If anyone felt Drake Maye might lose some of his trademark aggressiveness as he adds experience to his game, think again. After watching the 2025 NFL MVP runner-up carve up the Patriots defense throughout the two-hour practice on Friday, caution was not a word that came to mind.
That was evident on the very first play of extensive 11-on-11 periods when Maye challenged Christian Gonzalez on a deep ball to A.J. Brown. Brown used a double move to shake the coverage and then lofted a perfect spiral into his new target's arm for a long touchdown.
"I'm the type that wants to go over there and challenge him," Maye said of looking Gonzalez' way. It was the first of many completions for Maye – the ball never touched the ground throughout practice – and one of several impressive hookups with Brown.
The Patriots new combination got off to a slow start in camp but there have been some serious signs of life since the pads came on Thursday morning. The veteran wideout was a problem for both Gonzalez and Charles Woods on Friday, catching slants, gos and everything in between.
It's clear the comfort level between the two is growing by the day.
"I feel the connectivity building now," Maye said. "That's the biggest thing. You are just seeing it get better every day. I'm blessed to play with a player like him and I'm looking forward to getting him the rock.
"You see with the ball in his hands what he can do. So just finding more chances. Intermediate, short, deep. Not shying away from it. I'm not gonna shy away from it. That's how I play. I'm gonna keep going at it."
The two have spent a lot of time talking in between plays and series as they continue to forge a bond. Maye said the idea is learn as much about how and where Brown likes to get the ball, and the work is starting to show results.
"I'm trying to get a feel for what he is seeing," Maye explained. "It's great competition between him and Gonzo. My job is to get him the ball when he wants it and when he's open. That's what training camp is all about."
Brown wasn't the only receiver to enjoy a productive day. DeMario Douglas continued his strong camp, beating Marcus Jones on a crossing route for a sizable gain before closing practice by running under a deep corner route in the back of the end zone for a touchdown against Gonzalez.
"Pop just moves different," Maye said. "You can tell when Marcus covers him – two of the quickest guys in the league. I put it out in front of him and let him go get it. Just get him the football so he can go makes plays."
On Friday, most of those plays were made by the offense.
Beyond Maye's scorching practice, here are one man's observations from Day 6 of training camp.
-- Mike Vrabel indicated on Thursday that he felt Gabe Jacas was likely ahead of veteran Harold Landry in terms of a potential return to health. But still no sign of either edge player on Friday as Landry and C.J. Dippre (left wrist) remain on OUP while Jacas, Brenden Schooler and Terrell Jennings are on NFI.
-- Elsewhere, Carlton Davis missed his second straight practice after leaving Tuesday's workout with an apparent leg injury. Christian Barmore also was not spotted during the session. Brandon Crossley returned after missing Thursday's practice.
-- The Patriots released Otis Reese prior to practice. The third-year linebacker out of Mississippi faced long odds to earn a roster spot behind the likes of Robert Spillane, Christian Elliss, Chad Muma, K.J. Britt, Khalil Jacobs and Namdi Obiazor. That leaves the current roster at 90 players.
-- The offense's strong day began immediately as the first drills included two-man routes in the red zone that saw a boatload of touchdowns. Working from inside the 5, Maye completed virtually every rep with Douglas, Brown, Mack Hollins, Romeo Doubs and Kayshon Boutte all enjoying success. Doubs' ability to separate really stood out during the drill as he got the better of Woods with a quick move to the outside. He also made a terrific twisting catch in the end zone for a touchdown during 7-on-7s. Doubs appears to be progressing by the day.
-- There were a couple of "I (heart) Drake Maye" T-shirts spotted in the large crowd on Friday.
-- The offensive and defensive lines did some 1-on-1 work while the passing reps were taking place. Will Campbell did a great job of controlling Dre'Mont Jones and Mike Onwenu excelled as well, particularly opposite Cory Durden. Elijah Ponder shot around Caleb Lomu on his first rep, but the rookie improved after a slow start to the drill. Morgan Moses did not take any reps during the 1-on-1s for the second straight day, and Lomu took his spot at right tackle during the 11-on-11 work on Friday.
-- There was a slight change to the second offensive line as Mekhi Butler took Caedan Wallace's spot at left guard. Marcus Bryant (left) and James Hudson (right) manned the tackles with Ben Brown at center and Andrew Rupcich at right guard. Rookie Dametrious Crownover rotated with Hudson throughout practice.
-- The wide receiver drills have featured work with a heavy ball this season. The wideouts run under a narrow gate before ducking under the top bar at roughly five feet. At that point they break down their footwork and brace for contact. In this case that contact comes in the form of the heavy ball tossed at them by equipment staff. The players likely use it to simulate downfield blocking techniques and beating press coverage.
-- Tommy DeVito and Eli Raridon are definitely developing a rapport as the pair has connected quite often in team periods. The rookie tight end has great size at 6-6, 245, a fact not lost on the backup quarterback. "Have you seen him?" DeVito said with a smile. "He's a big target. He's big and athletic. You'd want to throw to him too. His confidence is growing and he's trying to get as much information as he can."
-- In addition to Maye, Efton Chism, DeVito, Muma, Rhamondre Stevenson and Woods all took some time to chat with the media after practice.
-- The Patriots will be back at it on Saturday with another practice that is expected to be in full pads in Foxborough. The workout will run from 10:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m. with gates set to open at 9:15 a.m. As always, please check with Patriots.com for the latest schedules changes throughout camp.
DISCLAIMER: The views and thoughts expressed in this article are those of the writer and don't necessarily reflect those of the organization. Read Full Disclaimer
