New England Patriots
Both A.J. Brown and Christian Gonzalez have lived up to their billing as elite talents so far during camp.
A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs have both impressed so far during camp. AP Photo/Charles Krupa
Through 11 total practices so far during training camp, several players on the Patriots’ roster have made compelling cases for spots on New England’s 53-man roster, while others are sliding further down on New England’s depth chart.
Drake Maye has largely been dialed in since the start of camp, even if Thursday’s session did end with a pair of costly interceptions during the team’s two-minute drill.
But, how has the rest of New England’s roster fared as the Patriots brace for their preseason opener next week against the Colts?
Here’s a look at some early standouts and disappointments through the first two-plus weeks of training camp.
STOCK UP
A.J. Brown, WR
Had we dropped a stock report last week, New England’s WR1 likely would have been either holding steady or trending downward after struggling to build a strong rapport with Maye.
That isn’t the case now.
New England’s top offseason pickup has looked the part as the dynamic, franchise wideout that the Patriots were hoping would elevate an already explosive offense moving forward — with A.J. Brown showcasing his elite first step and varied route tree as a dependable target for Maye.
His 1-on-1 battles with Christian Gonzalez have been one of the highlights of training camp so far, drawing praise from both Mike Vrabel and several of their teammates for raising the competitive atmosphere in Foxborough.
Dre’Mont Jones, Edge
New England’s pass-rushing corps stands as one of the top question marks entering the 2026 season. Not only did just six NFL teams record fewer sacks (35.0) than the Patriots last season, but the Patriots lost K’Lavon Chaisson in free agency and have yet to get Harold Landry on the practice field this summer.
But Jones — who signed a three-year, $36.5 million contract this spring – has definitely looked the part so far as one of the key fixtures on New England’s defense.
It’s no surprise that Jones is repping with the first-team defense this summer, but his physicality has been evident — especially in 1-on-1 battles where he has ragdolled several offensive linemen. He should be a favorite of Vrabel and defensive coordinator Zak Kuhr.
Andy Borregales, K
Andy Borregales didn’t exactly have a lot of pressure placed upon him this summer with no other kicker on the roster to challenge him.
But, the second-year pro has not needed to rely on any internal competition to elevate his game, with the 2025 sixth-round pick routinely converting on his field-goal attempts during practice. He went 7-for-7 on attempts Tuesday, including a 54-yard field goal to close out a two-minute drill.
Will Campbell, LT
It’s been an encouraging start to camp for Will Campbell, who — beyond a victory from Jones during a 1-on-1 drill — has just about held his own in every matchup so far this summer.
A second-year leap for Campbell would be a welcome sight for New England, although it’s worth noting that the fourth pick in the 2025 NFL Draft didn’t take part in competitive drills on Thursday while wearing a brace.
Mack Hollins, WR
Hollins has flown under the radar at times this summer compared to other Patriots wideouts like Brown and Kayshon Boutte. But, the 32-year-old veteran has started to really find his footing over the last week, stringing together some strong practices.
He’s been a dependable deep-threat target for both Maye and Tommy DeVito, while his size (6-foot-4) and blocking ability make him a player who should have a defined role in the Patriots’ crowded wideout room.
Terrell Jennings, RB
There haven’t really been too many standout performances so far from New England’s running backs during camp.
But, Jennings seems to have an early advantage in the ongoing battle for the third running back spot behind Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson.
Since returning from the non-football injury/illness list earlier this week, Jennings has routinely earned reps with the second-team offense and top punt team — pushing other options like Jam Miller and Lan Larison further down the depth chart.
Gabe Jacas, Edge
This one might be a bit reactionary, given that Gabe Jacas only returned to the practice field this week after an extended contract holdout and time spent on the non-football injury/illness list.
But, New England’s 2025 second-round pick has made his presence felt so far — bowling over outside linebackers coach Mike Smith in a pass-rush drill before getting some reps with the first-team defense on Thursday.
He has to make up for plenty of lost time, but Jacas’ initial burst and athleticism are pretty evident.
Chad Muma, LB
While undrafted free agent Khalil Jacobs has also popped at times, Chad Muma looks to be the leader in the clubhouse when it comes to shoring up the third linebacker spot on the roster behind Robert Spillane and Christian Elliss.
