With mandatory minicamp at Gillette Stadium in its second day, the Patriots kept Wednesday’s practice largely non-competitive—yet the message was clear in how Drake Maye kept targeting A.J. Brown. New developments also swirled around the offensive line, absenc
FOXBOROUGH — The Patriots stepped back onto their practice fields behind Gillette Stadium on Wednesday for the second day of mandatory minicamp, but the pace told the story before any drill did.
After a day filled with “extensive red-zone reps” on Tuesday, head coach Mike Vrabel and his staff opted for what amounted to a lighter workload on Wednesday. Competitive drills were gone. It was closer to a walkthrough, designed to keep bodies fresh rather than prove points in 11-on-11.
Vrabel said the plan was straightforward: today would look different, with less speed emphasis, and the staff would “come back and get that same speed” further down the red zone tomorrow.
Even with the reduced intensity, several developments stood out during a muggy afternoon in Foxborough—especially the early chemistry between Drake Maye and new wide receiver A.J. Brown.
Maye keeps feeding A.J. Brown, even in an easier practice
The early returns between new Patriots wideout A.J. Brown and Drake Maye stayed strong on Wednesday.
After Maye connected with Brown repeatedly during Tuesday’s 11-on-11 work—hitting him with impressive back-shoulder throws—Maye continued targeting Brown early and often again on Wednesday. During a red-zone sequence during the lighter sessions, Brown pulled in “three-straight catches” from his quarterback.
Maye didn’t try to hide how much it means to line up with an established talent. After practice, he said it’s hard not to get excited about Brown as a player.
“It’s hard not to get excited; what a player he is,” Maye said. “What a great teammate so far. He’s eager to learn. He’s great with the guys in the locker room, and we just look forward to playing with a guy of that caliber. I know he’s been a great player in this league.”
Brown’s fit matters, too. Standing 6-foot-1 and 226 pounds. he has the physical frame to outmuscle smaller defensive backs and beat them on the outside as an “X” receiver. But he also brings the shiftiness and speed to work routes that can stress defenses across the field. including slants. curls. and other cuts.
Maye pointed to Brown’s track record, saying that “everywhere he’s gone,” the wideout is the kind of player who shows up on SportsCenter the next day with big plays.
“It’s hard not to get excited; what a player he is,” Maye said of Brown, adding: “Everywhere he’s gone, he’s been a guy that you see him on SportsCenter the next day, you know, making plays and scoring, and the best thing about him, he’s been a winner.”
Maye also described what Brown is bringing to the room as a newcomer.
“He knows what it’s like to win and he adds something in that room that we’ve kind of been looking for. … I think Stef provided for us last year. and there’s been guys that are growing in the roles. but just coming in with that stature and his ability and his size and just the respect that you walk in there with that kind of Stef had. A.J.’s got it, too.”.
Caleb Lomu again gets looks at right tackle as Morgan Moses stays out
While receivers grabbed most of the practice’s bright spots, the offensive line carried its own set of questions.
For the second practice in a row, Patriots 2026 first-round pick Caleb Lomu logged regular reps as the team’s starting right tackle.
Lomu had been projected earlier in the summer as more of a backup or swing option—an approach that would give him time to develop before moving into a full-time role in 2027. But right tackle Morgan Moses has been absent from minicamp after appearing to suffer an injury during OTAs last week.
Vrabel said the organization is managing Moses rather than treating the situation as an urgent emergency.
“We are just managing Morgan and are excited that he is so committed to our football team and the people here … It’s a long season. ” Vrabel said Tuesday. “He was important to us, and he will be very important to us going forward. So, just trying to make sure that we manage him. Figure that every rep now is probably one less that he may take in the season.”.
Even if Vrabel isn’t raising alarms, Moses’ health is something the Patriots will watch closely. If Moses misses time into the regular season, that could push Lomu into a more prominent role as a rookie.
Lomu, who played left tackle at Utah before coming to the NFL, said Moses has been a steady presence in the room.
“He’s been around a ton. and he’s been one of the biggest helps for me. especially coming in not knowing the playbook as a rookie. ” Lomu said. “He’s been through it [for] so many years in the league. he knows what to expect. and now he’s been guiding me a lot through these practices and meetings that we have. He’s been a huge help. and so it’s been awesome to be able to have him and his experience in the room to be able to help me grow as a rookie.”.
