Latest news with #Patriots'
USA Today
2 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
First look at Patriots QB Drake Maye throwing pass to Stefon Diggs
First look at Patriots QB Drake Maye throwing pass to Stefon Diggs The New England Patriots' dynamic quarterback and receiver duo of Drake Maye and Stefon Diggs were on the field together for the first time for an open OTAs practice on Monday. Diggs, who is still recovering from the torn ACL injury he suffered with the Houston Texans last season, was a limited participant at practice. He didn't participate in competitive 11-on-11s, but he was on the field for some of the lighter work. There has been a great deal of anticipation to see how Diggs fits into the Patriots' offense. That question wasn't answered on Monday, but there were teases with Maye throwing him the football. The Patriots are hopeful that Diggs will be cleared to play in the regular season opener. His progress to this point has been impressive for a 31-year-old receiver who is still only seven months out from a serious knee injury. Can he get back to being a top-tier wideout and help lift the Patriots' struggling offense? All eyes will be on the four-time Pro Bowler when the pads come on later in the year. Follow Patriots Wire on Twitter and Facebook.
USA Today
4 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
7 biggest takeaways from Patriots third open OTAs practice
The New England Patriots are holding their final week of organized team activities (OTAs), which means Monday was their final open OTAs practice for media members. As with last week, the hope coming into this practice was to see improvements on the offensive side of the ball. Second-year quarterback Drake Maye cleaned up the turnovers last week, but the offense still sputtered in a head-to-head battle with the Patriots' defense. Could they put together a better showing in their final outing in front of media cameras before the break? Also, would we get our first glimpse at four-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Stefon Diggs on the field with Maye and the rest of the offense? Here are the biggest takeaways from the Patriots' third open OTAs practice: Attendance report The Patriots had multiple key players out for Monday's practice, including wide receiver Kendrick Bourne, cornerback Carlton Davis III and linebacker Anfernee Jennings. They also had several players limited at the practice, including wide receivers Stefon Diggs and Ja'Lynn Polk, along with offensive guard Mike Onwenu, rookie center Jared Wilson and tight end Austin Hooper. Stefon Diggs arrives at practice Media members got their first look at four-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Stefon Diggs on the practice field with the Patriots on Monday. Diggs missed last week's open OTAs practice, but he was the biggest storyline for all of the wrong reasons after a video of him at a boat party went viral. He greeted media members before jogging onto the field as a limited participant at practice. Diggs could be seen running routes and practicing high-catching the ball on the sidelines with second-year wide receiver Ja'Lynn Polk. The hope is to get him up to speed so that he's ready to go by the start of the season. It's impressive how far he's come already as a 31-year-old receiver coming off a torn ACL injury from last season. Drake Maye finds his rhythm It really would seem like the third time was the charm for Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, who had his best practice through all three of the open OTAs practices so far. He went 14-of-16 passing in the competitive 11-on-11s period with one of the incompletions being an intended throwaway. Backup Josh Dobbs also had a strong day by going 11-of-13 passing, while rookie quarterback Ben Wooldridge went 4-of-8 with one interception. It's crazy what a couple of weeks can do after the doom and gloom talk following Maye's four-interception performance at the first open OTAs practice in May. If anything, his performance on Monday should serve as a reminder that the offense is still a work in progress with a new coordinator in Josh McDaniels pulling the strings. Injury watch on defense Patriots veteran linebacker Jahlani Tavai went down with an apparent leg injury during 11-on-11s. Teammates surrounded Tavai and knelt down next to him after the injury, before he was helped off the field by safety Jabrill Peppers. Tavai didn't return to practice, and he was seen limiting the pressure he was putting on his right leg. The Patriots have stockpiled talent at linebacker in the offseason with the additions of Robert Spillane and Jack Gibbens in free agency. They also re-signed veteran linebacker Christian Elliss to a two-year extension. Time will tell if Tavai's injury is serious enough for him to miss time. Undrafted WR continues to shine for Patriots Undrafted rookie receiver Efton Chism III has been one of the bigger surprise stories at OTAs. He has consistently stood out as a playmaker on offense for the Patriots in the practices open to the media. On Monday, he hauled in seven catches in total during the practice session. It is evident through the route-running, separation skills and catching abilities that Chism belongs on the roster. We'll see if Chism can continue to make plays when the pads finally come on and things get more competitive over the summer. The former Eastern Washington standout has broken multiple records previously held by All-Pro wideout Cooper Kupp in college, including the single-season receptions record for the Eagles with 120 receptions. Experimentation continues at left guard Last week, the offense had an interesting winkle with Tyrese Robinson getting a healthy chunk of the reps at left guard. However, this week, it was Cole Strange and Wes Schweitzer getting the focus. Strange has started at left guard for the Patriots when healthy. So the fact that he's getting work at that position isn't surprising at the least. Schweitzer working in at the position does add some intrigue considering he has typically taken snaps on the right side. If anything, it continues to show how wide open things are for the Patriots at left guard right now. Layden Robinson, Sidy Sow and perhaps even rookie center Jared Wilson could be in the mix as well with the Patriots still searching for their best five-man combination along the offensive front. Top receivers working with Maye The Patriots currently have 12 receivers on their roster, which sets the stage for a fierce training camp competition at the position. On Monday, the top receivers working with Drake Maye were Demario Douglas, Kayshon Boutte, Kyle Williams and Efton Chism III. Kendrick Bourne was absent at the practice, while both Stefon Diggs and Ja'Lynn Polk were limited. This could be an early indicator of the favorites ahead of training camp. Granted, there are still many more practices for the team before a final decision is ultimately made. Follow Patriots Wire on Twitter and Facebook.
