MORSE: Notes & Analysis of Patriots Training Camp

Wednesday’s Practice was a walkthrough in helmets and shells.

Attendees

Absent: Romeo Doubs, Carlton Davis, Jack Westover, Caedan Wallace, and Cameron Dorner.

PUP/NFI: Harold Landry, Brenden Schooler

Returned: TE CJ Dippre was activated off of the PUP list

Play of the Day: None

Notes From Various Beat Reporters from the Session

The Patriots held a walkthrough this morning that was closed to the public. No competitive periods to break down.

– Evan Lazar

The reason Wednesday and Thursday’s practices are closed to the public is due to the fact Gillette Stadium is hosting two nights of concerts featuring international South Korean K-Pop sensation BTS (Bangtan Boys).

Chad Muma is currently the Patriots’ third linebacker. He was the only backup with the starters in the first full-team period. Next up is undrafted rookie Khalil Jacobs.

The Patriots’ top backup cornerback has been Charles Woods. After that, it’s been rookies Karon Prunty and Channing Canada

– Mark Daniels

Khalil Jacobs and Karon Prunty had larger roles with the Patriots today.

– Savage

With no Romeo Doubs today, the top WRs with Drake Maye were A.J. Brown, Kayshon Boutte, Pop Douglas, Mack Hollins and Efton Chism. Kyle Williams spent the first 11v11 period with Tommy DeVito. Williams was with Maye’s group at other points but not against the defense

– Mark Daniels

Efton Chism spent the first 11v11 period of the walkthrough with the top unit (Drake Maye), while Kyle Williams was with Tommy DeVito

Terrell Jennings was the third running back behind Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson

LB Chad Muma, S Dell Pettus, CB Karon Prunty, OLB Bradyn Swinson, DT Eric Gregory, DL Joshua Farmer, CB Channing Canada, OLB Gabe Jacas all cycled in with the starters throughout the walkthrough

– Sophie Weller

With Romeo Doubs missing the session, the Patriots had an opening in their starting lineup. It went to sophomore Efton Chism, whose ability to line up all over the formation has made him a valuable presence in the wide receiver room. Chism was with the starting wide receiver group during the first period of 11-on-11s and often was on the field in Doubs’ place alongside A.J. Brown and DeMario Douglas. It will be seen how his role evolved once Doubs is back, but his usage on Wednesday was definitively noteworthy.

– Bernd Buchmasser

Will Campbell was seen wearing a big brace on his left arm in practice today. That brace looked like the one that Rob Gronkowski wore.

– Nick Cattles

My Assessment Through Practice 11

Efton Chism ran with the 1^st team in practice today in Romeo Doubs’ absence, not Kayshon Boutte or Mack Hollins. Kyle Williams was still with the 2^nd team and Tommy DeVito.

We won’t know about our EDGE players or our young offensive linemen until we get to the Joint practice with the Colts on Tuesday, August 11th. Greg Bedard is already sounding the alarm on Caleb Lomu, and Ben Brown has had a very bad camp. Caeden Wallace is falling down the depth chart and is highly unlikely to be on this team. If the EDGE players are as mediocre as has been reported, then the Offensive line may be in real trouble. We are hearing good things about Will Campbell’s improvement, but the same can be said about Campbell if he has been going up against mediocre pass rushers. Evan Lazar pointed out that Dametrious Crownover has been winning his one-on-one matchups. However, he has not been elevated in the depth chart yet. Greg Bedard has him making the 53-man roster.

Chad Muma has emerged as the Jack Gibbens replacement as the 3^rd linebacker. KJ Britt has fallen behind UDFA LB Khalil Jacobs. The Missouri Tiger product has been all over the field making plays.

Terrell Jennings is off NFI and has jumped into the 3^rd RB role over the last few days. Lan Larison has had some ball security issues, and that is not helping his case to make the team. Rookie draft pick Jam Miller has looked quick at times, but consistency is going to be the key with him. I still think the 3^rd running back is going to come down to which one can return kickoffs. This will be something to watch during the preseason games.

Karon Prunty is pushing Charles Woods for the #4 CB. All he is doing is making plays. The selection of Prunty in the 5^th round was roundly dissed by the experts as a severe reach. Last year the Patriots reached for Craig Woodson, and he turned out pretty damn good. The same can’t be said about Kindle Vildor. He is falling on the depth chart and at this point is unlikely to make the team. Channing Canada received a large guarantee to sign with the Patriots. He has had mixed reviews so far but keeps getting chances. He and Prunty got 1^st team reps in practice today. Canada’s guarantee is equal to the pay for a year on the Practice Squad. He may end up on the Practice Squad!

Behren Morton is having a fine camp in a limited role. He has a great rapport with UDFA WR Cameron Dorner, who is having a great camp that nobody has been noticing. Dorner was hurt on Tuesday and missed practice today. This is something to watch because the Patriots immediately claimed WR Tejhaun Palmer off waivers.

The last couple of players on the 53-man roster may surprise you. I have seen Greg Bedard’s 53-man roster projection, and he only keeps two QBs and two TEs. This will depend upon how QB Behren Morton performs in the pre-season games. If he shows out, like I expect he will do based upon his Training Camp and off-season work, it will be hard not to keep him. Remember, in the 2000 Patriots season, the Patriots kept 4 QBs, including rookie Tom Brady. Brady didn’t play in any of the pre-season games, and the team kept him under wraps, but wouldn’t expose him to waivers because they were afraid he would get snatched up. The second player I will mention is TE Tanner Arkin. The UDFA appears to be in line for the 3^rd TE position. However, the Patriots may try to sneak him through waivers because teams might not be interested in just a blocking TE. I would think both Arkin and TE CJ Dippre, who just came off PUP, would make it through waivers and for the first 6 weeks could call up one or the other to serve as the 3^rd TE. Each player can be elevated from the Practice Squad three times in the season.

DT Joshua Farmer has been having a steady and disruptive Training Camp. He has quietly gone about his business making multiple run stuffs. The second-year player is poised for a big jump in his second season. He played in 13 games and 224 snaps last season. Look for those to increase with Farmer being part of a 5 man rotation at DT.

Comings and Goings

Well, David Blay didn’t go anywhere; he was just absent from practice. The confusion was that Casey Rogers was wearing his jersey?

The Patriots signed Wide Receiver Tejhaun Palmer. Palmer was selected by the Cardinals in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL draft. He was released by the Cardinals organization on Monday. The 6-foot-2, 210-pounder spent the majority of his first two NFL seasons on the practice squad. He was signed by Arizona to the 53-man roster on Jan. 3, 2026, and saw action against the L.A. Rams (1/4) in the regular season finale. Palmer was released by Arizona on Aug. 3, 2026.

Palmer ran a 4.45 40-yard-dash at his Pro Day. He also participated in the 2022 East-West Shrine game where he had back-to-back 1st-down receptions to keep a drive alive. Taylor Kyles posted that Palmer was in for a 30-visit with the Patriots prior to the 2024 Draft.

Cameron Dorner has been very good this summer, and the best of the rest. The potential practice squad candidate was among the absentees from Tuesday’s practice, which might have prompted New England to take action, according to Bernd Buchmasser.

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About Mark Morse

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.

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