PATRIOTS TRAINING CAMP 2026 Patriots Training Camp Day 6

[BobDigital]

He isn't just a pass catcher. He can block too. Is he a plus blocker yet? No. He needs more weight and more technique. But he is not one of those 'TE in name only guys'. I think give him a year and he has what it takes to be potentially average in blocking in the NFL. Another year? Maybe a bit better. I don't think he has the tools to ever be a TE considered a very good blocker, if he did, he probably would have been more dominant in college, which he wasn't in that aspect. But i think he can be decent. To above decent in a year or 2.

 

[BobDigital]

Glad to see Doubs getting in on it too. He is being slower to get it than AJ... but he will be the #2 WR on this team I am very confident.... and to get it over Gonzo too shows something big.

 

[BobDigital]

Not good for Lomu but needed some good Swinson news.

Not worried about Lomu... rookies get smoked some times. I am more happy for Swinson news. Lomu had a good day yesterday it sounds like. He will have lapses and bad streaks as a rookie. If no one took advantage of him i wouldn't be thinking 'wow... Lomu is amazing' as much as 'wow, our pass rush depth is very sus'.

 

[manxman2601]

Not worried about Lomu... rookies get smoked some times. I am more happy for Swinson news. Lomu had a good day yesterday it sounds like. He will have lapses and bad streaks as a rookie. If no one took advantage of him i wouldn't be thinking 'wow... Lomu is amazing' as much as 'wow, our pass rush depth is very sus'.

I'm certainly not rushing to judgement on Lomu, I'm just pleased, after to last year, to get good news on Swinson.

 

[manxman2601]

 

[mgteich]

Four WR's get almost all the reps.

For 2026, we are certainly much stronger with Boutte than without him.

2026: Brown, Doubs, Boutte, Hollins, Williams, Douglas
2027: Brown, Doubs, Williams (FA's: Hollins, Boutte, Douglas)

By keeping all 6, we are in great shape for 2026 AND 2027, with at least one of Hollins, Boutte and Douglas being re-signed).

If someone is traded, Chism would make the 53, but I prefer him on the PS.

 

[mgteich]

He isn't just a pass catcher. He can block too. Is he a plus blocker yet? No. He needs more weight and more technique. But he is not one of those 'TE in name only guys'. I think give him a year and he has what it takes to be potentially average in blocking in the NFL. Another year? Maybe a bit better. I don't think he has the tools to ever be a TE considered a very good blocker, if he did, he probably would have been more dominant in college, which he wasn't in that aspect. But i think he can be decent. To above decent in a year or 2.

If your analysis of his blocking is correct, Raridon is a major upgrade over Hooper and a great draft pick.

We could extend Henry (a fine use of cap money) and be set at TE for a long time.

 

[mikey m]

Henderson doesn't seem to be capable of it.

My point is that the winner of #3 back might be decided on this.

They're probably close enough as actual runners.

That seems a little premature. He excelled at it in college, struggled as a rookie. Let’s see how he does this year. Hopefully he can make improvements there and with his vision/processing. If not, he’s basically our change of pace / home run back and maybe we use him more in kickoffs too to maximize his value

 

[SlowGettingUp]

Mack Hollins and Pop Douglas were rated the 12th and 13th best receivers in the NFL last year by ESPN. Douglas was tied for the best receiver in football on YAC. Boutte tied for the best receiver on catch metric.

Brown last year was number 6 overall - but the only receiver in the top 15 on every metric; Diggs was number 2. Maye of course had a little something to do with these rankings for the Pats' receivers.

NFL Receiver Scores - ESPN Analytics

Models and data visualization from ESPN Analytics. NBA & NFL Draft, schedule analysis, receiver scores and more.

espnanalytics.com

 

[mgteich]

OFFENSE - VERY EARLY THOUGHTS

It is very early but I think that the Offense has a had a fine start with many questions answered already.

1) Drake looks great.
2) The receivers looked great.
3) We have at least one solid option at RB3.
4) We have a very good #2 TE.
5) Bryant looks to be a below average backup LT, an OK option for the #4 OT.

To put it another way, this group will benefit from lots more reps but they will ready.

TO BE DETERMINED
A) Will we have an improved running game?
B) Will Henderson learn to block? I thought that this was his strength coming out of college.
C) Will we have a 2nd backup IOL or will we need to pick one up?
D) Will we see anything from Crownover?

