Pats Pulpit
One down, two to go. The New England Patriots opened their 2025 preseason with a dominant display. Taking on the visiting Washington Commanders on Friday, two days after a joint practice session, the team of first-year head coach Mike Vrabel celebrated a 48-18 victory.
Naturally, most of our attention this week was on that game and the practices leading up to it. As a result, our weekly wrap-up also has a heavy preseason flavor.
With that said, welcome to the latest edition of our Sunday Patriots Notes.
Training camp is nothing if not unpredictable. Given a combination of competitiveness, intensity and physicality as well as the randomness of injuries, it can create opportunity where there seemingly was none to be had.
D.J. James can tell you all about it. Exiting the offseason program, the second-year cornerback appeared to be a long-shot to make the Patriots’ roster. However, with camp rolling around and the top of New England’s CB depth chart hampered by injuries, he received his chance and has not looked back since.
While there is plenty of football left to be played before the start of the regular season, James now looks like a safe bet to make the team as a top reserve at cornerback. What happened? It all came down to perseverance and being able to make the most of the chances he was given.
After splitting his college career between Oregon and Auburn, James was considered a mid-round prospect entering the 2024 NFL Draft; he was ranked 113th on the consensus big board, the equivalent of a high fourth-round grade. However, he had to wait until the 192nd overall selection to hear his name called: the Seattle Seahawks picked him up in the sixth round, teaming him up with former Auburn teammate Nehemiah Pritchett.
“We anticipate them to come in and make a huge impact for us,” Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald said at the time. “D.J. probably both inside and outside. But, hey, come in, man, compete, we’ll figure it out. … We got a lot of reps to be had out there, so it’ll hash itself out.”
James’ ability to play both on the perimeter and in the slot was indeed a selling point for the 6-foot, 184-pound defensive back. When he arrived in Seattle, he said so himself.
“Going into the NFL, I’m ready to play whatever position they need me to play,” James said in 2024. “If it’s nickel, if it’s outside corner, I can play them both, and if it’s some on special teams, just anything to help the team, I’m willing to do.”
James helping the team was a bit delayed entering his rookie training camp — he started out on the non-football injury list — but he was given plenty of opportunity in both practice and preseason to earn a role. However, he could not do so: James was inconsistent particularly during the exhibition part of Seattle’s schedule, giving up two touchdowns on...
