Written By: @scottybrak
The New England Patriots kicked off mandatory minicamp on Monday, and Day 1 brought high energy competition and plenty for us to talk about! — starting with second-year quarterback Drake Maye.
Maye looked the part of a franchise QB throughout the session, completing 14 of 18 passes in team drills and tossing three red zone touchdowns — one each to TreVeyon Henderson, Pop Douglas, and Kendrick Bourne. He showed command of the team, displaying timing and anticipation on multiple throws, including a precision curl to Kayshon Boutte and a layered pass to Hunter Henry after a pump fake to the sideline. A thing of beauty.
But it wasn’t just the arm talent on display. Maye also led team conditioning at the end of practice, calling cadence in front of the full 90-man roster. Leadership. Mike Vrabel acknowledged that Maye’s leadership role is still developing but praised the young quarterback’s presence and growth.
“There’s a lot of natural leadership qualities,” Vrabel said.
“I have to continue encouraging him to step into that role.”
Among Maye’s weapons, rookie receiver Kyle Williams turned heads with the offensive play of the day — a ~50-yard touchdown bomb from Josh Dobbs that beat Tampa 2 coverage. Williams followed it up with a back-shoulder fade catch, staking an early claim that he is deserving of a starting spot on this offense.
As for Stefon Diggs, the veteran wideout was present and active in positional work but did not participate in the full-speed team periods as he continues to work back from the ACL injury. But, he continues to look like he’ll be ready for week 1, in my humble opinion. Vrabel noted that Diggs’ energy and presence was encouraging to the team.
And last but not least! Finally, the kicker competition remained neck and neck: rookie Andres Borregales and John Parker Romo both went 4-for-4 on field goals ranging from 35 to 47 yards. I do believe Andres will control his own destiny. He’s in the driver’s seat for the kicker battle.
📺 Want the full breakdown and all the context?
Watch the full Day 1 recap video now on our YouTube channel where I go into more detail on Maye, Diggs’ status, and MORE!
▶️ Watch now!
🔊 Quotes from Head Coach Mike Vrabel – June 9, 2025
On Stefon Diggs:
“He’s working hard in his rehab. Certain drills he can be out there, and there’s certain drills he won’t be. But I think he’s engaged, and I like his energy.”
On the defensive front seven:
“That’s gotta be a strength for us this year — is that front seven. We certainly invested in that position. I like how they’re competing. I like how they’re working.”
On Demario “Pop” Douglas:
“I love the person. I love the attitude. I love his spirit. He loves to practice, he loves to play this game. He loves football. That shows, and I think he’s gotten better.
Moving him around in different places — he’s picked up everything that we’ve asked him to do. The more he understands, the more we give him. I’m excited to see where he continues to be and continue to grow.”
On the left guard competition:
“We’ll be able to evaluate the linemen once we get to training camp. This is purely a passing camp, and so I don’t know if you get a full evaluation without shoulder pads on as an offensive lineman.”
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