Five takeaways from Patriots’ first 2026 OTA practice

FOXBOROUGH — The Patriots started to lay the groundwork for the 2026 season on Wednesday, with Mike Vrabel, Drake Maye, and most of New England’s roster returning to the practice fields behind Gillette Stadium for the team’s first organized team activities (OTA) practice of the year.

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OTAs are a four-week voluntary program in the late spring where 11-on-11, 7-on-7, and 9-on-7 drills are permitted.

While OTAs are non-contact and not mandatory, they can give coaches an early look at looming roster battles and ascending (or struggling) players before the work begins to ramp up in July and August during training camp.​

Here are five takeaways from Wednesday’s session:

As is the case with every OTA and training-camp practice, it’s a dangerous game when it comes to making any declarative statements or sweeping conclusions about what transpires on the fields behind Gillette Stadium.

​On Wednesday, Maye and the Patriots offense were solid. The MVP runner-up completed 13-of-22 throws with one interception.

Rookie corner Karon Prunty picked off Maye’s throw intended for Kyle Williams, with the 2026 sixth-round pick jumping on an underthrown out route and running it back for a pick-six.

“I just left the out route inside,” Maye acknowledged after practice. “You can’t do that in this league, it’s as simple as that. So, I think it’s part of throwing the out route to the field and not being outside with the football. These players in this league are going to take it the other way, so I think that’s about it.”

​Vrabel confirmed on Wednesday ahead of practice that Christian Gonzalez, Carlton Davis III, Kayshon Boutte, Mack Hollins, rookie Gabe Jacas, Harold Landry III, and Kyle Dixon were not in attendance.

While some of these absences could be injury-related, Gonzalez and Boutte’s participation (or lack thereof) is worth noting.

New England exercised Gonzalez’s fifth-year option for the 2027 season — keeping him with the Patriots for at least two more years and securing him a sizable $18.1 million payout during that final year under contract.

But, Gonzalez is also eligible to sign a long-term extension — one that would likely make him one of the highest — if not the highest — paid cornerbacks in the league.

Vrabel was asked if Gonzalez’s contract negotiations have any bearing on his attendance during OTAs.

“Those are personal choices for players,” Vrabel said. “I would say that I value the communication that I’ve had personally. I know that our defensive coaches have had conversations with Christian. Again, I wish that they were all here so that we can coach them.

“But the ones that are here, that’s where our focus will be, and we’ll pour everything that we have into those players. I know that his professionalism and being ready to go, or whatever personal choice some guys have during the spring, I’m confident that they’ll all be ready.”

Boutte, who has been practicing on his own over the last few weeks, has also been the subject of several trade rumors — while his spot on the roster could be threatened if New England trades for A.J. Brown in the coming weeks.

Unearthing the best five-man starting unit on the offensive line stood as one of the top preseason storylines for the Patriots last year.

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​They’re hoping that isn’t the case again this year, with New England’s projected five-man unit of left tackle Will Campbell, left guard Alijah Vera-Tucker, center Jared Wilson, right guard Mike Onwenu, and right tackle Morgan Moses all accounted for on Wednesday.

As for 2026 first-round pick Caleb Lomu, the offensive tackle slotted in for Moses at right tackle during Wednesday’s drills. While Lomu played a majority of his reps at left tackle during his final seasons at Utah, it seems as though the plan for the 6-foot-6 offensive lineman in New England is to get him ready to eventually replace the 35-year-old Moses at right tackle in 2027 and beyond.

“[He’s] learning the pro game, learning our system,” Vrabel said of Lomu. “Some of the things that you see in college is not that they can’t do it; it’s just that they’re not being coached to do it. And there’s a lot of different ways to coach football and what you believe. Some of the techniques are different, and I think he’s really embraced those. He’s been an unbelievably coachable player. He’s young, he’s big, he’s athletic and he’s willing to learn. He’s excited about learning.

“So, where he plays, we want to end up with the five best linemen. I think he’s going to have the ability to play both sides.”

New England should have no shortage of playmakers on the defensive line this season, headlined by Milton Williams and Christian Barmore. But, it remains to be seen who will step into greater roles behind that duo — especially with nose tackle Khyiris Tonga leaving in free agency.

Still, Vrabel believes that backup Cory Durden and several other players further down in the lineup are poised for more responsibility (and production) in 2026.

“I think he proved that,” Vrabel said of Durden stepping up. “And again, nobody was happier for Tonga than me personally, in what he was able to do for us. And that’s the beauty of professional sports. He came here, we wanted him back, he got a better offer, and that’s what he had to do. That’s what he should have done. So, I’m going to support him and his family.

“But we also are excited. Leonard Taylor [III], worked with us. Eric Gregory worked with us. These guys are proving that they want to be there. Josh Farmer is back healthy. But Cory, I think, probably coming out of last year, would be that on paper. Again, there’ll be a competition in training camp. But I think that’s a good group.”

A majority of the Patriots’ offseason storylines have revolved around Vrabel and intimate photos released of him and Dianna Russini, a former NFL reporter for the Athletic.

​Amid that fallout, Vrabel was absent for Day 3 of the 2026 NFL Draft in order to be with his family. He acknowledged on Wednesday that he wouldn’t rule out missing other team events if other unexpected situations arose.

“I can only tell you I’m going to be there today,” Vrabel said. “I can’t tell you anything other than I’m going to be out there in full force. I mean that. Who knows what’s going to come up? Anything can happen.”

But, despite regularly sprouting up in headlines over the spring, it was business as usual for Vrabel out on the practice field Wednesday — with the former Patriots linebacker standing as an active participant in team drills while routinely barking out orders and jeers over the course of the 90-minute session.

For Milton Williams, there was little change in his head coach’s demeanor or approach on Wednesday.

“Yeah, same guy,” Williams said of Vrabel. “Talking [expletive], you know? [He’s] ready to roll. He ain’t changed one bit.”

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