What we’re watching for at Patriots minicamp
The Pats kick off mandatory minicamp on Monday in Foxboro. Here’s what we’re keeping our eye on at the practice fields.
The New England Patriots kick off their mandatory minicamp on Monday in Foxborough. And while it's a series of non-padded practices that lack the intensity of a full-bore training camp session, there are still things worth looking for that can indicate what the Pats lineup will look like in 2025.
One of the main things we'll be watching during these practices, which are closed to the public but open to the media, is simply who's lining up where, and who appears on track to be starters or play major roles. That goes for both sides of the ball.
On offense, the most wide-open position battle to watch is left guard. The majority of spring practices have featured the same starting lineup protecting quarterback Drake Maye: rookie Will Campbell has been parked at left tackle throughout, veteran Garrett Bradbury is in the lead at center, and right guard Michael Onwenu and right tackle Morgan Moses anchor the right side. It's that left guard spot that has felt up for grabs the whole time.
Fourth-year pro Cole Strange remains with the team, as he enters the final year of his rookie contract. Same goes for Sidy Sow, who is in year three of his deal. Second-year guard Layden Robinson remains in the mix, while offseason free-agent signing Wes Schweitzer and 2024 addition Tyrese Robinson have also gotten looks. It's not over-the-top to suggest that the Patriots have five guys battling for two guard spots (starter and backup), and so we'll be keeping a close eye on that competition.
On defense, we're looking up and down the lineup, but particularly in the front-seven. It's not fully clear how head coach Mike Vrabel plans to deploy his lineup, which is a mix of his own free-agent signings, a few key holdovers, and a pair of rookie draft picks. We're looking to see exactly how big-money free-agent signing Milton Williams, cornerstone defensive tackle Christian Barmore, third-year holdover Keion White, and newcomers Robert Spillane and K'Lavon Chaisson are utilized, in particular.
(Kris Craig/Providence Journal / USA Today Network)Drake Maye
It's hard to gauge exactly how players are performing physically, or from a technique standpoint, in these half-speed non-padded practices. That's why it's going to be key to simply see who's running with the starters and where they're lining up in the first place. For Maye, it's the opposite. Maye can't be hit to begin with, so we're going to be watching his footwork, throwing mechanics, accuracy, and decision-making.
The sophomore signal-caller was up-and-down in the OTAs we attended over the past few weeks, so at Patriots minicamp, we're also looking for more consistency out of the kid who's been annointed by a lot of people as the Patriots' franchise quarterback. That's not out of line for the third overall pick and an obvious physical talent. But there's a lot more to quarterbacking than that, and Maye has plenty to prove in order to establish himself as a high-end starting QB, let alone an elite franchise player.
There are still league-wide restrictions when it comes to reporting on these practices, so we can't exactly put out a full diagram of all the lineups. But we'll do our best to keep you abreast of what's happening on the practice fields in Foxboro over the next three Patriots minicamp practices.
