We got some answers from the Patriots players in Wednesday’s Joint practice with the Commanders. The Offense was cooking on Wednesday! I said this would be a test (Is Patriots’ pass rush that good, or is the Offensive line that porous?). This was against the team that played in the NFC Championship Game last season.
What we learned was: The Pass rush is that good, and the O-line gave up only 1 sack (Bradbury).
Limited: RT Morgan Moses (Coach Vrabel said that Moses is working through an issue), Vederian Lowe, and Carlton Davis. Carlton Davis was dressed but did not participate.
Absent: WR Kendrick Bourne, OL Caedan Wallace, OL Sidy Sow, CB Christian Gonzalez, DE K’Lavon Chaisson, LB Jahlani Tavai
QB Stats: 11-on-11 Drake Maye (15/21), INT and three TDs and a scramble for another TD/ Joshua Dobbs (18/22) 7-on-7 Drake Maye (3/6) Joshua Dobbs (4/6). Maye started 10 of 12 with one drop by a receiver.
Mark Daniels of Mass Live had this to say about Drake Maye “Maye played well today. Several drops from his targets (Hollins 2, Henderson, Douglas). Solid day for the offense and defense”.
Many celebrities and former players at the practice, Jason Tatum (without a walking boot), John Bon Jovi, Danny Almendola, Patrick Chung and the McCourty twins.
Carlos Sanchez from LosTalksPats (•) had this to say about the Joint practice
Offense
The starting OL was LT Will Campbell LG Jared Wilson C Garrett Bradbury RG Mike Onwenu RT Demontrey Jacobs
Will Campbell and Jared Wilson held up very well during 11 on 11s — the rookies had one mishap on a run to the left but were clean aside from that. No sacks or pressures against either rookie. They also opened up a big hole for a TreVeyon Henderson TD run.
Demontrey Jacobs got called for holding during 11s.
WR DeMario Douglas began 11s with a 10-yard crosser and 2 more completions over the middle for big gains with CB Mike Sainristil in coverage — Douglas was heavily targeted by Drake Maye all day with 3 catches.
Mike Giradi described Douglas as uncoverable.
WR Kayshon Boutte started off red zone 11s with an impressive back shoulder fade for a touchdown against CB Marshon Lattimore. Later in practice Boutte and Lattinore got in a dustup, something that Lattimore is known for.
. • WR Javon Baker ran a nice slant for a TD from Joshua Dobbs to conclude red zone 11s.
QB Drake Maye had a wide open DeMario Douglas for a TD but LB Bobby Wagner tipped the pass and it was intercepted by Mike Sanistrill .
TE Hunter Henry got open up the seam and Drake Maye hit him on the money — Henry and Austin Hooper were consistently open for TDs in red zone 11s.
RB TreVeyon Henderson ran with the starters in their second series and immediately had a big gain on an outside toss — Henderson was also heavily targeted in packages where he motioned out as a WR.
WR Efton Chism lost the DB on a whip route early on in 11s — Chism was very reliable in the middle of the field with multiple contested catches (4).
WR Mack Hollins got open on a deep-cut for a completion and also got behind coverage for a deep catch (25 yard TD) — Drake Maye and Josh Dobbs (x2) each found him for a TD later in red zone 11s.
WR Stefon Diggs did not join practice until the 7-on-7 period and was targeted by Drake Maye on two of his first three throws. Diggs was not part of the start of practice.
RB TreVeyon Henderson dropped a would-be TD during 7s and later dropped another in red zone 11s — WRs DeMario Douglas and Mack Hollins also had bad drops
Starting offensive line: LT Will Campbell LG Jared Wilson C Garrett Bradbury RG Mike Onwenu RT Demontrey Jacobs
C Ben Brown rotated with C Garrett Bradbury for first team reps — RT Demontrey Jacobs did the same with RT Marcus Bryant.
LT Will Campbell denied a swim move to the inside by DE Deatrich Wise and Campbell threw him to the ground — they tied the next two and Wise won the last rep. Campbell was clean the rest of the day no pressures.
LG Jared Wilson had 2 dominant wins in 1-on-1s.
CB Alex Austin was targeted twice on fades for TDs but Austin smothered both attempts and broke up the pass in a end of game scenario. He broke up a 4th down pass attempt by Daniels — Kobee Minor and Miles Battle also had PBUs.
OLB Harold Landry and CB Marcus Jones each had sacks during the initial 11s period — Landry was consistently in the back field.
DTs Khyiris Tonga, Christian Barmore (x2), and OLB Elijah Ponder (x2) earned pressures and forced multiple throw aways
. • CB Marcus Jones got moss’d by WR Deebo Samuel for toe-tap TD in 7-on-7s.
S Kyle Dugger gave up multiple completions to TE Zach Ertz. Dugger is not having a good camp, and some writers are now questioning whether or not he will make the team. He was pushed down to working with the 2nd team defense.
