Day 1 of Patriots Mini-Camp
Gabe Jacas Not at Practice
Mike Vrabel, in his Press Conference prior to practice, stated that Jacas had a “procedure” after the draft. This confirms what Mike Reiss reported that Jacas’ absences from OTAs had to do with a Medical issue. Jacas is the only draft pick that remains unsigned. This probably has to do with the amount of guaranteed money in his contract. Last year, TreVeyon Henderson got part of his contract guaranteed. However, Henderson was the 38th pick in the draft. Jacas is the 55th and shouldn’t get any of his contract guaranteed. Second round picks’ signings were delayed last year by their agents trying to get every bit of guarantees they could, and the same thing is happening this year.
Drake Maye Impressive at Mini-Camp
Greg Bedard posted this on X: “Drake Maye, in two red zone periods, was 20 of 23 with at least 3 TDs (Brown, Stevenson, Henry). Was 1 of 2 on back-shoulder passes to Brown. The first was a thing of beauty and unstoppable. Impressive.” Brown beat Kindle Vildor on the TD pass from Maye. Vildor had tight coverage, but Brown leaped over him to make the grab.
Absent
RT Morgan Moses, EDGE Gabe Jacas and Harold Landry III. Mike Vrabel stated in his presser that it doesn’t make any sense to have Landry participate in Mini-Camp. He has a lot of experience and has been very vocal in position meetings. I think the same thing applies to Morgan Moses as the team tries to manage the older, experienced players to keep them fresh for the start of the season.
Christian Gonzalez a Hold-In
According to Mark Daniels of Mass Live “Christian Gonzalez didn’t practice during team drills. Looked like a hold in. He participated during individual drills and the walkthroughs”.
Boutte Participated a Lot More Than Expected
Mark Daniels reported “Kayshon Boutte practiced a good amount today. The first time the Patriots played three WRs, it was A.J. Brown, DeMario Douglas and Boutte on the field.” I wonder if Boutte will be kept over aging Veteran Mack Hollins. It would be crazy to just let Boutte, who just turned 24 years old, go for a late round draft pick.
Demario Douglas Leads with 5 Receptions
Another good day for Pop Douglas. This has been a consistent theme in OTAs and now Mini-Camp.
Caleb Lomu in at RT
With Morgan Moses absent Lomu played 1st team RT. He also played some at LT and even had some reps at Guard according to Doug Kyed of the Herald.
Tommy DeVito Shined
It was a good day for the QBs as Devito went 11-13 in 11-on-11s. His favorite target was Efton Chism.
Robert Spillane Had a Tough Day
Spillane is a below-average cover linebacker, and he got beaten deep twice on Tuesday. One was to A.J. Brown, and the other was a long TD pass to Hunter Henry on a corner route.
Kindle Vildor Has a Good Practice
Yeah, he got beat by AJ Brown on a back shoulder pass, but he was right in position. Brown has done that to a lot of corners. Vildor getting playing time in Christian Gonzalez “Hold In” was again in tight coverage on Brown on another back shoulder pass that was incomplete.
Alijah Vera-Tucker a Full Participant
You can’t tell much from an unpadded practice, but the fact that was in there on the 11-on-11s is a good sign.
Mike Smith Said Jacas Absence is Hurting Him
Smith, his position coach, let it be known that Jaca’s missing time is putting him behind the curve.
UDFA Punter Puts on a Show in Mini-Camp
David Bale showed a strong leg in the extended Special Team work in the practice. Bale played at Arkansas and averaged 45.4 yards per punt at Arkansas (SEC). He can also do kickoffs, Field Goals, and Extra Points. I wouldn’t be surprised if he is signed to give Bryce Barringer some competition.
UDFA WR Used as Gunner
Cameron Dorner was working with Brendan Schooler as a Gunner. In a crowded WR room, anything a Receiver can do on Special Teams is an added bonus. Dorner, 22, spent three seasons at Division II Shepherd University in West Virginia before playing at North Texas in 2025. He stands 6-foot-1, 188-pounds, and ran a 4.59 40 at his Pro Day. He is likely a Practice Squad candidate.
