Daily news and links for Thursday.
TEAM TALK
- Community: Kraft Family, Patriots Foundation and Gillette donate $275,000 in the names of 2025 Myra Kraft Community MVP Award winners
- Patriots Catch-22: OTA observations, David Andrews retirement ceremony, Minicamp preview [6/9-11]. (2 hours)
LOCAL LINKS
- Taylor Kyles details what a Drake Maye run game could look like for the Patriots. Under Josh McDaniels Drake Maye could go from underutilized dual-threat to one of the league’s most efficient running quarterbacks.
- Cameron Zunkel identifies 3 New England hidden gems you need to know on the 2025 roster. 1. WR Kyle Williams, 2. CB Marcus Jones, and 3. ILB Christian Elliss. /Click for commentary.
- Mark Daniels reports it didn’t take long for rookie WR Kyle Williams to impress his position coach Todd Downing.
- Mark Daniels notes running backs coach Tony Dews was thrilled to land impressive rookie TreVeyon Henderson.
- Matt Geagan notes Rhamondre Stevenson says he is grateful for support from the Patriots and has been focused on ball security heading into the offseason.
- Nelson Hubbell finds that guard Mike Onwenu is impressed by the team’s new-look offensive line.
- Matthew Schmidt points out how PFF ranked DT Milton Williams as the 14th-best defensive tackle in football heading into 2025.
- Matthew Schmidt is hearing 7th-round rookie TE Jaheim Bell is not making a positive impression so far.
- Phil Perry helps us meet Zak Kuhr, the assistant filling in as Patriots’ DC with Terrell Williams out.
- Karen Guregian relays interim DC Zak Kuhr on how his players have progressed so far. Defenders sure look like they’ve embraced the new system and can’t wait to put it on the field in actual games. “I think they’re doing a great job of buying into our style as a defense and our identity as a team,” Kuhr said.
- Chris Mason notes the Patriots looked for three traits when drafting ‘level-headed’ new kicker Andy Borregales.
- Greg Dudek hears from All-Pro Brenden Schooler who is all in favor of more kick returns after NFL Rule change.
- Karen Guregian reports the Patriots have a new director of college scouting. Tony Kinkela, who has served a national scout with the team the past three seasons, will be taking on the role of college scouting director.
- Tim Crowley mentions the Patriots’ uniform trend we should see in 2025 with blue jerseys and silver pants.
- Nick O’Malley catches us up with Patriots Super Bowl champion RB Shane Vereen. These days, the 36-year-old Vereen is living in Bellaire, Texas with his wife and two daughters. Since last year, he’s been working as a player personnel assistant for the Houston Texans.
NATIONAL NEWS
- Seth Walder (ESPN) The Patriots hired Ekene Olekanma from the 49ers as Director of Coaching Analytics, he wrote on LinkedIn. Olekanma had been Coordinator, Football R&D in San Francisco.
- Matt Verderame (SI) Ranking each NFL team’s top offensive triplets for 2025. Patriots 24th: Drake Maye, Rhamondre Stevenson, Stefon Diggs.
- Aaron Schatz (ESPN) Ranking NFL’s most likely worst-to-first teams for 2025 season. Patriots No. 3.
- Albert Breer (SI) NFL Mailbag: Why the AFC West will be the NFL’s most competitive division; Plus, more on a draft lottery, Kyle Pitts trade and Trey Hendrickson’s negotiations.
- Mason Cameron (PFF) Center Rankings: Top 32 ahead of the 2025 NFL season. Garrett Bradbury 25th.
- Tom Blair (NFL.com) Veterans who deserve raise heading into 2025 NFL season. Bills’ James Cook and Jets’ Garrett Wilson included. No Pats.
- Nick Shook (NFL.com) Make-or-break candidates: James Cook, Justin Fields among players at crossroads in 2025 NFL season. WR Ja’Lynn Polk included.
- Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) For the Super Bowl, team market size will never matter.
- Michael David Smith (ProFootballTalk) Reggie Bush: NFL owners want the cheapest field surfaces, players need to demand grass.