The Patriots wrapped up spring practices with a two-day minicamp this week.

Evan Lazar

The Patriots wrapped up the spring with a two-day minicamp on the practice fields behind Gillette Stadium, the first under head coach Mike Vrabel.

After seeing it firsthand, Vrabel's practices reflect his personality: high energy and competitive. The Patriots practiced at a crisp pace, where both sides of the ball built up to full-speed reps. For example, the offense begins by running plays against air and then at a jog-through pace against a defense before running those same plays in live 11-on-11s. By doing so, they're building muscle memory, leading to cleaner competitive periods with seemingly fewer mental errors. You're not seeing many pre-snap penalties or players lining up incorrectly it's been mostly smooth.

Along with Vrabel's presence, it's easy to spot Josh McDaniels orchestrating an offense that appears to be further along in their install than in recent years during the spring. McDaniels can be seen with a headset and play sheet in hand, relaying plays to the quarterback in a gameday style. McDaniels seems to be installing a little bit of everything, with QB Drake Maye's comfort level in a new system steadily improving to the point where the second-year quarterback told reporters, "I'm starting to find a stride. Bummed we're about to leave."

Maye wanting to keep the momentum going is exactly what you want to hear from the young quarterback, whose timing and understanding of where the completions are in this offense clearly improved. Between McDaniels schematic plans and Maye picking up the system quickly, this is the most encouraging spring for the Patriots offense in some time.

Now, big-picture questions about the offense still exist. Mainly, will a reworked offensive line, built around first-round pick Will Campbell, hold up, and do the Patriots have the outside playmakers for this passing game to excel? That said, the attention to detail appears to be back, and that's the most important thing three months before the Patriots real games.

Here are 20 thoughts on the Patriots as they break for the summer following mandatory minicamp.

- After placing G Wes Schweitzer on the reserve/retired list, the Pats starting left guard is an unknown heading into camp, where the evaluation really begins in padded practices in the trenches. Schweitzer was in the mix along with fourth-year pro Cole Strange, so the veteran being placed on the reserve list adds another layer of uncertainty. One development during minicamp was 2024 third-rounder Caedan Wallace taking reps at left guard. Some viewed Wallace as a tackle-to-guard convert coming out of college, so there's a possibility a move inside sticks. Other candidates include recent draft picks Sidy Sow and Layden Robinson, third-rounder Jared Wilson, Tyrese Robinson, or undrafted rookie Jack Conley.

- First-round LT Will Campbell improved with each practice in the spring. Although these are non-padded practices where it's hard to evaluate every rep without the benefit of film review, Campbell was tough to go against, primarily working against edge rushers Keion White and K'Lavon Chaisson. Campbell shutting down an inside spin move by Chaisson in Tuesday's session was good to see, as inside moves were one area the rookie was working to improve this offseason.

- Morgan Moses's growing post-practice summits was another notable O-Line anecdote. To start the spring, Moses held court with Campbell and other younger tackles. However, that group expanded to include more linemen, both veterans and rookies, with Mike Onwenu working with UDFA Jack Conley on hand placement after Tuesday's practice. Moses's leadership stood out throughout the offseason program.

- WRs Stefon Diggs (ACL rehab) and Ja'Lynn Polk (shoulder) seemed to be on the same program this spring. The two repped with the offense through the jog-through periods but worked off to the side during team drills. Diggs looks explosive and was cutting at full speed, while the star wideout's goal is to be ready for Week 1. Free-agent addition Mack Hollins was present but didn't participate in practice throughout the spring.

- McDaniels's backfield groupings were interesting, with speed backs TreVeyon Henderson and Antonio Gibson playing alongside Rhamondre Stevenson at times. FB Brock Lampe could also have a role in the offense.

- There was some scuttlebutt about where WR DeMario Douglas fits into the McDaniels offense, but if the spring is any indication, Pop is in for a featured role. Douglas looked at home working the slot routes in a scheme that has produced high-volume slot receivers such as Jakobi Meyers, Julian Edelman, and Wes Welker, to name a few. Douglas's quickness inside to feast on matchups and out-leveraged defenders was evident. He was Maye's favorite receiver in the final two practices, while the Maye-to-Douglas connection also had shades of the Pats QB working with current Colts WR Josh Downs at North Carolina.

- Third-round WR Kyle Williams had the catch of minicamp streaking through the middle of the defense to split two deep safeties, running through the zone coverage to catch a 40-plus yard bomb from backup QB Josh Dobbs. The rookie's burst off the line stands out, but we'll have to see how Williams fares playing through contact on the outside. On Tuesday, All-Pro CB Christian Gonzalez intercepted a pass intended for Williams in a press-man rep.

