5 takeaways from Day 7 of 2025 Patriots training camp
Christian Gonzalez is done for the week, Cole Strange gets some snaps at center, and Drake Maye goes deep to Kyle Williams in today's top storylines.
FOXBOROUGH – Christian Gonzalez missed his second practice in a row as he continues to recover from a hamstring injury.
He isn’t expected to practice for the rest of the week, according to coach Mike Vrabel. New England will practice Thursday morning and hold an in-stadium scrimmage for season ticket holders Friday evening.
“I know he’s working extremely hard to get back and focus on what he can do as opposed to what he can’t,” Vrabel said. “But I wouldn’t expect to see him this week.”
The standout cornerback wasn’t the only veteran missing. Carlton Davis was out again. Harold Landry had a day off for maintenance. Garrett Bradbury missed the practice, causing a shuffle amongst the offensive linemen.
Drake Maye had another efficient showing, going 11-for-14 in 11-on-11 drills with no turnovers.
Here are five takeaways from the action.
Cole Strange slides in at center.
With Bradbury out, the Patriots began with Ben Brown at center and bumped rookie Jared Wilson up to left guard during first-team reps.
Former first-round pick Cole Strange, who began camp as the starter at left-guard, mainly worked with the second team. He took some snaps at center, where he could add depth if Bradbury is out for an extended period of time.
Snapping has been a fairly consistent issue for the Patriots during this camp, but the problems were less noticeable today. Josh Dobbs had to jump for a high snap, but he was able to snag it before it got away from him.
There weren’t any fumbled snaps on Wednesday, but tight end Austin Hooper had the ball punched out after catching a short play-action pass from Maye.
Mixed bag for DJ James
Gonzalez and Davis’s absence has helped free up some reps for DJ James, a 2024 sixth-round pick who joined New England’s practice squad last year.
James made the first interception of the camp on Day 1, and has continued to move up the depth chart since then.
“DJ is one of those players that’s improved from the end of the spring until now,” coach Mike Vrabel said before practice. “He’s taken advantage of some players that aren’t there, so then he moves up a group or whatever that may be, and therefore he’s taking advantage of his opportunities, and he’ll continue to earn more opportunities. But DJ. is an improved player through the short time that we’ve been here.”
He blew up a screen pass to DeMario Douglas in the backfield on Wednesday, but he was also in coverage for Drake Maye’s deep touchdown pass to Kyle Williams which was easily the longest play of the day.
Overall, though, James has had a strong start to camp, and he’s putting himself on the coaching staff’s radar.
“It’s a huge opportunity for me to showcase to my coaches and my teammates that I’m somebody that they can count on,” James said.
Chaisson bringing the ‘juice’
On a sizzling summer day in Foxborough, K’Lavon Chaisson brought the heat off of the edge.
He fared well against rookie Will Campbell. He had a pair of plays that could have been considered sacks, and at least one more pressure on a rush up the middle.
Defensive lineman Milton Willams was asked what stands out the most about the former first-rounder.
“He’s got a big mouth,” Williams said. “He talks a lot, but he’s bringing that juice, that energy. He’s another one of those guys that’s always in your ear talking to everybody, trying to get everybody going. He’s practicing his butt off. He’s working. He worked all offseason and it’s showing.”
Kyle Williams had the catch of the day.
Kyle Williams’s touchdown catch came on one of Maye’s best throws of the camp.
The rookie receiver sprinted past James and Kyle Dugger, and Maye hit him in stride on a throw that went at least 40 yards.
Maye hit Hunter Henry on a seam route on his first throw of the session. He found Stefon Diggs for several completions.
He had a pass intended for Kyle Williams batted down, and he bounced a throw on one play when the rush had him bottled up.
The Patriots have done a lot of work on their short passing game so far, but the touchdown to Williams was a reminder of what Maye can do when he really opens it up and launches passes down the field.
Morgan Moses returns
Right tackle Morgan Moses returned to practice after leaving early on Tuesday.
Vrabel mentioned the 34-year-old Moses among the veteran players who have rest built into their practice plans.
New England’s depth at both tackle positions is quite slim.
They’re banking on rookie Campbell to hold down the left side. On the right side, after Moses, there’s Demontrey Jacobs and Caedan Wallace, who were both underwhelming last year.
Mike Onwenu made six starts at right tackle last season, but the Patriots have been pretty set on keeping him at right guard so far during this training camp.
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