barely had that. And as Patriots fans know all too well from the last two years in particular, things can go downhill fast when the blocking is not up to the task.

Other performances of note​

QB Joshua Dobbs: One day after being singled out for his struggles, Dobbs finds himself on our list again. This time, because the Patriots’ backup quarterback showed some mental toughness and playmaking ability. While he was still impacted by some of the same blocking issues mentioned above, the 30-year-old also manage to make some of New England’s best plays of the day and threw four touchdown passes in red area work.

WR Efton Chism III: The undrafted rookie has become a regular on our list of noteworthy performances, and for good reason. Chism continues to show why he is deserving of consideration as a backup wide receiver option. On Thursday, he caught a pair of touchdowns from Joshua Dobbs and also won both of his 1-on-1s. While he has yet to fully crack the top rotation, the arrow keeps pointing up.

DT Christian Barmore and DT Milton Williams: Reunited at last, sort of. After sitting out team work on Wednesday, Barmore was back as a full participant and immediately made his presence felt; he was the most disruptive player on the defensive side of the ball and was charted with two sacks in team drills. Williams also pushed the pocket well, even though his highlight of the day was a dominant 1-on-1 rep rather than any flashy work in 11s.

CB Marcus Jones: Matching up Marcus Jones with T.J. Hockenson was not a fair fight simply due to the fact that the Patriots slot cornerback is giving up nine inches to the Vikings tight end. Him drawing the assignment at times was symptomatic of a bigger problem — New England’s tight end coverage is looking like a potential Achilles heel for the team — but Jones had issues regardless of who he lined up against. The consequence? Three touchdowns given up in team drills, plus two extra catches.

S Kyle Dugger: Even Jabrill Peppers leaving the session early did nothing to change Dugger’s status. The former starter remains in the doghouse and on Thursday found himself behind Jaylinn Hawkins and Craig Woodson, and even Dell Pettus. Then again, he did break up a potential touchdown in 7-on-7s, so his day wasn’t all disappointing.

Other players worth mentioning include Drake Maye, who looked good when given the opportunity to run the offense unimpeded. Kayshon Boutte made arguably the play of the day when he caught a last-ditch heave from his quarterback to close out practice, while DeMario Douglas and Kyle Williams both dealt with a case of the drops. Parker Romo also cannot feel too good about Thursday: the former Viking did not get a chance to attempt any kicks after Andy Borregales went 4-for-5 on Wednesday.

The Patriots will hold their traditional pre-game walkthrough on Friday, which will not be open to the public. They will then square off against the Vikings on Saturday for a 1 p.m. ET kickoff at U.S. Bank Stadium.

Source: https://www.patspulpit.com/new-engl...ikings-joint-practice-winners-losers-thursday

 

[New England Patriots]

Ben Brown increasingly factoring into Patriots’ offensive line mix

Despite having started 10 games for the New England Patriots last season, Ben Brown seemingly found himself buried on the depth chart entering training camp. The first few practices of the summer did little to change his outlook, but with the introduction of full pads also came a re-introduction to the 27-year-old.

By the second week of camp, Brown had moved into the No. 2 center spot behind Garrett Bradbury. The offseason addition missing time due to an undisclosed ailment then allowed Brown to return to the starting lineup, albeit only briefly. On Thursday, for the Patriots’ second joint practice with the Minnesota Vikings, he was back with the first unit.

The difference was that he played a new role: Brown was the first-team left guard, taking over a spot previously occupied by rookie Jared Wilson. With the youngster nursing an injury of his own, Brown spent the entire day with the starting group.

It was yet more proof of Brown increasingly factoring into the Patriots’ mix up front.

“Ben has been good ever since last year,” said right guard Mike Onwenu after Thursday’s practice. “He’s been a good player. Plug-and-play, pretty much. He’s been good at center. I think guard is pretty new for him, but he’s still getting those reps and working through it.”

A rookie free agent in 2022, Brown spent time in Cincinnati, Seattle, Arizona and Las Vegas before coming to New England last October. Joining the Patriots’ active roster off the Raiders’ practice squad, he made his starting debut just three days after his arrival.

Brown went on to start a total of 10 games in his first season with the club, playing all possible 667 offensive snaps along the way before being sent to injured reserve with a concussion. He was re-signed by the Patriots as an exclusive rights free agent in March.

Since then, he steadily worked his way into the rotation up front. While it remains to be seen whether or not he will realistically push either Wilson or Bradbury for a starting role, he currently seems like a fairly safe bet to make the 53-man roster as a top backup at both guard and center.

“We all know the positions; him as a center, he knows everything across the line,” said Onwenu. “It’s good for him to get those reps.”

