The New England Patriots took the practice fields for the first time all summer on Wednesday. The 90-minute session was more of a continuation of offseason workouts, but it was a first taste of what the 2024 team might eventually look like.
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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 2, however, let’s clean out that notebook to put an official wrap on Wednesday.
Patriots Training Camp Notebook: Day 1
Practice recap | Performances of note | Jerod Mayo presser | Matthew Judon presser | Jabrill Peppers presser | Michael Onwenu presser | Pats Pulpit Training Camp Guide
Patriots defense exudes confidence heading into 2024: New England finishing the 2023 season with a disappointing 4-13 record was in large part due to the offense not holding up its end of the bargain. The defense, on the other hand, played some solid football despite facing its fair share of adversity — not just due to the offensive struggles creating unfavorable conditions, but also because of two major injuries.
With edge defender Matthew Judon and cornerback Christian Gonzalez now back in the mix, expectations are naturally high for the unit. It’s players are not afraid to say so, either.
“Sky’s the limit for us as a team,” said linebacker Jahlani Tavai. “Missing those two guys was a big thing for us. But having them back, you can tell by the energy that Judon brings; it’s just straight comedy. But it’s exiting to see what we can create. Right now we’re just trying to build our foundation and we’ll take it from there.”
Building the foundation is the idea behind the early ramp-up period of training camp. For team captain Deatrich Wise Jr. it also is a must to perform this process diligently and successfully.
“Laying the foundation — anything you do you have to have a solid base,” he said. “Get your routine, stay disciplined day-in and day-out. And if you have a solid foundation you can build on top of that. The foundation’s weak or on shaky ground, there is no way to build. And the higher it gets the more weak it is. So, we’re laying down the bricks today. We laid own the bricks during OTAs and keep doing that until we get to game time.”
Like Tavai, however, the defensive lineman also sees great things in store for his unit.
“It’s very exciting,” Wise Jr. said. “We had a great season on defense last year. We did a fantastic job. Granted, we had some guys who were hurt; it’s great to see those guys back. I know we can do even better.”
Jalen Reagor showing serious growth in Year 2: Jalen Reagor was a late addition to the 2023 Patriots, only arriving in late August as part of the initial practice squad. With one year under his belt, however, he appears ready to make a jump and compete for a roster spot.
On Wednesday, Reagor was one of the session’s standout performers. Hauling in a pair of deep passes, he looked like a potential contributor in the making.
For the five-year veteran, it all comes down to this personal development.
“I’ve grown, just in general,” he told our friend Keagan Stiefel after the session. “When I got into the league, I was young. It was kind of overwhelming for me, but I’m kind of honing in and everything is slowing down.”
Reagor, a Philadelphia Eagles first-round draft pick in 2020, appeared in 11 games for the Patriots last season. He touched the ball eight times for 155 yards on offense and also ran back seven kickoffs for 221 yards — including a 98-yard touchdown.
“I’m not trying to prove anything,” he said. “I know I’m a great player, which is why people ask. If you have no expectations of me, that means you don’t think I’m a good player. But you do, which means you think I’m a good player.”
A few changes are afoot under Jerod Mayo: After more than two decades of Bill Belichick running the show in New England, new head coach Jerod Mayo oversaw his first camp practice on Wednesday. And while there were no major changes compare to last year — there is only so much you can do in 90 minutes — a few things still looked differently.
The first was the music. Picked by a group of offseason award winners, it blasted throughout the session. Previously, music was only reserved for a few select occasions.
The Patriots also did not follow their previously established pattern of starting off with red zone work. Per Mayo, they focused on that area extensively in the spring. The open field was in focus on Wednesday.
A few things did stay the same, though. Per Mayo, the team will continue using penalty laps as a means of reminding players not to make avoidable mistakes — no player had to go on a journey on Day 1. In addition, the hill sprints are also still part of Patriots training camp.
Jahlani Tavai not satisfied despite contract extension: Jahlani Tavai signed a three-year, $16 million contract extension with the Patriots earlier this offseason. Despite securing his position on the team for the next few seasons, the veteran linebacker is well aware that he needs to keep looking forward to make the investment a worthwhile one for the club.
“I feel good, but I’m never satisfied,” he said. “I’m not going to be playing football for long, so I’m going to keep playing the way I can, and hopefully, I get rewarded anytime I do well. It’s wonderful to see that they wanted me to stay, and I’m going to do everything I can to prove to them I’m worthy of being here. ...
“Last year was last year and I have to make sure that I do as good or even better than I did.”
Contract extension lifts weight off Rhamondre Stevenson’s shoulders: Running back Rhamondre Stevenson also became part of the offseason contract extension club fairly recently, signing a $36 million pact to remain in New England for four more years. For him, the new deal allows him to focus solely on football again.
“I was glad,” Stevenson said when asked his reaction about the new pact. “I really didn’t want that on my shoulders going into the season. I’m glad my agent and the GM got that done. I’m glad to be a Patriot for five more years. ... It’s a relief because I didn’t want that stress on my last year. Now, I’m just playing ball.”
A fourth-round draft pick by the Patriots in 2021, Stevenson is the second member of his draft class to sign a new deal this year. Previously, defensive tackle Christian Barmore cashed in via a four-year, $84 million pact.
Raekwon McMillan’s underrated leadership gets pointed out: Raekwon McMillan spent the last three season in New England, but due to a pair of season-ending injuries has only appeared in 16 games with one start. Nonetheless, the team though enough of him to sign him to two separate contract extensions.
It is clear the team sees some value in the former second-round draft pick still. Part of it might be his leadership behind the scenes — something fellow linebacker Jahlani Tavai mentioned on Wednesday.
“He’s been fighting. For him, he never quits,” Tavai said of his teammate.
“He’s one of the guys — when we’re speaking of the vets that bring along anybody who’s new to the team, I give him so much credit for that. Because he is one of the leaders on our defense. Whether or not anybody sees him that way, I do. It’s great to have a guy like that in our room and on our defense, because he knows how to glue the things together.”
A backup linebacker, McMillan will have to fight for a roster spot this training camp. With the projected No. 3 at the position — Sione Takitaki — starting the summer on the physically unable to perform list, however, he might be able to secure some more opportunities and practice reps early on.
Consistency is the secret behind Hunter Henry’s leadership: Entering his fourth season with the Patriots, Hunter Henry is one of the team’s most experienced players. The 2023 team captain understands the responsibility that comes with that status.
“Me, Jacoby [Brissett], [Austin Hooper] and David [Andrews] are pretty much the oldest on the on the offensive side of the football by a few years,” he said. “It’s kind of crazy that things have kind of flipped now and I’m the older one in the room. Try to — those years that I’ve accumulated — pass that down, and things that I see, things that can help guys bring along. Because we’re going to need everybody when it comes time to kick off the season.”
A second-round draft choice in 2016, Henry started his career with the then-San Diego Chargers before moving with the franchise to Los Angeles. In 2021, he took his talents to New England and has proven himself a reliable player ever since.
The Patriots believe that he will continue to be that in the future, signing him to a three-year, $27 million extension during the offseason. His on-field performance will have to look the part to justify that deal, but he also is aware that he was kept around due to his value as a team leader.
For Henry, the secret behind being that lies in consistency.
“I keep my leadership style as consistent as it can be,” he said. “Obviously, I was a captain last year but I’m just trying to be consistent every single day.”
