Today will be the Patriots second OTA practice that is open to the media this spring. The first session had several notable moments and there will be much to watch for today. These are three things that I will be closely monitoring as practice unfolds:

Offensive Execution

The Patriots offense had arguable their best practice since Josh McDaniels left in the first open session last week. Mac Jones looked sharp, Tyquan Thornton looked like a player that could make a real impact and the operation as a whole looked organized and smooth. New England’s disjointed and woefully inconsistent offense was the source of frustration in 2022 and cost them games. If the 2023 version can be even reasonably efficient (and not dead last in the red zone), New England will be a playoff team. Having one strong practice is great, but the Patriots need to build on it and have another sharp, organized offensive practice today.

Christian Gonzalez

Gonzalez, New England’s first round pick in 2023, was not at the team’s first open practice, but he has participated since. Outside corner was a major need for the Patriots and Gonzalez projects to play a significant role this season and potentially a Week 1 starter. That makes these practices especially important for him. The more reps Gonzalez gets against NFL quality receivers now,  the better off he will be in training camp and to start the season.

Offensive Tackle

In addition to outside corner, the Patriots other biggest need was offensive tackle. New England signed Calvin Anderson and Riley Reiff, both of whom will see the field. While the Patriots did not draft a pure offensive tackle, fourth round pick Sidy Sow played offensive tackle in 2018 and got some work there at last week’s open practice. Given the lack of youth at tackle, Sow has a chance to earn a spot there.