Patriots cornerback Jordan Polk (No. 39) celebrates with his teammates after his interception during the third quarter of Friday night's 48-18 preseason victory over the Commanders.
Patriots cornerback Jordan Polk (No. 39) celebrates with his teammates after his interception during the third quarter of Friday night's 48-18 preseason victory over the Commanders.Barry Chin/Globe Staff
FOXBOROUGH — A lot can be gleaned from the small details of an NFL locker room.
The Patriots’ locker room in Gillette Stadium stretches in a long rectangle, with lockers running along the entire perimeter. Each locker is uniform in size, and for the most part, arranged by position group.
But behind the assignment of each player’s locker is a subtle, tactical choice made by the coaching staff.
Rookie left tackle Will Campbell is next to Morgan Moses, a 12-year veteran offensive lineman. Rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson is next to Rhamondre Stevenson, the established fixture in the Patriots’ backfield. Rookie receiver Kyle Williams is next to Mack Hollins, an eight-year pro known for mentoring younger players.
For Patriots coach Mike Vrabel, cultivating an environment in which players can form relationships is a crucial aspect of team building, to help players grow individually and to build buy-in as a team.
“It’s a team sport,” Vrabel said. “We need everybody to function properly. We need them at the right time to put the team first, and we’re going to ask everybody to make tough decisions. Hopefully, [that becomes easier] the better that you know somebody, understand who they’re playing for, what they’re doing, and who they’re trying to support.”
Williams, the Patriots’ third-round pick in April, arrived this offseason eager to learn from veteran teammates. His conversations with Hollins quickly become wide-ranging and animated, covering everything from Hollins’s workout routine to philosophical topics.
“We have interesting conversations. A lot of jokes being told,” Williams said. “[The conversations] in the locker room, it just helps us bond on and off the field. That way, when we’re on the field, we can play a lot closer and play for each other.”
Opposite the receivers’ lockers are the offensive line and tight ends, where Campbell’s stall is positioned between Moses and tight end Hunter Henry — two highly respected veterans.
Patriots veteran offensive tackle Morgan Moses, 34, has embraced his role as a mentor to rookie left tackle Will Campbell, the team's No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Patriots veteran offensive tackle Morgan Moses, 34, has embraced his role as a mentor to rookie left tackle Will Campbell, the team's No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe Staff
The 34-year-old Moses has embraced his mentorship role with the Patriots, shaped by his experience learning from Trent Williams in Washington early in his career. And his neighboring locker with Campbell enabled them to quickly build a rapport.
“He’s eager to learn. He asks questions every day. He’s like ‘Bro, can we get some sets?” Moses said earlier this offseason. “His locker is right beside mine, so we get to talk football all day.”
The neighboring lockers are not only used to promote rookie mentorship. The proximity also has helped build chemistry between starting defensive tackles Christian Barmore and Milton Williams, who quickly developed a strong partnership.
“Just constantly having those conversations of ‘What side do you like rushing on?’ and ‘What are you trying to work on?’ Just working off each other,” Williams said. “We have a lot of conversations; our lockers are next to each other. So we come in and see each other. We see each other all the time.”
Vrabel believes those relationships are best built organically, but also must be backed by a strong emphasis on communication from the coaching staff.
“That’s all we’re trying to do. Bring guys together that are going to be working closely with each other, that are lining up next to each other, that communicate, that spend a lot of time together,” Vrabel said.
Vrabel anticipates additional opportunities to reimagine locker arrangements next year, once the Patriots move into their new football-specific training center currently under construction. Beginning then, the Patriots will use their current locker room on game days, but have a new locker room, players’ lounge, and other facilities on practice days.
“We’ll have a ton of space, and we’ll be able to, I think, get a little bit more creative in April, when we’re able to get in there,” Vrabel said. “We have a limited amount of spaces in the locker room that we have now.”
As Williams sees it, the physical space is merely a starting point — but one which can ultimately reap rewards on the field.
“I feel like those conversions, it’s just what just builds our chemistry as a receiving room, and really as a team,” Williams said.