DT Joshua Farmer stood out during team period — the rookie was constantly impacting plays or around the ball.
DTs Milton Williams (2-0), Christian Barmore (2-0) and Khyris Tonga (2-0) all dominated 1-on-1s — Christian Barmore tossed OL Nick Allegreti violently to win his rep. Washington was missing two starting Offensive lineman (Coleman and Cosmi who both didn’t make the trip)
DE Keion White got thrown to the ground with ease by LT Laremy Tunsil.
FGs: Andy Borregales (4/4) Parker Romo (3/4)
Punt Returners: Marcus Jones, DeMario Douglas, and Efton Chism
RB TreVeyon Henderson picked up a blitz pickup by Von Miller and went to the ground with him and a scrum ensued. Will Campbell and Gee Scott jumped in — HC Mike Vrabel got into the middle of the huge pile to break things up and Vrabel ended up in the bottom of the pile. He came out bleeding from his cheek. Multiple players spoke about this after this incident. Barmore said “He (Vrabel) is one of us, we love him”. Vrabel may have been injured by friendly fire when Campbel dove into the scrum. I love it that the rookie stood up for his teammate.
Demario Douglas said Mike Vrabel was bleeding after the scrum. He asked him what happened, and Vrabel replied, ‘Hey, you should’ve seen the other guy.’
Hunter Henry had this to say about Vrabel “That player comes out in him.”
WR Kayshon Boutte and CB Marshon Lattimore had to be separated.
S Kyle Dugger and LT Laremy Tunsil got into it but were quickly separated.
The team is taking on the identity of their Head Coach.
Doug Kyed had this to say about the Patriots secondary (back up CBs) “Strong play from Patriots CBs in the last two 11-on-11 periods with forced incompletions from Alex Austin, Miles Battle and Kobee Minor”.
Zach Cox chimed in “Josh Dobbs is also having a hell of a practice. He’s up to 18-for-22 in 11-on-11s and just hit Mack Hollins for a tight-window TD down the right sideline. Another strong stretch from Maye in red-zone 11s: -Back-shoulder TD to Boutte at the pylon to beat tight coverage -Over-the-shoulder would-be TD to Henderson that was dropped”.
Greg Bedard added “The Patriots WON the day”. “Dobbs first play TD to Hollins, who made 1 hand catch”. He also added “I thought the Patriots’ offense looked very sharp against the Commanders’ defense, especially in the red zone”. “Will Campbell mostly holds his own: The first-round pick played very well in the 11-on-11s, including a big block on old friend Deatrich Wise to spring a big Henderson run. He didn’t give up a pressure in team periods that I could see”
Campbell has a new nickname “Nasty”. Deitrich Wise had this to say about Campbell after practice. “Really good at using his hands. I would say he does a good job of effort. He told me on the field that he wants to get better and learn, and everything he does, he takes it as a lesson, so kudos to him”. “Very strong guy at the point of attack,” Wise said of Campbell.
Evan Lazar stated “Big day for Mack Hollins. Slot fade touchdown from Dobbs about 30 yards out”. “The offensive line did not look like the train wreck that we saw here last year”
This from Greg Bedard on the WR’s
Maye:
Henry 4 for 4, TD
Hollins 4 for 5, TD
Douglas 3 for 5, Drop
Henderson 1 for 2, Drop
Boutte 1 for 2, TD
Hooper 1 for 1
Diggs 0 for 1, DPI
Dobbs:
Chism: 3 for 3
Gibson: 3 for 3, TD
Baker: 2 for 4, TD
Scott: 2 for 2
Williams: 1 for 2
Stevenson: 1 for 1
Hooper: 1 for 1, TD
Polk: 1 for 1
Larison 1 for 1
Hollins 1 for 1, TD
In one-on-ones (linemen)
Layden Robinson 2-0
Onwenu 3-1
Wilson 2-0
Will Campbel 0-2-1
Conley 2-1-1
Bryant 2-1-1
Jacobs 2-1-1
Lindstrom 1-1
Bradbury 0-2-1
Strange 1-1
Commanders requested not to do one-on-ones with their receivers being a little thin.
The Patriots’ defense had some problems with outside runs, giving up a number of runs with over 5 yards per run.
The Patriots players have the day off Thursday, and the Pre-Season game is Friday night at 7:30. I don’t expect the starters to play much, but I would like to see Campbell and Wilson play a good amount of time to get familiar with each other.
About Mark Morse
Merrimack Valley native and lifelong fan of the New England Patriots. My earliest memories of the Patriots were attending as a child with my dad, the off-season practice at Phillips Academy. I was at the Patriots game at Harvard Stadium in 1970 where Bob “Harpo” Gladieux was called out of the stands by the stadium announcer over the PA to play in the game. Analyzing the draft since ESPN first started to televise it in 1980 and former writer for the Lowell Sun Newspaper.
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Tags: 2025 Patriots Training Camp Mike Vrabel New England Patriots Washington Commanders
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