Pats Pulpit
The New England Patriots and Minnesota Vikings held their first of two joint practices on Wednesday. The two-hour session at TC Performance Center in Eagan, MN, featured full pads, big plays, and plenty to dissect.
You can recap all the action here. As for our traditional rundown of who caught our eyes for better or worse, it looks as follows.
RB TreVeyon Henderson: Good things continue to happen when the Patriots’ second-round rookie gets the ball. On Wednesday and with lead back Rhamondre Stevenson a non-participant, Henderson did so on several occasions.
Once again proving himself a vital part of the team’s offense and volume target for quarterback Drake Maye, the youngster caught a team-leading six passes in 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 work. Among those was a 70-yard touchdown on a wheel route in up the left sideline in a two-minute situation. Henderson zoomed through an aggressive Vikings defense and there was no stopping him once in open space.
QB Joshua Dobbs: Is it time to hit the panic button on the Patriots’ backup quarterback? Not yet, but Dobbs’ recent performances have not been up to the necessary standard. Against his former team on Wednesday, he threw a pair of interceptions. The first was a pick-six on a pass intended for Mack Hollins, the second a near-pick-six when targeting Efton Chism.
WR Efton Chism III: Speaking of the Patriots’ undrafted rookie, he was heavily involved all day long. A handful in 1-on-1s, Chism also finished with three catches in team drills and would have had another had Drake Maye not overshot him on a flea flicker. While one of his targets resulted in an interception — a play that was on Joshua Dobbs — he continues making strides in his quest for earning a roster spot.
WR Stefon Diggs: Another former Viking who had a busy day on Wednesday, Diggs looked very good in 1-on-1s before providing a reliable target during team drills as well. In total, the veteran wideout connected three times with Drake Maye. While New England seemed to make a conscious effort to get all of its top-tier wideouts involved, Diggs made the most of his opportunities whenever he was called upon.
OT Will Campbell: Talk about trial by fire. Minnesota’s defense is one of the stingiest in the league, and the Patriots’ young offensive linemen found that out right out of the gate. Campbell got the worst of the group, giving up two sacks and a pressure in team drills. We will file that under “learning experience.”
Pass rush: The Vikings’ defensive line gave the Patriots all they could handle. The same was true on the other side: led by the formidable quartet of Milton Williams, Keion White, Harold Landry and K’Lavon Chaisson, New England put the pressure on Minnesota’s O-line throughout the day. Williams set the tone with a would-be sack early in 11-on-11s, and the rest of the unit followed suit. Even with Christian Barmore...
