New England Patriots
Caleb Lomu worked with the starters at right tackle while the defense kept Drake Maye in check.
AP Photo/Mark Stockwell
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FOXBOROUGH — Sunday’s practice session was marked by big defensive plays.
Drake Maye threw his first interception of training camp on a pass intended for A.J. Brown. Milton Williams got his hands up and batted down a pass. Christian Gonzalez and Carlton Davis each recorded a pass breakup.
The accuracy with which Maye usually plays didn’t seem as sharp on Sunday. He sailed a throw over Eli Raridon’s head. The throw that got picked off was wobbly.
Maye completed six of his 12 passing attempts, a below-average day by his standards. He hit Kyle Williams on a comeback route for a nice gain. Brown snagged a catch on a quick slant over the middle. Kayshon Boutte hauled in another deep catch near the sideline, keeping his momentum from Saturday’s highlight-reel catch going.
It was a non-padded practice featuring plenty of outside runs and a number of deep passing attempts.
Here are five takeaways from the action.
Lomu gets first-team reps at right tackle
At this stage of his career, rookie first-rounder Caleb Lomu has been working mostly as a swing tackle. He has been filling in on both the right side and left side as needed, mostly working with the backups.
Lomu started with the first team at right tackle on Sunday. Will Campbell started at left tackle, along with Alijah Vera-Tucker, Jared Wilson, and Mike Onwenu.
Morgan Moses, who started all 17 games for the Patriots last season, was at practice, but did not participate in scrimmages.
On Friday, coach Mike Vrabel told reporters that he’s figuring out an individualized plan to manage the 36-year-old tackle’s workload.
“Morgan’s played a lot of football, and Morgan’s going to be one of those players that’s going to have a unique plan,” Vrabel said. “I’m going to have to figure out what that is. And I’ve been hesitant to just say, ‘Hey, you’re going to go on these days. You’re not going to go on these days.’
“I like to kind of see how they respond, and really what he needs. Morgan’s at a point where it may just be individual one day, or it may just be the team reps one day, or it may be nothing one day.”
Eyes on RB3
Two of the players competing for the third running back spot, rookie Jam Miller and second-year player Lan Larrison, got several touches on Sunday.
There was one outside run in particular that made Miller stand out; it seemed like a stretch to the left side, and he found a crease and hit it with just the right amount of speed to knife through for a touchdown.
With players not wearing pads or being able to hit, those kinds of run plays should be taken with a grain of salt. However, it was one of the plays that popped on Sunday.
Larrison seemed to get the bulk of the reps for the third running back spot. His hands stood out on Sunday, making a nice catch on a short bubble in the backfield.
Terrell Jennings, who filled the RB3 role last year after Antonio Gibson went down with a season-ending knee injury, began training camp on the NFI list.
Miller, Larrison and Myles Montgomery are names to watch at the position this summer.
Play of the day: Craig Woodson picks off Drake Maye
It wasn’t Maye’s best throw — he threw a wobbler and Brown tried to reach for it with one hand.
Brown would up tipping the pass in the air, and second-year safety Craig Woodson was close enough to dive for the ball. Woodson made the catch, securing the interception.
It set the tone early for what became a strong day for the secondary. Woodson, who was a bright spot in this year’s Super Bowl loss, made a big play on the first day of training camp.
Borregales starts strong
Andy Borregales started off training camp a perfect 6-for-6 from field-goal range on Sunday. He was the only kicker that took reps during that portion of practice.
Last season, Borregales won his competition with John Parker Romo. It was a close race, and Borregales had a rocky start missing a pair of extra points in Week 2 of the regular-season against Miami.
So far, it’s been a smoother start to this training camp for the second-year kicker.
One DT to another
Christian Barmore said he receives daily text messages from five-time Pro Bowler Vince Wilfork, which he uses as motivation.
Wilfork spent a decade playing defensive tackle for the Patriots. He was a four-time second-team All-Pro selection and a member of two Super Bowl championship teams.
Barmore signed what was, at the time, the largest non-Tom Brady contract in franchise history in 2024. Team owner Robert Kraft said Saturday that the Patriots made Christian Gonzalez an offer that would set a new franchise record if he accepts.
Khari A. Thompson
Khari Thompson covers professional sports for Boston.com. Before joining the team in 2022, Khari covered college football for The Clarion Ledger in Jackson, Miss.
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Khari A. Thompson
Khari Thompson covers professional sports for Boston.com. Before joining the team in 2022, Khari covered college football for The Clarion Ledger in Jackson, Miss.
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