Morse’s Morsels
Chris Gaspar Announces He Needs Surgery
Gaspar announced this week that his Prostate Cancer has spread, and he will require surgery. Gaspar is a very knowledgeable, respected Patriots reporter for the Boston Globe. He is also the co-host on the Patriots Football Network Pre-Game show. He has stated that he will be taking a step back in his reporting. I wish Chris a fast and speedy recovery.
On a side note, Nick “Fitzy” Stevens was just released from WEEI Sports Radio and would be a very interesting replacement for Gaspar on the Pre-Game show with Big Jim Murray. Fitzy hosted a post-game show with Andy Hart for WEEI.
Demetrious Crownover as the Third TE
I am throwing this idea out there. Crownover was recruited to Texas A&M as a TE out of High School. He played his 1st season with the Aggies as a TE before moving to OT. The Patriots need a blocking TE with Julian Hill’s season-ending injury. What better than a 6’ 7”, 319-pound TE. At a minimum, Crownover can be used as a 3rd TE in short-yardage and blocking situations. Having played TE in High School, he has the ability to flip-flop from one side to the other. He also ran a very impressive 5.14 40- yard dash. That ability to flip-flop bodes well for him being a true swing tackle.
UDFA as a Blocking TE Candidate
Tanner Arkin, who was signed as a UDFA, is a 6’3.5”, 265-pound TE, caught only 19 passes and 5 TDs the last two seasons for Illinois. However, he was named Team Captain in both seasons for the Illini. Arkin ran a very slow 4.89 40-yard dash.
According to Mark Daniels of MassLive “Arkin is a blocking tight end who earned a 79.5 run blocking grade from Pro Football Focus”.
Gabe Jacas being Held Out Due to Injury Recovery
Mike Reiss, ESPN’s NFL insider, addressed speculation about New England Patriots rookie edge rusher Gabe Jacas’ absence from offseason OTAs. While some had speculated a contract dispute was the reason, Reiss said he would be “surprised” if money was the issue. Instead, he pointed to an injury as the likely cause.
Reiss told Patriots Realtime that he was told by someone with inside information that Jacas should be back soon, and that there’s “no major alarm” about his status. He suggested the Patriots may have been erring on the side of caution, similar to how Jacas skipped Illinois’ pro day in 2025 due to a hamstring injury, to ensure he was healthy before training camp.
Conflicting Reports That Kayshon Boutte Wants to be Traded
Multiple reports confirm that New England Patriots wide receiver wants to be traded after the team acquired A.J. Brown and signed Romeo Doubs, which has shifted the receiving room and reduced his role. He would have a reduced role with Brown and Doubs now the top two receivers. They have added 180receptions while losing 100 (Diggs).
He’s entering the final year of his rookie deal, with a base salary of about $3.67 million, making him an affordable trade asset. He wants to increase his number of receptions from the 33 he posted last season. He did have 6 TDs on just 46 targets.
Boutte said at today’s OTA “I wouldn’t mind being here. I do want to be here.”
Boutte Is At Minicamp
“At the end of the day, I control what I can control. As long as I do what I’m supposed to do off the field, everything else will play out,” Kayshon Boutte told WBZ-TV reporter Aaron Parseghian.
Boutte has not participated in New England’s voluntary offseason workouts, instead working out on his own, a sign of his openness to a trade.
Several teams are seen as possible destinations
- Las Vegas Raiders – Needing depth, with Tre Tucker, Jalen Nailor, and Jack Bech as top WRs; Boutte could be a low-cost, high-upside addition.
- Miami Dolphins – After moving on from Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, they could offer Boutte a starting role.
- Washington Commanders – WR2 behind Terry McLaurin, with depth needs.
- Indianapolis Colts – Looking for a third WR to complement Alec Pierce and Josh Downs.
- New York Giants – In need of WR depth after recent roster changes.