 

[hornetfb85]

I know they love him as a blocker and as a locker room presence but is Mack Hollins on the bubble? Easy contract to cut and with Douglas, Williams and Chism starting to do well, there's not much coming from Hollins in these tweets.

Just my opinion here, but teams looking to make it back to the Super Bowl don’t cut team guys on small contracts like Mack Hollins. Great Depth/Team guy that can come into the game and make the tough plays

 

[BobDigital]

Some thoughts.

Drake 'Drake Maye' Maye. A lot of the talk about this team going back to the rest of the pack a lot would require a projected regression year from Maye. If he delivers this year. Which i think he will, they have a stronger 52 around him. I don't care what the schedule is. If Maye is borderline MVP or even close again. This team is back in business big time and will be perhaps the scariest team in the AFC.

TE - Raridon has done nothing but makes plays since getting here. He has stacked his name as not just TE2 by default, but is commanding that spot. And we are still early in this process... has he had a bad or even meh day yet? I don't think so. It is okay to expect things from him at this point. Would have loved to see Tanner have another big blocking day. Didn't happen, or we didn't hear about it case catches got all the news.

RB3 - I think Miller is ahead a bit. Doesn't mean they won't carry Larison. I think Jennings is likely gone though. and if they want to only carry 3 Larison can slip to the PS probably.

WR is going to be a thing all camp. I think push comes to shove they will and should keep Williams over Chism. Too much upside there with his talent. But is Chism safe in the open market? I don't think it is likely at this point. The question is who you cute if anyone. While Raridon gives them another big target. I can't see them cutting the locker room presence and size of Hollins unless he is starting to look like he lost a step. And he is one of the names I am not hearing called much. But that doesn't mean he isn't doing well automatically. It is worth noting there is silence there though. I don't think they trade Boutte unless a high 2027 3rd is offered. And I don't think it will be. If anything less, let him hit the market. And if someone bids Doubs like money you get a comp pick which will be almost as good as what you would have gotten in a trade now it sounds like. I don't see Boutte being traded unless a big injury happens someone and things get a bit desperate.

For depth WRs... assuming Chism makes the PS and no one gets, they will still need an outside option. There is room for Dorner here on that PS.

On the OL. Campbell having a day is huge. He the key from him is consistency. But needs to work on those stunts and crossers. Wilson didn't muff another snap today. I don't want to hear about a muffed snap again anytime soon. I do like that his pass blocking seems more solid in that spot. The lack of push up the middle isn't surprising given out interior. Lomu can spanked a bit today. Welcome to the NFL rookie. Now do better next practice. The fact he played with the 1s says enough as is. Just needs to keep working. The good thing about Moses getting so many days off is it allows us to explore our OT depth in camp. And i am liking it.

At guar and OT depth i think Wallace is outside looking in now. Others felt this way too. His flexibility at OT has become very unimportant. We will have OT depth on the PS. Butler absolutely sounds in line for the 5th IOL spot behind Ben Brown who looks absolutely unshakable in his hold there. At OT Lomu seems to already be in contention for OT3. It could just be giving the rookie looks early. But if he is getting so many looks this early, that says something. And with talent by the end of camp it is hard to see him not solidly holding the OT3 spot if he is contesting for it this early. After him the most consistent name I've seen on the 2nd unit and mixing in with the 1s rarely is Bryant. He rarely plays with unit 3. I think he is sticking. Hudson is susprisingly kind of stuck on the 3rd OT line. To me this likely give the younger cheaper Crowner the inside track. The path they paid 400K GTD to get Hudson here and he is this buried doesn't speak badly of him. It shows to me our OT depth which is very young is ahead of schedule.

Defense? We aren't really missing a beat without Barmore. Him not being there today is fine as he was there yestday even with his leg thing. Durden is a guy i am really glad they snagged for cheap last year. He is going to get paid after this year and deserves is. I hope it is with us. Right now he is on a 1M contract. Next year he is making 3-4M pretty easily. It will easily be more than he has made so far in his career, and he has earned it. Not much from Farmer yet.. which is a bit dissapointing, but we will see in the join practices and the preseason. Gregory is another name i am not forgetting.

Edge we keep hearing Ponder praised. when you hear it like that it isn't just noise. They have something really interesting in him. Swinson had some wins today. That 5th edge spot is his to take. Without Gage or Landry now is to the time to impress vs starters and elite back ups. He is doing enough to stick right now... but I'd like to see it continue to ramp up/

LB? I honestly have nothing to say about his group. No depth here has really stuck out though.