Lomu said he’s also getting more comfortable at right tackle.
“It’s just a thing you’ve just got to get used to [and] get a few practices in,” Lomu said. “The first practice was a little weird at first because I wasn’t very used to it, but I feel very comfortable at right tackle right now.”
Absences shape the attendance report: Moses, Gabe Jacas, Harold Landry
Wednesday’s practice continued to show a pattern of players missing time.
Like Tuesday, the Patriots listed three absences: Moses, Gabe Jacas, and Harold Landry.
Landry’s absence fits a more familiar storyline. Vrabel said Tuesday that the veteran pass-rusher dealt with a nagging knee injury last season, and the team is limiting his workload this spring.
“Harold has played a lot of football, and so we just have to try to — this is all part of everyone has a little different plan. … For him to take reps right now in the spring, I feel like, is unnecessary,” Vrabel said. “We will just keep working to make sure that he is ready to go when we need him.”
Jacas, New England’s 2026 second-round pick, has also not been present at both OTAs and minicamp. Vrabel said Tuesday that Jacas underwent a procedure earlier this offseason. The talented pass-rusher also has not yet signed his rookie contract in New England.
Christian Gonzalez returned as a full participant—though his next availability remains a question
Not every notable development came from absence.
After taking limited competitive reps on Tuesday, Christian Gonzalez was a full participant during team drills on Wednesday.
But the final day of minicamp is expected to be higher-tempo and more competitive, with 11-on-11 drills again on the docket. Gonzalez remains mired in a contract dispute with New England, leaving his level of involvement on the next day unclear if the team ramps up.
Adding a tight end becomes more likely after Julian Hill’s season-ending injury
In the background of the day’s practice plan was a more consequential roster reality.
The Patriots suffered a significant loss before the 2026 season could fully begin: tight end Julian Hill suffered a season-ending injury during offseason workouts last month.
Hill signed a three-year, $15 million contract with New England earlier this offseason and was expected to step into a significant role as the Patriots’ backup tight end behind Hunter Henry in 2026.
Hill previously spent the last three seasons with the Dolphins, hauling in 15 catches for 140 yards over 11 games in 2025 while also contributing in pass protection and the run game through hard-nosed blocks.
With Hill now out, Vrabel acknowledged on Wednesday that New England might have to address the position this summer.
“Just from a numbers standpoint at camp, I think that is somewhere where we will probably have to evaluate the numbers,” Vrabel said. “I mean, there are 90, 91 guys on every team, so we will just have to take a look at that. But I would say that is probably somewhere where we would have to address.”
Beyond Henry, the Patriots still have Jack Westover, CJ Dippre, and rookies Eli Raridon and Tanner Arkin on the depth chart at tight end.
While pass-catching targets like Darren Waller remain available in free agency, the Patriots likely covet a run-blocking option as Henry’s backup for this season.
Practice ends with a competition built around “families” and wooden sleds
The evening’s final image wasn’t a play or a catch. It was competition with trainers and coaches hauling wooden sleds near the end zone.
Near the end of practice, teams pushed sleds 40 yards down the field. In total, groups of seven players—across multiple position groups—took turns in the drill, and coaches timed which group could finish first.
After practice, Maye described another team-building approach the Patriots have already started implementing this offseason. The staff has split the roster into random groups dubbed “families” to build camaraderie across different segments of the club.
“We split up into teams, split up from the families at the beginning of the offseason. Kind of had about 13 teams, had some captains in each team and have about seven players in each,” Maye said. “So we’re kind of keeping a point tally. … I think my family may be in second [place].”
He said the point of the competition is not just bonding, but strategy—because it forces players to adjust when things don’t go as planned.
“We got some work to do… It’s just another way of team building and competing and having to strategize and kind of have something that may not go right and try to fix it.”
New England Patriots mandatory minicamp Drake Maye A.J. Brown Mike Vrabel Caleb Lomu Morgan Moses Christian Gonzalez Julian Hill Hunter Henry Harold Landry Gabe Jacas