- Undrafted rookie WR Efton Chism's momentum slowed slightly in minicamp, but Chism still put himself in position to make a roster push this summer. After calling him a talented player, Vrabel pointed to Chism's "certain skill set," which speaks to the Eastern Washington product's route-running ability from the slot. Chism has those quick-twitch movements to run those routes inside, making him a natural fit for McDaniels's offense.

- WRs Kayshon Boutte and Kendrick Bourne are receiver holdovers who remain in the mix. Boutte's timing with Maye has carried over from last season, while Bourne is familiar with this offense, having played in it under McDaniels in 2021. Bourne ran a great "circus" route in the back of the end zone to shake CB Carlton Davis for a red-zone touchdown in Monday's session. The wide receiver competition will be a highly intriguing camp battle this summer.

- TE Hunter Henry was in mid-season form on a one-handed catch working across the field against S Jabrill Peppers. Henry is entrenched as the team's top tight end, but the backend of the TE depth chart bears watching. It'll be a good competition between Jaheim Bell, Jack Westover, and CJ Dippre that could depend on the type of player the Pats want to fill out the room behind Henry and veteran Austin Hooper.

- Defensively, a constant was a four-man defensive front featuring Harold Landry, Christian Barmore, Milton Williams, and Keion White. Barmore and Williams were tied at the hip all spring as the Pats top interior duo. Barmore told reporters he has the "green light" and is a full go after dealing with blood clots last season. He appears to be in great shape, chasing down plays during practices while winning a standout 1-on-1 rep vs. Mike Onwenu. Vrabel noted the defensive front needs to be a strength for the Pats this season, making Barmore a huge piece.

- Back in a familiar defense, free-agent addition Harold Landry flashed a few times rushing off the edge. Despite having nine sacks, Landry's pass-rush metrics took a dip in Tennessee a year ago, but the hope is it was mostly scheme-related. Now, the Boston College product is back in a defense where he thrived as a Pro Bowl-caliber player under Vrabel.

- DE Keion White is my biggest "X" factor for the Patriots defense. He fits well in an aggressive, gaming front that allows him to rush from a three-point stance over the tackle rather than outside the tackle in a two-point stance. White could blossom in this defense, especially playing off Barmore and Williams on the inside.

- Another area worth monitoring in camp is how the Patriots will handle situational pass-rush opportunities. Will they sub an early-down edge setter off for pass-rush specialists such as Chaisson or fifth-rounder Bradyn Swinson? Will they utilize linebackers in roles on the line of scrimmage in a more five-man rush front? It will be interesting to see how the coaching staff handles those situations, with the hope that Swinson makes an impression in padded practices.

- With LB Jahlani Tavai reportedly suffering a calf injury, linebackers Robert Spillane and Christian Elliss were constants on the second level of the Patriots defense. Spillane's instincts, processing and motor make him a nice pairing behind a playmaking defensive line. The communication seemed good as well, with Spillane possibly wearing the green dot.

- When padded practices begin this summer, the Pats interior D-Line and off-ball linebacker depth will be a sneaky area to watch. Barmore, Williams, White, Landry, and Spillane are projected starters. But there isn't a real feel yet for what's behind them. LB Jack Gibbens had a good moment in Tuesday's practice when he carried WR Javon Baker on a deep route, while fourth-rounder Joshua Farmer's length stood out on a few occasions with batted passes.

- All-Pro CB Christian Gonzalez was the Patriots best player this spring. His silky smooth interception was a jaw-dropping highlight on Tuesday, with Gonzalez staying over the top of Williams's route to reel in the deep pass attempt by Maye. Gonzo made a similarly ridiculous pick in the first open spring practice in deep zone coverage. The third-year pro was locking down his side of the field, with free-agent addition Carlton Davis consistently manning the opposite CB spot in minicamp practices.

- The other unknown for the Patriots defense is how they'll defend the slot under Vrabel. The Pats brass has noted that the "big" slot is featured more in this defense, with corners Alex Austin, Marcellas Dial, and Isaiah Bolden taking reps inside, as well as New England's safeties (we saw Peppers in the slot at times). That said, CB Marcus Jones will likely still have a role in this defense. Jones made a great late pass breakup in the back of the end zone on Tuesday, playing a strappy brand of man coverage that pairs well with Davis and Gonzalez. My guess is that the slot will be game-plan and situation-dependent, with the role evolving each week.

- S Kyle Dugger (ankle) is working his way back from offseason surgery, so we mainly saw Peppers and Jaylinn Hawkins at safety. Fourth-rounder Craig Woodson also had a nice spring.

- We'll see what it looks like with a live rush and when the pressure is on in games, but rookie K Andy Borregales was 19-for-20 on field goals in five open practices. After the team drafted him in the sixth round, Borregales has looked the part so far.

DISCLAIMER:The views and thoughts expressed in this article are those of the writer and don't necessarily reflect those of the organization.Read Full Disclaimer