For the first time all offseason, we were granted an extended look at the 2026 New England Patriots on Wednesday. The team — sans some notable players — took the practice fields behind Gillette Stadium for the second of nine organized team activities.
While those sessions need to be taken with a grain of salt given their learning-based nature and general lack of physicality, they still give us a snapshot of the depth chart and potential contributors heading toward training camp. To recap Wednesday’s
session, please check out our Patriots OTA Notebook.
Meanwhile, here is who caught our eye for better or worse.
Standout of the day
Backup cornerbacks: With Christian Gonzalez and Carlton Davis both absent, the Patriots’ depth cornerbacks saw extended action with the top-level defense. Three players in particular made plays, led by fifth-round rookie Karon Prunty picking off Drake Maye on a pass intended for wide receiver Kyle Williams. Prunty, who would have returned the interception for a touchdown in a game setting, was not the only defensive back to get his hands on the ball on Wednesday.
Free agency pickup Kindle Vildor had a pass breakup, as did last year’s No. 4 at the position, Charles Woods. While one practice is the smallest possible sample size, all three are taking advantage of the opportunity with Gonzalez and Davis out.
Other performances of note
RB Lan Larison: Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson are the clear-cut top two on the running back depth chart, but the next spot is very much up for grabs. For now, sophomore Lan Larison looks like the frontrunner. A UDFA pickup last year, Larison missed virtually all of his rookie season due to a foot injury but served as the Patriots’ RB3 on Wednesday ahead of Terrell Jennings and rookies Jam Miller and Myles Montgomery. He caught one pass from Drake Maye in 11-on-11s and saw another arrive low and incomplete.
WR DeMario Douglas: The Patriots were not just without their top two cornerbacks, but also missed two of their most experienced wide receivers, Kayshon Boutte and Mack Hollins. With them absent, Drake Maye’s wide receiver corps was led by Romeo Doubs, Kyle Williams and DeMario Douglas. The latter had a particularly eventful day, leading the team with five targets and four catches during 11-on-11 work; one of his receptions was a perfectly-executed connection with Maye on a deep crosser. It was a good day for a player with an unclear future.
UDFA wide receivers: Even though Boutte and Hollins were no-shows on Wednesday, the Patriots decided not to get their group of undrafted rookie wide receivers involved too much. Kyle Dixon was out to begin with, while Jimmy Kibble, Nick DeGennaro and Cameron Dorner did not see any throws come their way in team drills. Kibble did some punt return work during warmups but had to give way to a more experienced group of guys — Marcus Jones, DeMario Douglas, Efton Chism, Romeo Doubs — after practice proper began.
OL Andrew Rupcich: The Patriots are patient with $42 million man Alijah Vera-Tucker, who is coming off a season-ending triceps injury. The free agency pickup rotated in and out of the lineup on Wednesday, with veteran Andrew Rupcich taking his place at left guard whenever the nominal starter was not part of the proceedings. Rupcich’s performance cannot be properly assessed in a no-contact setting, but the fact that he ran with the starters for extended stretches is nonetheless notable: Ben Brown is the only backup interior O-lineman seemingly locked into a roster spot this year, meaning that one or two spots might be available.
The Patriots are scheduled to return to the practice fields behind Gillette Stadium on Friday for their third organized team activity this spring. The session will take place behind closed doors, with the next one open to the media coming on Tuesday, June 2.
