The New England Patriots held a joint practice with the Washington Commanders on the fields outside Gillette Stadium on Wednesday -- and Mike Vrabel made his presence felt in more ways than one.
A handful of minor scuffles broke out during Wednesday's session, and at one point, the first-year Patriots head coach launched himself into the fracas in an attempt to break things up before exiting the pile with a bloody cheek.
While Vrabel's extra-curriculars drew headlines, there were plenty of other notable developments from Wednesday's joint practice. Check out our live blog below for everything you need to know.
Tom E. Curran and Phil Perry were impressed with the Patriots' offense in today's joint practice with the Commanders.
Check out their full breakdown on a post-practice edition of the Patriots Talk Podcast:
Before Mike Vrabel launched himself into a fight between New England Patriots and Washington Commanders players, the most notable storyline at the start of Wednesday's joint practice was the absence of star wide receiver Stefon Diggs.
Diggs had yet to miss a practice since the start of training camp despite being just nine months removed from a torn ACL he suffered last October. So, when the veteran wideout wasn't spotted on the field when Wednesday's practice began, some wondered if an issue popped up regarding his knee.
Diggs took the field about 45 minutes into the session, however, and participated in the rest of practice after a brief warmup. According to our Patriots Insider Phil Perry, Diggs' late arrival was all part of the team's plan for the 31-year-old and wasn't related to any on- or off-field issue.
"My understanding is that was pre-planned, and they're trying to limit some reps for a veteran guy," Perry said on the latest Patriots Talk Podcast. "So, nothing apparently physically going on there."
Tom Curran breaks down the bright spots of the Patriots’ offense on the latest episode of the Patriots Talk Podcast
DeMario Douglas is popping.
The Patriots wide receiver, who stood out during training camp practices against his New England teammates the last two weeks, continued his upwards trajectory with a strong showing during a joint practice against the Washington Commanders on Wednesday.
Douglas once again looked like Drake Maye's top target, catching the first pass of competitive periods and quickly showing his ability after the catch. All told, Douglas helped Maye go 15-for-19 as the offense more than held its own against the Commanders, according to Patriots insider Phil Perry.
On the latest episode of the Patriots Talk podcast, fellow insider Tom E. Curran praised Douglas for his showing and consistency. The early trend has Curran believing the shifty slot receiver will play the biggest role in New England's passing game.
