The New England Patriots held their traditional in-stadium practice on Friday, inviting season ticket members and Foxborough residents to watch an intrasquad scrimmage. The full-pads session was a competitive one from start to finish.
You can recap the action here. And as always, here is a rundown of who caught our eyes for better or worse.
Standout of the day
LB Robert Spillane: Spillane will be a leader for the Patriots defense this season, and on Friday he very much looked the part. The veteran free agency pickup had two turnovers on the day, first catching a ricochet off of Drake Maye that was originally intended for Stefon Diggs but ended up tipped by rookie Kobee Minor. He later recovered a Rhamondre Stevenson fumble for his second takeaway of the night.
In addition, the future team captain and defensive on-field signal caller also looked competent as a pass rusher at one point. All in all, a productive night for Spillane.
Other performances of note
RB Rhamondre Stevenson: It’s only practice, but Friday’s outing did little to quell fears over Stevenson’s ball security. After he fumbled the ball seven times in 2024, tops among all NFL running backs, he put it on the ground yet again during the scrimmage. Ball security is job security, and if the fifth-year running back keeps struggling with the former… well, you do the math.
WR Kayshon Boutte: With Mack Hollins present but not participating, Boutte again served as the most active perimeter option. He also had arguably the play of the day when he reeled in a 40ish-yard deep pass from quarterback Joshua Dobbs: streaking down the left sideline, Boutte showed some good concentration hauling in the contested pass over Marcellas Dial Jr. He also beat D.J. James quite handily on a dig route later in the session.
CB Alex Austin: With Christian Gonzalez and Carlton Davis once again absent, the Patriots’ backup cornerbacks saw increased opportunities yet again. Two of them ended the night with turnovers, including Alex Austin. The third-year man undercut a Drake Maye pass intended for Kyle Williams for an interception that would have been a pick-six in a real game setting.
CB Brandon Crossley: The other takeaway at the cornerback position came courtesy of Brandon Crossley, who punched the ball out of Rhamondre Stevenson’s hands for a fumble. While his teammate Austin looks like a relatively safe bet to make the roster right now, Crossley is not. However, plays like his forced fumble should increase his odds of ending up either on the team or at least the practice squad.
S Jaylinn Hawkins: Robert Spillane was not the only player to register two takeaways on Friday. So did safety Jaylinn Hawkins. His first came on a trick play gone wrong that saw DeMario Douglas underthrow fellow wideout Javon Baker, resulting in an interception. Later, the second-year Patriot took advantage of a Ben Wooldridge throw that went through Lan Larison’s hands.
Other players worth mentioning include kickers Andres Borregales and Parker Romo, who both went 2-for-2 in their attempts. Meanwhile, Drake Maye tossed one touchdown and two interceptions. Second-year wide receiver Javon Baker was quiet all night, while tight end Jack Westover finished with three catches from Joshua Dobbs. Speaking of Dobbs, he had to reel in a high snap from center Cole Strange.
The Patriots will not return to work on Saturday and Sunday, enjoying a full practice-free weekend. They will return on Monday for another 10:15 a.m. ET session that what will be their 10th practice of camp.
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