The [New England Patriots](https://www.patspulpit.com/) and the rest of the NFL continue to take steps toward the 2025 season. That included taking the practice fields three times last week for their first week of OTAs.
As for other stories, thoughts and takeaways from the last few days, here is our weekly notebook clean-up operation. Welcome to the latest edition of the Pats Pulpit _Sunday Patriots Notes_.
Rookie receivers
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Roughly 15 minutes following the conclusion of the Patriots’ Tuesday OTA, wide receiver Pop Douglas stood in front of a microphone to address reporters
Roughly 20 yards behind him remained rookie wide receivers Kyle Williams and Efton Chism III, who were alternating on the JUGS machine as the last two offensive players left on the field. The extra work highlighted the competition they are bringing to the Patriots’ wide receiver room.
“I love them. I feel like they’ve brought everything to the room,” Douglas said. “Straight competition in our room and I love it. Every position, we got competition.
“So, them two, well the four rookies that came in, they’re pushing us to get better. So as we got people coming in the can work hard, that’s going to push everyone else to work harder.”
Beyond Williams and Chism, the Patriots also added Demeer Blankumsee and Jeremiah Webb in undrafted free agency. The four join a wide receiver that is currently 12 deep, although Tuesday’s practice saw Stefon Diggs and Mack Hollins not participate while Ja’Lynn Polk was limited.
Williams, the team’s third-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, and Chism, who received a large salary for a UDFA as New England competed for his services, took advantage of the extra reps.
On Tuesday, Williams’ first target saw him running free downfield until Christian Gonzalez, who started the rep covering the flat, appeared out of nowhere to haul in an over the shoulder interception. Like two other targets his way that ended on the turf the play went down as a negative stat sheet. But, Williams was open. Something he consistently did throughout the day even when primarily aligned the outside.
His day then ended with a strong connection from Drake Maye in the cover two hole on the left sideline while offensive Josh McDaniels also found ways to get the ball in the electric rookie’s hands.
“Oh yeah, everyone is competitive at this level,” Gonzalez said when asked about Williams. “Everyone is going to come in and especially receivers and CBs, that’s one of the positions you have to be the most competitive at. (Williams is) one of them. He’s going to talk his talk just like every other receiver. He comes in, had his head down, gets to work, you know he’s hungry, ready to go. At this point, that’s all you can ask from him – come in, get to work, and ask questions when needed.”
Chism, on the other hand, was more active in the stat sheet during team periods. The Eastern Washington product led the way with four receptions (three from Joshua Dobbs, one from Ben Wooldridge) as he looked the part of a typical McDaniels’ inside receiver.
While plenty of work remains for the rookie duo as New England could split their room in half between now and Week 1, Tuesday’s session was an encouraging start. But the competition will continue and only increase throughout the spring and summer, which is the focus inside the room.
“I feel if you’re trying to prove something, I feel like you’re gonna get caught up in trying to prove something,” Douglas said. “So I feel like, man, just compete. As we compete, we’re going to do better and I feel like just get open, man. You get open, the ball is going to come your way. Even if it don’t come your way, I mean it’s going to show up on film that you’re getting open.”
Henderson flashes
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Another rookie that caught the eye throughout Tuesday’s practice was second-round pick TreVeyon Henderson. Known for his explosiveness and knack for taking any carry the distance, Henderson’s movement skills were clear throughout the session.
He also showed his ability as a pass catcher with several nice plays out of the backfield. And as the best pass protecting running back in the draft, Mike Vrabel believes these practices will only help the rookie get ready for regular season action.
“These are mental reps,” Vrabel said. “These are seeing things at speed until – it’s full speed to contact is really what we say. So, we want the blitzer to go as fast as he would, disguise the way he would and try to time it up the way that he would. Once he gets to the player that’s blocking him, we’re going to ask them to stop, and then be ready to go and sprint out of the stack and finish his play that way.
“So, they’re good because there’s disguises, there’s moving parts, there’s other bodies. It’s not just a walkthrough pace. So, I think the tempo is going to allow them to identify the right person to protect and to block, and then we’ll see in training camp if physically they’ll be able to do it, which by all accounts, I think that they will.”
McDaniels’ offense
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Tight end Hunter Henry is one of the few players remaining who last played for Josh McDaniels with the Patriots back in 2021. While much has been made of the coordinators streamlined offense during his year off — with McDaniels himself noting a refined language last month — Henry has not seen many differences at this point.
“It’s pretty similar to the past, to be honest with you, in a lot of ways,” Henry said. “Obviously, I think compiling stuff, there’s definitely some new stuff. So, I guess you guys will have to keep watching.”
Building around
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As the Patriots recently hosted the Topping Off Ceremony of the new football facility at Gillette Stadium, quarterback Drake Maye and cornerback Christian Gonzalez shared the podium to thank the workers behind the project. It highlighted how the young duo is the team’s building blocks moving forward.
For Gonzalez, who enters year three, he does not plan on changing his quiet demeanor but is ready to help as one of the elder statesman of the cornerback room.
“The more I’ve been in the building, the more I’ve been around football, the more I’m starting to learn, the more I can help the rookies when they have a question,” he said. “Not even the rookies; anybody else who has a question.”
UNC ties
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That was not the only speech Maye delivered on Gillette Stadium grounds over the past week as the former Tar Heel addressed the UNC women’s lacrosse team, who are in Foxboro for the Division I Women’s Lacrosse Final Four.
Maye was joined by former Tar Heels Mack Hollins and Jahvaree Ritzie. UNC entered the weekend as the No. 1 seed and X against Florida on Friday.
They will take on X in the championship game at Gillette on Sunday at 12:00 p.m. ET.
Larkin’s role
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Shortly after Ohio State capped off a National Championship victory, offensive analyst Riley Larkin received a phone call from Mike Vrabel. Soon after, Larkin found himself apart of Vrabel’s Patriots staff as an offensive assistant.
Despite primarily working with quarterbacks with Ohio State, the former QB himself has taken on a larger role in the Patriots wide receiver room — which was on display at OTAs as he worked off to the side with second-year wide receiver Ja’Lynn Polk.
New England does not have an assistant under lead receiver coach Todd Downing, who has never held the title in his coaching career. Larkin will still remain somewhat involved with QBs in addition to assisting Downing.
Marking success
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“That we’re in and out of the huddle, that there’s clean substitution, that there’s communication. You hear the defense making checks when somebody on the offense moves or motions,” Vrabel responded when asked what constitutes a good day for the team at OTAs.
“There’s coordination, that the offense is moving with urgency and that the play clock isn’t sitting at zero for four seconds. All the operational things. Then obviously, there’s got to be a level of execution when we’re in the speed. Then when we get to the jog through, can we practice at a tempo that’s less than 100% and still get something out of it?”
Next week ahead
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The Patriots will be back in the facility for their second week of OTAs, which will feature three more practice sessions throughout the week.
Wednesday’s session will also be accompanied by media availability, even though the details have not yet been announced by the team.