While he’s primarily been on the second unit, Muma has taken the field with New England’s projected starters any time they’ve called for three linebackers.
Muma — a 2022 third-round pick out of Wyoming — is an instinctive linebacker who could carve out a similar role as Jack Gibbens last season.
Marcus Bryant, OT
With Campbell sidelined on Thursday, Marcus Bryant stepped in as the Patriots’ starting left tackle and held his own, with the 2025 seventh-round pick continuing to show some upside at an area of the depth chart that could run into some major issues if injuries sprout up.
The 6-foot-7 tackle could be called upon this season if the injury bug bites Campbell or Morgan Moses.
Christian Gonzalez, CB
There’s yet to be a resolution to the ongoing contract talks between Gonzalez and the Patriots.
But, the star cornerback hasn’t let that stalemate affect his participation during camp or his standing as one of the top defensive backs in the game.
He’s been as advertised as a sticky cornerback who has made life miserable for whatever wideout has been matched up against him during team drills.
Karon Prunty, CB
With veteran Carlton Davis sidelined for more than a week with an injury, Karon Prunty — a 2026 fifth-round pick out of Wake Forest — has seen more reps handed his way.
For now, it looks as though Prunty is carving out a spot as the fourth or fifth corner on New England’s depth chart, with the 6-foot-1 defensive back showing some strong on-ball instincts and playing with a physical edge.
Kayshon Boutte, WR
It seems like the Patriots are still looking for a proper trade suitor for Boutte, who has seen some of his reps decrease over the last week as Brown has gained more traction in New England’s offense.
But full credit to Boutte, who keeps on making plays down the field and showcasing some strong chemistry with Maye.
Boutte may not be a featured player on New England’s offense this season if his snaps are allocated toward Brown and Romeo Doubs. But, the Patriots also shouldn’t deal away Boutte for pennies on the dollar, given both his age (24) and strong rapport with Maye.
STOCK DOWN
Kyle Williams, WR
After flashing some of his high-end speed and big-play capabilities last year, Kyle Williams was expected to take another major step forward in 2026, potentially serving as an in-house replacement for Boutte.
But, the 2025 third-round pick has yet to pop so far in camp, and even logged some reps with the third-team offense over the last few days. That doesn’t bode well for a young player who is already trying to stand out in a crowded receiver room.
Caleb Lomu, OT
It was a promising start to camp for Caleb Lomu, New England’s first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
But, the gifted tackle has seemingly hit a rookie wall during the dog days of the summer, losing decisively in some recent 1-on-1 drills while also getting leapfrogged by Marcus Bryant on Friday as Campbell’s replacement.
The 2026 season was expected to be more of a redshirt season for Lomu. But, if injuries sprout up, it will be interesting to see how ready the young tackle will be for a featured role.
Lan Larison, RB
There was a lot of hype rooted in Lan Larison’s game going into camp, given both his versatile skill set and the impressive production he put forth as a dynamic running back at UC Davis. But Larison has seen his reps dip as of late, with a costly fumble last week also further hurting his stock as he battles against the likes of Terrell Jennings, Jam Miller, and Myles Montgomery.
Caedan Wallace, G
The 2024 third-round pick hasn’t made much of an impact so far during camp. After getting moved from tackle to guard last year, Caedan Wallace has primarily repped with more of the third-team offense in camp — with Vrabel noting that Lomu might even earn some looks at guard to address what looks to be a pretty thin positional group after projected starters Michael Onwenu and Alijah Vera-Tucker.
Romeo Doubs, WR
Doubs’ health is worth monitoring, as New England’s free-agent pickup has missed the last two days of practice.
But, the former Packers wideout — while steady — hasn’t exactly popped so far in camp. He’s had his fair share of targets, but he hasn’t been as explosive as other pass-catchers like Brown and Boutte.
Doubs could be an appealing option to utilize in the slot as a player with a lot of YAC capabilities. Still, it looks as though that role will go to DeMario Douglas, who has primarily operated out of the slot so far this summer.
Doubs still has plenty of potential in this Patriots offense, especially with Maye and Josh McDaniels at the helm. But, it will be fascinating to see what his role ultimately will be once we get to the fall.
Conor Ryan is a staff writer covering the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox for Boston.com, a role he has held since 2023.
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