CB - Minor is getting picked on. Woods is the clear 4th. Not even close. Jones has i think silently been sensational. Gonzo gets the hardest jobs and wins more than he loses. The ball has to go somewhere. But the fact they are not bumping down shows no one else is ready. It is Punty's for the taking. He isn't really doing enough to justify it yet though.

S - the starts hear and Pettus, the entrenched 3, have been not as competitive as i'd like. I hope it improves.


The absolute silence surrounding Marcus Jones is speaking volumes, in a good way. He isn't even really being targeted. This may have to due with our slot options being weak, but i think it is much more Jones is one of the most underrated slot guys in the NFL

 

[n1997y]

I want a RB who can pick up the blitz.

See below.

 

[n1997y]

Henderson doesn't seem to be capable of it.

My point is that the winner of #3 back might be decided on this.

They're probably close enough as actual runners.

Saw a report Hendo displayed that skill today

 

[mgteich]

Just my opinion here, but teams looking to make it back to the Super Bowl don’t cut team guys on small contracts like Mack Hollins. Great Depth/Team guy that can come into the game and make the tough plays

Hollins, Boutte, and Douglas all have small contracts and could be valuable in 2026, with the HOPE of re-signing one of them in 2027.

If Doubs can replace much of Hollins role, then Hollins is indeed expendable.

 

[jdlboot14]

It'll be important to see Raridon in preseason with live reps. But, everyone acts like he's a big step down in blocking... uh, have you seen Henry block? He is pathetic. The team knows it, that's not his thing. So, I bet the rookie is a better blocker than Henry by week 1. Also, we have Lomu as a 6th OT for goal line, etc. Developing Raridon as a complete all-around TE that can scare the D in passing game is more important than if he can block like HOFer Gronk did.

 

[n1997y]

We’ve seen this before with Douglas.

IMO he is one we should be looking to move rather than Boutte (I know Boutte has asked for a trade) and I like Williams and Chism more than Douglas.

Yes. I think Douglas is more likely on the bubble than Boutte or Hollins. Boutte has been balling out in camp. Hollins is a binky of Josh’s. They know what they have in all three of them. I think that’s why we haven’t seen as much of Hollins being targeted. Today it seemed Boutte was not targeted as much as he was past few days. He might have been getting showcased to see if he’d get more interest from other teams. Or to make him feel better that he’ll get enough targets to help his contract year even if it’s not here.

I still think we keep 6 WRs on the roster: Brown, Doubs, Boutte, Hollins, Douglas, and Williams. If not Douglas is my bet for most likely to end up on another team. Chism might make it as returner, more likely will be on the PS. Hollins is a vested vet so not subject to waivers and would be FA if cut so I could see him being cut and then signed after some other roster moves. But I don’t really think that will be necessary.

 

[Hammer of Thor]

It'll be important to see Raridon in preseason with live reps. But, everyone acts like he's a big step down in blocking... uh, have you seen Henry block? He is pathetic. The team knows it, that's not his thing. So, I bet the rookie is a better blocker than Henry by week 1. Also, we have Lomu as a 6th OT for goal line, etc. Developing Raridon as a complete all-around TE that can scare the D in passing game is more important than if he can block like HOFer Gronk did.

It’s not like Hooper was all-world at blocking either. So it doesn’t seem like there’s a step down on that front so far. We’ve been blessed with great TE all-around play as a franchise in general, although nobody was better than Gronk and expecting another Gronk will only lead to disappointment. But I’m loving what I’m reading about Raridon to this point. I already can’t wait for the joint practices against the Colts as our first external perspective on how he’s doing.

 

[Gumby]

It felt from day one that Jam has as much a shot as Larison for the 3rd spot.

…..

Or Even MORE OF A SHOT ….
Larison MAY be easier to sneak onto PS. With his injury year he may have fallen off other Teams Radar.

Jam Miller is a fresh Face from THIS YEAR DRAFT who also got some pub as a super steal. So the 31 may be watching him closer.

 

[Gumby]

Saw a report Hendo displayed that skill today

Hendo was supposedly (IIRC) the best pass blockig RB in last years draft.

That he had a big Shock /Transition to nfl (or McDaniels?) pass blocking was kind of surprising at First.

But im thinking now that it was a mental thing of knowing what hole to Cover in. a complex offense (getting there late) and not becessarily a technique issue and certainly not a willingness Problem.