Patriots OTA Notebook: Diggs returns, Maye’s best day

The week in Foxborough began with another OTA practice at Gillette Stadium for the New England Patriots. This was their seventh of nine OTA practices overall, and third and final session open to the media (not including mandatory minicamp next week).

Early on, all eyes were on Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs. Diggs had not been in attendance for either of the previous two open practices, including the one the day after a video circulated online of him partying on a boat.

It was also another look at quarterback Drake Maye, whose performance during the first two open practices led to questions about his progress picking up the offensive system under new offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels.

We'll start with those two, and take a look at other news, notes, and observations from Monday's practice in today's notebook...

When Diggs first signed with the Patriots, the biggest question regarded where he was at in his rehab from a torn ACL he suffered late October. Diggs has posted workout videos on his socials and the team had shared pictures of him at closed practices, but this was the first time for outside eyes to see him in person.

Diggs did take part in the early part of practice, going through positional drills and running routes against air with the quarterbacks, before taking a few walk-through paced snaps in 11-on-11s. He also appeared to be offering tips to other receivers on the field, at one point spending a couple of minutes chatting and working through release technique with Ja'Lynn Polk and wide receivers coach Todd Downing.

Once things got to full-speed though Diggs did not participate in any team drills, and spent part of that time working on a side field with Polk, who has been in that routine throughout the spring as he himself recovers from offseason shoulder surgery.

The fact Diggs is participating at all just seven months removed from a torn ACL is an encouraging sign. At the same time, it looks like he still has some checkpoints to clear before he's full-go.

As for the off-field stuff, coaches downplayed that when speaking before practice. "I know he's staying up on the information and material," McDaniels said. "I'm not concerned about Stef in that regard."

Let's start here with this important point - from a media point of view OTAs do not provide a linear observation. As noted above the analysis we have to go off of is based on three practices - less than half of the on-field work the Patriots have actually done this spring.

When it comes to Maye his first two practices he was not at his best. He threw four interceptions in the first open practice (the second overall), then last week (second open, fifth total practice) was turnover-free but still erratic with his accuracy. It was reported that Maye did have a strong day in between, but that was of course behind closed doors.

As far as the open practices go Monday was clearly Maye's best day, and it wouldn't be surprising if it was his best day of the spring - open practices or closed. He looked more in command and the ball barely hit the turf as he completed 14 of his 16 passes in 'live' team drills. This all came as the Patriots were working on some plays they hadn't previously run before on the practice field, something McDaniels shared before practice.

In particular, Maye seemed to have the touch pass going. The highlight play of the day for the top offensive unit involved Maye floating a ball up the sideline to running back Rhamondre Stevenson on a wheel route, just over a defender.

UDFA wide receiver Efton Chism has been getting quite a bit of attention so far this spring, and that should continue after Monday. He caught seven passes, including getting some time with Maye in 11-on-11 drills.

Chism's consistency getting open stands out, highlighted by his ability to separate at the top of his routes. He still has more to prove, especially once there's more contact from the coverage he's facing in padded practices, but right now he's laying a strong foundation.

Three practices, and three different looks at left guard for the Patriots. This time around it was Cole Strange at left guard for the walk-through portion of practice, before Wes Schweitzer took over during the more competitive drills, with Strange moving to the right side as Mike Onwenu remains limited. Tyrese Robinson, who was at left guard for most of the last open practice, was not in attendance.

Since being drafted in the third round by Patriots in 2023, Marte Mapu has been a player without a position. A college linebacker, he's spent most of his time working as a box safety in the NFL. Injuries and depth at the position have limited his chances through his first two years.

This new coaching staff may have different plans for Mapu, who has been seeing some time at linebacker this spring. As a smaller but more athletic linebacker, he's more of a prototypical fit for the new defensive scheme. Given that, it wouldn't be surprising to see him there more as the spring and summer go on.

As has been the case in the other spring practices, each kicker got four attempts in a live setting. They worked between 33 and 49 yards.

Rookie Andres Borregales hit all four of his kicks. John Parker Romo missed from 39 and 49 yards, both wide right.

Borregales is now 11-for-12 for the spring. Romo is 8-for-12.

The highlight play of the day was made by the offense, but was actually set up on defense. During an 11-on-11 period quarterback Ben Wooldridge tried to throw over the middle, but the ball was deflected at the line of scrimmage by rookie defensive tackle Joshua Farmer (who was also batting down passes in the last open practice).

Off the deflection the ball didn't go right down, but fluttered more downfield. Receiver John Jiles adjusted to the ball, and laid out full extension to make a one-handed, fingertip catch while parallel to the ground.

Six players didn't take part in Monday's practice. Running back Trayveon Williams, wide receivers Kendrick Bourne and Mack Hollins, guard Tyrese Robinson, linebacker Anfernee Jennings, and cornerback Carlton Davis were not in uniform. Hollins, as has been the case all spring, was on the field with the team but not in uniform.

Midway through practice, linebacker Jahlani Tavai went down with an apparent leg injury. He was down for a few minutes, with practice stopping and the rest of the team taking a knee and coming over to check on him. He was helped off the field, and did not return.