USA Today
8 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Stefon Diggs arrives at Patriots' practice, yells four words at media
Stefon Diggs arrives at Patriots' practice, yells four words at media Stefon Diggs is here for #Patriots practice, with a wave to the media: 'Nice to see y'all!' — Mike Kadlick (@mikekadlick) June 2, 2025 New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs didn't shy away from media cameras when taking the field for his first open OTAs practice on Monday. 'Nice to see y'all!' Diggs said, while waving at the cameras. There has been early drama surrounding Diggs after he appeared in a viral video at a boat party during Memorial Day weekend. The four-time Pro Bowl wide receiver could be seen chatting up multiple women and passing out a clear bag with an unknown pink substance in it. Patriots coach Mike Vrabel wouldn't confirm any private conversations he might have had with Diggs, but he did acknowledge the team was aware of the video. His hope is for Patriots players to "make great decisions on and off the field". Diggs can quickly quiet the noise surrounding him if he performs well on the football field. He's a 31-year-old wide receiver coming off a torn ACL injury. So there were already concerns that the experiment in New England would turn out to be a bust. If he can prove those skeptics wrong and become a top receiving option for the struggling Patriots, the boat story would quickly become a non-factor. Follow Patriots Wire on Twitter and Facebook.
USA Today
9 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Patriots OC Josh McDaniels gives Stefon Diggs update after viral video
Patriots OC Josh McDaniels gives Stefon Diggs update after viral video To say that Stefon Diggs has had a rocky start with the New England Patriots would be an understatement at best. However, according to offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, the star receiver was in the building for Monday's open OTAs session. That's good news for a Patriots team looking to get back to the business of football after dealing with the fallout from Diggs' viral video at a boat party over Memorial Day weekend last week. The four-time Pro Bowler was caught on camera talking up multiple women and passing out a clear bag with an unknown pink substance in it. Patriots coach Mike Vrabel sent a strong message to his players in the aftermath of the incident by stressing the importance of making good decisions on and off the field. Vrabel wouldn't confirm if he spoke with Diggs directly about the incident. "Any conversations that I've had with Stefon will remain between him and I," said Vrabel. The Patriots' potential turnaround season is greatly dependent on a much-improved offense and second-year quarterback Drake Maye having the necessary talent around him to succeed. Diggs was signed to a three-year, $69 million deal in hopes that he would serve as a top contributor. However, there's also a reason for the Patriots only fully guaranteeing $16.6 million on the deal. They weren't exactly all in on a receiver who is 31 years old and coming off a torn ACL injury. There's also the other outside drama that tends to follow Diggs. The Patriots remain hopeful that everything works out for the best, but it's clear they prepared for the very real possibility that it might not. Follow Patriots Wire on Twitter and Facebook.
Miami Herald
15 hours ago
- Sport
- Miami Herald
American Heritage's Bennett is the Broward Boys' Track and Field Athlete of the Year
Few athletes experience the kind of success, American Heritage junior Braylen Bennett has in one season, or let alone a high school career. Bennett's willingness to learn and work ethic have made it possible for him to succeed as both a standout cornerback on the Patriots' football team and as one of the best track and field sprinters in the state. After helping American Heritage win a state title in football in the fall, Bennett carried his drive to the track in the spring where he won three state championships, earning him the Miami Herald's Boys' Track and Field Athlete of the Year honors for Broward County. Bennett secured state championships in the 100 and 200 meters and was also part of a state championship-winning 400-meter relay in Class 3A. 'At the start of the season coming off football, I didn't want to rush anything so I just followed what my coaches told me,' Bennett said. 'I wasn't running as fast as I wanted to, but I just trusted in it. As the season went on, I got stronger and faster and once I got to state, I knew what I was capable of running.' Bennett had already been part of a state title-winning relay the prior season with his brother, Brandon, former Heritage runner Zamarii Sanders, and Heritage alum Xavier Lucas, which set a state meet record in 39.39 seconds. This season's group, which also included both of the Bennett brothers, along with senior Cayden Smith and sophomore Amare Nugent, another promising cornerback in football, didn't beat that record. But their time of 40.46 seconds was enough to repeat as state champions. Individually, Bennett blazed past the competition throughout most of the season. He won the 100 meters at state with a time of 10.59 seconds and then secured the 200 meter title in 20.66 seconds. 'Running against the top competition in South Florida and really this state, I felt like winning all three (state titles) meant a lot and it showed how much I've grown,' Bennett said. Bennett heads into his senior season still undecided on his college destination, but hoping to find the right school where he can continue to succeed on and off the field. 'Picking the right school where I could grow is important to me,' Bennett said. 'I want to find out who I am outside of sports and I want to find a school that can help me do that.'
