FOXBOROUGH – Was the performance on the field (particularly from the offense) great on Saturday?
No, but it was hard for Patriots fans to come away from the first training camp practice disappointed.
In fact, as far as first days in July go – on and off the field – Saturday was about as good as it can get if you’re a fan.
Off the field, the team finally came to an agreement with second round draft pick Gabe Jacas.
Better late than never. Jacas could (and should) ultimately be a very important piece of the defensive puzzle going forward.
Robert Kraft also spoke during the Pawtriots Program dog adoption event the team was running, telling reporters the organization has made Christian Gonzalez an offer to be the highest paid cornerback in NFL history.
It couldn’t have been a nicer morning to come out and watch the defending AFC champs. On the field, thousands that packed the stands and stood on the ramps got Christian Gonzalez as a full participant, a good sign that a deal feels imminent. Gonzalez played catch with fans doing a lap around the bleachers as the players made their way out.
Equally as important, Alijah Vera-Tucker was also a full participant up front and other than Jacas and the recently announced PUP guys, it was perfect attendance. There were a few highlights, potentially a statement made and a little clunkiness.
All in all, it was hard to find many negatives.
Here’s a quick rundown of what stood out:
A statement from Maye?
The first very team period, 11-on-11, real football (despite no pads) snap of the 2026 season was a shot downfield to AJ Brown, with Christian Gonzalez in coverage.
Brown leapt up and got a hand on the ball, almost reeling it in, but ultimately couldn’t as Gonzalez was tight on him.
Fans could have gone home happy right there.
After practice, Maye said that was the plan all along.
“I think I had to,” Maye said with grin. “One-on-one over there with Gonzo, trying to start off camp with a bang, but yeah, I’ve got to make a better throw for him. I think it’s a great time for them (Brown & Gonzalez) too. All camp…CD, we’ve got two great corners, Marcus (Jones) inside.
“So, our receivers and tight ends have been getting some great work.”
The bad/clunkiness
Isn’t this like the ‘positivity sandwich’ or whatever they call it? Gotta address the bad from Saturday before getting to the other good stuff. Maye had a fumble on a snap with Jared Wilson, which he took the blame for, saying he held the cadence a little too long. Still, not ideal from the fourth-year guy.
The backup QB situation is very interesting. Tommy DeVito struggled with incompletions and tipped balls his first series and then had two completions to Eli Raridon, Romeo Doubs (bullet to the sideline) and Pop Douglas on a comeback. Rookie Behren Morton got two team period series as well. Morton completed a quick slant over the middle to Efton Chism his first throw and showed great pocket awareness two snaps later, finding a way to make a short completion to Myles Montgomery. He had one completion to Kyle Dixon his second series.
Someone is going to have to take over that role. It’s an important one. We all saw what Matt Cassel did in this offense.
Good day for the running backs
No pads on obviously, but I thought TreVeyon Henderson showed real shiftiness with a few cuts at times. Rhamondre Stevenson looked a little more cut and quicker and rookie Jam Miller reminded me a little bit of Dion Lewis but bigger the few times he had the ball. Lan Larison may be a welcomed addition back too. That’s a crowded room and guys are really going to have to earn their spots.
Doubs
So, he made a few nice grabs on the day and is absolutely going to be an upgrade to this room for sure, but he hit the ground a few times where it almost looked FIFA-ish, and there was also the whole more important ‘wait, is he hurt?’ scare in the media tent before he got up each time.
It’s probably no big deal, but it certainly stood out.
Highlight of the day
It had to be Maye’s deep ball to Kayshon Boutte (who I’m now convinced they’re not trading). On the same opening series as the attempted bomb to Brown, Maye actually under-threw Boutte a little down the left side, Boutte stopped, adjusted and made the catch while falling down, drawing a huge roar from the crowd.
Looking ahead
Sunday should be slightly little longer than the hour-and-20ish minutes from Day 1. It should be a little cleaner offensively too. We’ll all remain on Christian Gonzalez contract watch and could we possibly see Gabe Jacas? No red zone on Saturday, so hopefully there’s a little bit of that too.
Practice starts at 10:15 a.m. and there should be another great crowd on hand.