Patriots Minicamp Notebook: Slower Day, But Offensive Line Coming Into Form
FOXBORO --- The New England Patriots, back again for their second day of mandatory minicamp, had a much slower day than the one prior.
While both sessions focused heavily on the red zone and trying to capitalize in the area that they struggled in a year ago, today's practice was a lot more of installing new formations and plays. There weren't competitive periods, something reserved for the final day this week.
After nearly two hours, here are some of the major takeaways from the Patriots' penultimate practice of the offseason slate.
Attendance
It was the same attendance as yesterday, as only offensive tackle Morgan Moses, and edge rushers Gabe Jacas and Harold Landry were the ones not present at practice. Christian Gonzalez, who didn't take part in any competitive drills in the first practice, took part in all of the jogging sessions and warmups.
Passing Stats
Nothing much to report here. The Patriots didn't choose to run any 11-on-11s today as they focused more on slower-paced install. During the reps that were run against air, Drake Maye and AJ Brown connected on a number of throws -- highlighting a budding chemistry just a few practices in.
First Round Rookie Getting More Comfortable
With starting right tackle Morgan Moses out for a second-straight practice, it led to the Patriots' first round pick being slotted into the starting lineup once again. Caleb Lomu was back at right tackle for the day, and worked at left tackle with the reserves.
It's clear that the 28th overall pick in April's draft is the runaway favorite for New England's top swing tackle job, and it doesn't matter what side of the line he'll play on. Head coach Mike Vrabel mentioned how Lomu is getting adjusted to both positions right now.
"He is getting a lot of reps. I love the versatility. I think when you get a young player, their willingness to learn and just adapt and adjust," Vrabel said prior to practice. "There hasn't been, 'Oh my gosh, I'm so used to this.' I think it's all new to him. So, his flexibility and versatility has been something that I think has stood out. He learns quickly, usually doesn't make the same mistake twice.
"And it is different, so the guys that you are trying to put in different places and say, 'You have got to get as much reps on the left as you do on the right,' that's important. So, he has done a nice job of that."
Post-Practice Sled Pushes
After the practice was over, the Patriots broke up into groups of six and began pushing giant sleds. It was something safety Kevin Byard mentioned yesterday as a team-building activity to do, and it has been a constant after these practices most of the offseason.
Each of the sleds had different slogans on them, reading "belief and identity," "push the pile" and "finish longer than the guy with the ball."
"They Said It"
"Maybe there's a little bit of savvy, but I think he showed up with a great attitude. I've enjoyed watching his interaction with the other players on the team, I think that's probably the thing that I'm most excited about right now," Mike Vrabel on if anything he's seen from A.J. Brown is different than when he coached him in Tennessee.
What's Next?
The Patriots will wrap up their offseason schedule tomorrow with their final mandatory minicamp practice. Vrabel and defensive assistants are set to speak before the session, and a group of players will speak after. After that, the team will break for a brief summer break ahead of training camp.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/patriots/onsi as Patriots Minicamp Notebook: Slower Day, But Offensive Line Coming Into Form.
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This story was originally published June 10, 2026 at 12:19 PM.