Before taking a day off on Sunday, the New England Patriots held what might have been their most competitive session of training camp so far. While its intensity will pale in comparison to what lies ahead starting on Monday — the introduction of full pads —it still was an entertaining affair on the practice fields behind Gillette Stadium.
To recap the session, please make sure to check out Pats Pulpit beat writer Brian Hines’ Training Camp Notebook. Before we turn our attention to Day 5, however,
let’s clean out that notebook to put an official wrap on the weekend.
Patriots Training Camp Notebook: Day 4
Practice recap | Performances of note | Will Campbell on veteran defenders | Kyle Williams on Stefon Diggs | Jared Wilson on O-line competition | Pats Pulpit Training Camp Guide
Rookies follow ‘man of words and wisdom’ Morgan Moses: When the Patriots signed veteran offensive tackle Morgan Moses to a three-year, $24 million free agency deal in March, they did so with two plans in mind.
First, they wanted him to take over and help stabilize the vacant right tackle spot. Then, they wanted him to take the team’s young offensive linemen — a group that was about to grow significantly in size during and after the NFL Draft — under his wing. He did just that.
“Whenever you’re a rookie, you just hope to go into an organization with a veteran you can lean on, who has played so much or has so much knowledge and can teach you so much,” said first-round rookie Will Campbell.
“Morgan is a man of words and wisdom. He gives so many little points that can take you as far as you want. He’s been very good to me on the field and off the field. One day I hope that I can be like that.”
Campbell and Moses have been joined at the hip since the former was selected fourth overall in the draft. However, the latter has also helped guide the other rookies through their early experience at the pro level.
“He just knows a lot about the game,” said third-round interior lineman Jared Wilson. “I ask him a lot, and even though I ask him the day before and I ask him again, I’m like, ‘How are you here? 12 years.’ And I was like, ‘How long do you plan on keep on going?’ And he’s like, ‘I want to do three more.’ And I’m like, ‘Wow.’ I ask him what he does in recovery, when he goes home. He sleeps a lot, he has a red-light sauna. ... He’s a great teacher. He’s just a great guy overall, great veteran.”
Chemistry is developing among first-year players: The Patriots actively wanted to rebuild their team culture in the first offseason under head coach Mike Vrabel, and they managed to do just that. A big part of it is that rookie class, and according to two of its members the group is building a solid chemistry already.
“I think we have a great culture as a rookie class,” said Will Campbell. “We’ve lived in a hotel together since we got here in the spring. So, we’re always around each other, staying longer in OTAs after the veterans left. I definitely feel like we have a great group of guys that are hungry and eager to work. It’s been awesome so far.
“I feel like we have a great group of guys on this team,” added second-round running back TreVeyon Henderson. “This rookie class that’s coming in, I feel like the Patriots have put together a great rookie class. So, I’m excited to continue work with those guys.”
Drake Maye and Jared Wilson finally building a bond: Had his recruitment process gone a bit differently, Jared Wilson and Drake Maye might have crossed paths sooner than this year. As the Patriots’ rookie pointed out on Saturday, he came close to joining North Carolina alongside his new quarterback.
“I love Drake. We actually were committed together at North Carolina for a while, back during the Covid time,” he said.
Both Maye and Wilson would have joined the Tar Heels in 2021 as true freshmen. However, Wilson ultimately decided to de-commit and move to Georgia, where he spent the entirety of his four-year college career.
Now, both are finally united in New England and building the bond they could have already had at UNC.
“It’s just getting better every day,” Wilson said about his chemistry with the Patriots’ starting quarterback. “Every time I make a mistake, I always go up to him and ask him. He’s like, ‘I’m still making mistakes. We’re going to make them together, we’re going to improve together.’”
TreVeyon Henderson headlines kick returner group: Even though he returned just nine total kicks over the course of his college career, Henderson has been involved with the returners mix in training camp. On Saturday, he was one of eight players lining up deep — a group that also included fellow running backs Antonio Gibson, Lan Larison and Trayveon Williams as well as wide receivers DeMario Douglas, Kyle Williams, Javon Baker and Efton Chism, and defensive back Isaiah Bolden.
“It’s going well,” Henderson said about his kickoff return experience so far. “I know the rules are different. I’m still trying to work on that as well, returning those kicks, fielding those kicks. Got to continue to get better at that.”
Andres Borregales putting pressure on himself: Patriots rookie kicker Andres Borregales has either made five or six of his eight kicks so far in training camp, which is a solid but not necessarily eye-opening stat line. The youngster knows, however, that camp is only just getting started.
“Every day is a work in progress, that’s how I view it,” he explained. “Even if you go perfect in a day, there is always something to work on. But it’s feeling good coming off the field.”
For Borregales, one big part of the process is putting pressure on himself to perform.
“As a kicker you have to go out there with a little bit of confidence,” he said. “Me, personally, I like to just think of every single kick as like a game-winning kick.”
Borregales-Ashby relationship goes further back than Patriots draft: Borregales is part of the Patriots’ rebuilt kicking game operation also featuring punter/holder Bryce Baringer and long snapper Julian Ashby. The latter also was drafted by New England this year, allowing the pair to reunite after they spent parts of the offseason together.
“We did pre-draft together, so we were together since January. And then we just ended up getting drafted to the same team, so that was awesome,” Borregales said. “I already know how he snaps and his tendencies and everything, and obviously that relationship and chemistry is there.”
What’s next: The Patriots will be back on the practice field on Monday at 10:30 a.m. ET for their first session in full pads. Make sure to follow Pats Pulpit (@patspulpit) as well as our very own Brian Hines (@iambrianhines) and Taylor Kyles (@tkyles39) for updates.
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