Source: https://www.patspulpit.com/new-engl...ots-offensive-line-mix-joint-practice-vikings

 

[New England Patriots]

11 players to watch in the Patriots preseason game vs. Vikings

FOXBOROUGH, MA – AUGUST 06: Wide Receiver Ja’Lynn Polk #1 of the New England Patriots runs on the field during joint training camp between the New England Patriots and Washington Commanders on August 6, 2025 at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Summer Lamont/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

With a pair of joint practices with the Vikings in the rearview mirror, the attention shifts back to preseason action for the New England Patriots in Minnesota.

After plenty of work throughout the week for Drake Maye and New England’s starters on both sides of the ball, a poor showing on the practice fields on Thursday could open the door for the top units to see playing time on Saturday. On the other sideline, however, the Vikings have already confirmed that starting quarterback J.J. McCarthy will not suit up.

As for who we will be watching closely Saturday afternoon in Minnesota, there are 11 players on our radar.

Quarterback: Joshua Dobbs and Ben Wooldridge​

Time will tell if Drake Maye sees any action after an overall impressive pair of joint practices in Minnesota, but New England’s backups should get the majority of the snaps either way.

After a rough preseason opener followed by a poor first practice against the Vikings — which included a pair of interceptions — Dobbs bounced back strongly on Thursday. He’ll look to continue that momentum into game action and put a stranglehold on the backup QB position, while Ben Wooldridge will then look to build off his strong preseason opener after not seeing any full-team competitive reps this week in practice.

Wide receiver: Javon Baker and Efton Chism III​

Despite failing to haul in a reception in the preseason opener, sophomore wide receiver Javon Baker drew praise from Mike Vrabel for his working the kicking game, where he had a pair of tackle against the Commanders. Baker continues to work heavily as a gunner as the added versatility will increase his odds of making the roster, and he will also look to make an impact on the offensive side of the football in Minnesota.

Efton Chism, meanwhile, has continued to be the best wide receiver running with the second offense on the practice fields. After leading all of New England’s pass catchers in Week 1 of the preseason, he also was a problem for the Vikings’ defensive backs in joint practices this week. The expectation is for that to continue Saturday afternoon. One more strong performance could be enough to firmly put Chism onto the team’s 53-man roster (if he’s not there already).

Offensive tackle: Will Campbell​

It was a challenging week for Will Campbell out in Minnesota. After an up-and-down first day, Campbell had his worst practice of the summer on Thursday as he gave up three pressures to Jonathan Greenard along the edge before false starting near the end of practice. Campbell may not get a rematch vs. Greenard if the Pro Bowl pass rusher watches from the sideline, but seeing the response from the No. 4 overall pick is perhaps the top storyline on Saturday.

Interior offensive line: Ben Brown​

A change to New England’s top offensive line Thursday saw Ben Brown replace Jared Wilson, who quickly left the practice field after warmups, at left guard. Like the rest of the Patriots offensive line on Thursday, Brown had struggles in pass protection in both 1-on-1s and full-team work. Brown could need a clean performance Saturday to maintain his spot along the top line, while Cole Strange, Caedan Wallace, Tyrese Robinson, Sidy Soy, and Mehki Butler will continue to battle for increased opportunities at guard.

Edge: Anfernee Jennings and Bradyn Swinson​

One of the top storylines in preseason game No. 1 was veteran defender Anfernee Jennings playing into the fourth quarter. Despite being one of the league’s best edge defenders against the run, Jennings’ fit in a Mike Vrabel attacking defensive front has been a question. Jennings playing late into the game again on Saturday could signal the end of his Patriots tenure is officially near.

New England also saw young pass rushers Truman Jones and Elijah Ponder tally pressures last week, but rookie Bradyn Swinson continued a relatively quiet summer with zero pressures in 21 pass rush snaps. Swinson should again see plenty of action against Minnesota and will look to wreck some havoc on the Vikings’ backup quarterbacks.

Safety: Kyle Dugger​

After a disappointing season in which he battled injuries, Kyle Dugger has not rebounded well in training camp. That has led to him being passed on the depth chart by Jaylinn Hawkins and rookie Craig Woodson as Dugger has consistently ran with the second defense of late. With a high cap hit a factor in deciding Dugger’s future, watching how the 29-year old is used on the field and his performance will be worth monitoring.

Kicker: Andy Borregales and Parker Romo​

The lone field goal period in two joint practice sessions went to rookie Andy Borregales, who went 5-for-6 with a miss from 54 yards out. That could set the stage for Parker Romo to handle game action, unless they follow a similar script to the preseason opener in which the kickers split the action.

Source: https://www.patspulpit.com/new-engl...06697/patriots-to-watch-nfl-preseason-vikings