Monday Patriots Notebook: 8/4: Big Week for the Patriots, Vrabel Has High Praise For Brown
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Some news and notes on this Monday:
1) This is certainly going to be a big week for the Patriots, who will spend this next stretch getting some work in against the Commanders ahead of their first exhibition game of this 2025 preseason.
The club will spend Monday and Tuesday with their normal morning practices before they hit the field on Wednesday for a single joint practice with Washington prior to Friday night’s preseason opener.
Quarterback Drake Maye, who had a rough go of things Friday night during the season ticket holder in-stadium scrimmage, had said that this current span will give him a pretty good measuring block in terms of where he’s at to this point in training camp. With the second-year quarterback hitting the field for a couple of days to hopefully make some corrections, the goal is to try and have some success against a Commanders’ team that should also be excited about hitting someone other than their own teammates.
“I mean, that’s what you hope,” said Maye last week if he felt he was moving in the right direction. “I think, you know, I’m trying to get comfortable in this offense, kind of take the next steps as we go. And I think, you know, the real test will be when the games come and when we get in these joint practices. So I’m looking forward. You know, I’m proud of, you know, the work we’ve done, and I feel good. I feel in a good spot, but, you know, I think it’s still a lot of work left.”
2) Will Campbell is probably someone who’s looking forward to going against someone other than his own teammates. Several of the Patriots’ defenders have gotten plenty of looks at the rookie, and he’s been on the wrong end of a few exchanges, albeit he’s also had his own moments.
Campbell’s remained upbeat and has continued to work hard, with the rookie simply focused on getting better. While he’s had some tough times against the pass rush at times, Phil Perry of NBC Sports Boston also pointed out moments last week where Campbell did end up some wins against players like Milton Williams, particularly in the ground game. Run blocking has been an area that he’s looked like the guy we saw at LSU, which is a positive sign. As he continues getting stronger and watching film, the hope is that we’ll see continued growth from him going up against NFL-caliber players in pass protection.
He’ll be in the crosshairs this week as we get closer to Wednesday, and whatever match-ups he ends up in should give him a pretty good barometer of both where he’s at, and where he’ll need to improve over these final few weeks.
3) Pop Douglas continues to trend upwards, with the young wideout seeing plenty of targets, and he looks like a player who is settling nicely into this offense.
Perry also highlighted the fact that Douglas has been right behind Stefon Diggs when it comes to Maye looking his way in practice, and he’s making plays when he does get the football.
“He’s seen the most targets as far as what I have been tracking in these competitive periods from Drake May through five practices now,” said Perry of Diggs. “But pop Douglas is right behind him, and Pop Douglas has more catches, Tom [Curran], in these competitive periods of practice. I just think, between what he’s able to do in the short area, which we know because of his quickness, but you couple that with what we’ve seen in the intermediate range, crosses over the middle of the field, and even in some of these extended play situations going long and connecting with Drake Maye, he looks like their best receiver right now.”
“And he’s not a true one, but I think eventually, if he continues to show the connection that he has with Drake Maye, we could be talking about this guy at the end of the year like he’s one of the most productive slot receivers in football.”
Douglas already talked about his confidence last week, adding that his growth over the offseason has him feeling good about where he’s at.
“I changed as a person, as of, like I said, growing in the classroom and becoming that leader,” said Douglas after being named an offseason award winner last week. “I wasn’t a vocal leader back then, but now I’m not scared to say, ‘Come on, I expect more out of you.’ I feel like they’ve seen that growth. I mean, watching film, they probably knew I could play, but it was like that different step, that extra step that I took.”
4) As Jared Wilson continues grabbing a hold of left guard, it’s been interesting seeing what’s unfolding at center.
Last year’s starter, Ben Brown, seems to be in the fold right now and he’s apparently someone who impressed head coach Mike Vrabel heading into the preseason.
Vrabel spoke highly of Brown on Friday, noting how much he stepped up when the pads came on last week, along with his performance last year, as things that have stood out to him.
“I think he’s an improved player,” said Vrabel of Brown. “I think that he came mid-season here and had to play, and did a decent job. I think he put the work in, and I think that these padded practices, I’ve seen him improve.”
Again, you’re excited for those players that have improved through the spring and that were here in the spring or whatever, and came into training camp ready to go. I think once the pads guy came on, I think Ben settled. It was good to see him just settle down and really notice him, which is good for a center.”
With Garrett Bradbury being sidelined last week, it opened the door for Brown to see more time, and working behind him has also been Cole Strange. That position feels far from settled, which is what’s going to make this week a little more interesting both when they line up against the Commanders later in the week.
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