Boutte was available for a trade during the Draft but no team would pay the price the Patriots wanted. I felt they were holding on to Boutte as insurance should they not get AJ Brown. The trade for Brown tales away all of Boutte’s opportunities and is a redundant player. Surprisingly Boutte saw a lot of time at WR. He was out there with Brown and Douglas playing he X receiver.
Strat-O-Matic Football Analysis has Patriots at 9-8 Record
Strat-O-Matic Football was a board game I played as a teenager. They have very realistic results and computer-generated projections. Justin Leger of NBC Sports Boston had Strat-O-Matic Company run a simulation for the 2026 season. Without giving away the entire article, the simulation has them going 9-8. Here is the breakdown:
- Week 1 at Seattle Seahawks: 24-13 (L)
- Week 2 vs. Pittsburgh Steelers: 34-23 (W)
- Week 3 at Jacksonville Jaguars 35-25 (L)
- Week 4 at Buffalo Bills: 44-32 (W)
- Week 5 vs. Las Vegas Raiders: 24-7 (W)
- Week 6 vs. New York Jets: 42-28 (W)
- Week 7 at Chicago Bears: 23-7 (L)
- Week 8 at Miami Dolphins: 21-20 (L)
- Week 9 vs. Green Bay Packers: 17-14 (L)
- Week 10 at Detroit Lions: 24-16 (L)
- Week 11: BYE
- Week 12 at Los Angeles Chargers: 20-19 (W)
- Week 13 vs. Buffalo Bills: 34-9 (L)
- Week 14 vs. Minnesota Vikings: 27-20 (W)
- Week 15 at Kansas City Chiefs: 20-6 (W)
- Week 16 at New York Jets: 43-17 (W)
- Week 17 vs. Denver Broncos: 24-16 (L)
- Week 18 vs. Miami Dolphins: 20-19 (W)
The simulation has some interesting stats. AJ Brown doesn’t disappoint with 88 catches and 1205 yards with 8 TDs. Drake Maye’s stats drop a little to 65.2 Completion %. He throws 27 TDs. This reflects the tougher schedule he will be facing this year.
Patriots Announce the Opening of Training Camp and Open Practices
Sat July 25th (Conditioning Practice No Pads)
Sun July 26th (Conditioning Practice No Pads)
Mon July 27th (Walkthrough No Pads)
Tues July 28th
Thurs July 30th
Fri July 31st
Sat August 1st
Mon August 3rd
Tues August 4th
Fri August 7th
Mon August 8th
Tues August 11th (Joint Practice with Indianapolis)
Thurs August 13 Pre-Season Game with Indianapolis
Wed August 19th (Joint Practice with Philadelphia)
Thurs August 20th (Joint Practice with Philadelphia)
Sat August 22nd Pre-Season Game with Philadelphia
Gates open at 9:15. Practice starts at 10:15. Practice times are subject to change. Check Patriots.com prior to departing to attend the practice.
Support Mark and buy him a coffee.
Support Us: Help Us Compete Against The Corporate Media Giants
We need your help. If you enjoy our content, please help us beat Google's Corporate algorithm by adding us as a preferred source on Google News.
Click the button below and check the box next to "PatsFans.com"
Add as a preferred source on Google News
Merrimack Valley native and lifelong fan of the New England Patriots. My earliest memories of the Patriots were attending as a child with my dad, the off-season practice at Phillips Academy. I was at the Patriots game at Harvard Stadium in 1970 where Bob “Harpo” Gladieux was called out of the stands by the stadium announcer over the PA to play in the game. Analyzing the draft since ESPN first started to televise it in 1980 and former writer for the Lowell Sun Newspaper.
Agreed on Boutte and keeping him vs getting a ~6th rounder for him. Boutte has gotten better and physically bigger the last 2 years. His size/power was noticeable last year. If he progresses this year, he’s a respectable NFL starter. He was essentially a starter last year. He also costs little on a rookie 7th round pick salary. He also should be well motivated to show well this year to score a solid FA contract next off season. Lastly, if he’s duplicative to AJ Brown (says the media), isn’t that a good thing? Look, the Pats have a full WR… Read more »