Cleaning out the notebook from the Patriots’ third practice of training camp.
After the first two days of practice and with temperatures climbing into the 90s, Mike Vrabel decided to give his New England Patriots a bit of a rest. The team turned its third session of training camp on Friday into a 75-minute walkthrough without pads, shells or even helmets.
To recap the session, please make sure to check out Pats Pulpit beat writer Brian Hines’ Training Camp Notebook. Before we turn our attention to Day 4, however, let’s clean out that notebook to put an official wrap on Friday.
Patriots Training Camp Notebook: Day 3
Practice recap | Performances of note | Garrett Bradbury on Drake Maye | Keion White on defensive violence | K’Lavon Chaisson on keeping momentum | Free agency workouts | Pats Pulpit Training Camp Guide
Mental readiness comes into focus: Mike Vrabel to scale back the physical intensity on Friday, but that did not mean the session itself was not still a test for his players. As was explained by several players after the walkthrough session, they needed to be on top of their game mentally.
“I got to be super intentional,” said defensive edge K’Lavon Chaisson. “Days like this obviously you can kind of slack off a little bit, when you don’t have to go probably as intense and as hard. So, I got to be super intentional with steps and footwork and details and alignments and all the mental reps I can get whether I’m in or I’m not in. Obviously, it’s needed for the body, but you got to take your mental reps to when coming into this week.”
“It’s one of those situations where we’re not physically doing anything taxing,” added cornerback Marcus Jones. “But mentally we have to make sure we get our checks and get the calls, anything like that. So, it’s very important.”
The intensity will soon be increased again. The Patriots will return to a competitive setting on Saturday before an off-day followed by the introduction of full pads on Monday. Being physically and mentally ready at that point is of the utmost importance to coaches and players alike.
“He’s helping us take care of our bodies, trying to really allow us to stay healthy and things like that,” safety Kyle Dugger said about head coach Mike Vrabel. So, we have to take advantage of that and really be locked in mentally so we don’t let anything fall through the cracks.”
Kyle Dugger has put injury-riddled 2024 behind him: The 2024 season was a disappointment for Kyle Dugger, who suffered an ankle injury early on and never quite recovered. As a consequence, his impact on the Patriots’ defense was not as pronounced as it had been in previous years.
The veteran defender, however, is not dwelling on the past. Fully healthy again and participating in camp without limitations, his focus is on what lies ahead rather than prove his doubters wrong.
“I’m not really thinking about it like that,” he said. “I’m just excited about the year, excited about the team, and I am very excited to be healthy. But I’m not thinking about last year and showing people and things like that. I’m really focused on having a great year with this defense and with this team.”
Versatility stands out about new-look defense: A veteran of five NFL seasons, Kyle Dugger has spent the entirety of his career before this year in the same basic system; both Bill Belichick and his predecessor as head coach, Jerod Mayo, built their defenses on the same principles. Hiring Mike Vrabel and new coordinator Terrell Williams this offseason, however, has changed things up.
Dugger seems quite happy about the change, and what it entails.
“I really like the versatility,” he explained on Friday. “We kind of do a lot of different things. That kind of makes it unpredictable, which is always great. I think that’s my favorite thing right now.”
Interior competition heating up? Jared Wilson may not have yet cracked the starting lineup, but the Patriots’ third-round draft pick is certainly a player to watch when pads come on next week. After all, he keeps getting inserted into the starting group and potentially positions himself to win the top role at either center or left guard.
Current starting center Garrett Bradbury is one of the players possibly getting pushed by Wilson. The veteran and first-year Patriot does not see a problem in that, though.
“I think what Vrabel loves the most is competition,” Bradbury said about his head coach on Friday. “That’s the best thing you can have as a football team. It’s going to make him better, it’s going to make me better, it’s going to make everybody better. I think on the other hand, I don’t think I’ve played on a line where all five guys played every snap the whole year. So, you need to build depth, too. The more good football players that you have, the more games you’re going to win. That’s what training camp is about.
“He said, ‘Everyone needs to earn a role. Whatever that role is, you have to earn it.’ That’s what we’re coming out here to every day. I know I got to be on my stuff every single snap, every single play, getting this offense down no matter what quarterback I’m playing with, no matter what group I’m playing with.”
Marcus Jones has put offensive ambitions on ice, for now: When Marcus Jones joined the Patriots as a third-round draft pick in 2022, he did so as the reigning winner of the Paul Hornung Award as the most versatile player in college football. A two-way player and explosive punt returner, he indeed saw action in three phases over his first three years in the league.
Heading into 2025 — the last year of his rookie contract — his ambitions as on offensive chess piece are on ice.
“I’m primarily focusing on defense and special teams right now,” Jones explained before adding that, “whenever that time comes, if that time comes, I’ll be ready for it.”
A package player on offense, Jones has played 24 combined snaps on that side of the ball on his résumé. He has touched the ball six times for 101 yards and a touchdown with a majority of his production coming as a rookie in 2022.
Patriots have an eye on Christian Wilkins: New England’s Week 1 opponent, the Las Vegas Raiders, made a stunning move earlier this week, releasing defensive tackle Christian Wilkins just one year after signing him to a four-year, $110 million contract. The reasons behind his release remain in the dark for now, but the Raiders voided his salary guarantees leading to Wilkins filing a grievance with the NFLPA.
Whether or not that situation will impact his market remains to be seen. The Patriots, however, will at least “have a conversation” about the 29-year-old, according to their head coach.
“This is pretty new, so I don’t have all the information on where Christian is,” Mike Vrabel said. “I know Christian, recruited him when he was up here in the area in Connecticut going to high school, so I’m sure we’ll have a conversation.”
The Patriots’ defensive tackle depth chart is currently led by Christian Barmore and Milton Williams, two of the highest-compensated interior defenders in the NFL. Bringing Wilkins in would be another major investment, but one New England would be able to afford from a salary cap perspective.
What’s next: The Patriots will be back on the practice field on Saturday at 10:15 a.m. ET. Make sure to follow Pats Pulpit (@patspulpit) as well as our very own Brian Hines (@iambrianhines) and Taylor Kyles (@tkyles39) for updates.