Drake Maye, offensive line in focus – NBC Boston

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Expectations are excessive for the 2025 New England Patriots beneath first-year head coach Mike Vrabel. But when they need to meet these expectations, they will must hold Drake Maye upright.

That is why the Patriots’ offensive line was in focus this week throughout New England’s joint practices with the Vikings in Minnesota. Led by defensive coordinator Brian Flores, the Vikings boast an aggressive, complex defense that figured to problem a comparatively inexperienced Patriots offensive line that includes two rookies on the left aspect in left deal with Will Campbell and left guard Jared Wilson.

And that is precisely what occurred on the apply fields at TCO Efficiency Heart in Eagan, Minn.

On a brand new episode of the Subsequent Pats Podcast, our Patriots Insider Phil Perry shared his greatest takeaways after watching the Patriots and Vikings battle in two joint practices on Wednesday and Thursday. Not surprisingly, Perry targeted on the offensive line, which allowed Minnesota to place Maye beneath fixed stress in each classes.

🔊 Subsequent Pats Podcast: How Drake Maye confirmed REAL GROWTH throughout Vikings joint practices | Listen & Subscribe | Watch on YouTube

“In case you’re wanting on the two days put collectively, what are the takeaways? For me, No. 1: After 13 sacks over two days of 11-on-11 durations, you begin with the safety,” Perry stated.

“You attempt to determine, what precisely would you like at left guard? Is Jared Wilson going to have the ability to be a solution for you there? Is it Ben Brown? Is it any individual else completely who we have not even mentioned but? Will Campbell, how are you going to settle him down and assist him out in order that issues do not begin to spiral on him?”

Wilson, a third-round select of Georgia, vaulted to beginning left guard early in coaching camp after several impressive practices. He is come again to earth in latest days, nevertheless, and Ben Brown took his spot on the starting offensive line Thursday.

Campbell, in the meantime, has endured some rookie rising pains amid an up-and-down training camp and struggled to include Vikings edge rusher Jonathan Greenard, which is not the finest signal for the fourth general choose within the 2025 NFL Draft.

“If there is a dialog occurring now in these conferences on the Omni Lodge (the place the Patriots are staying in Minnesota), my guess is in relation to the offense, it has to begin with the offensive line,” Perry added. “As a result of not solely do you could have points at left guard, we simply talked in regards to the points Will Campbell had on the left aspect dealing largely with Jonathan Greenard — who’s an excellent participant, do not get me unsuitable, however this is not Myles Garrett, this is not Maxx Crosby, this is not T.J. Watt.

“(Greenard) is an efficient participant, however he is the type of participant who Will Campbell will see regularly over the course of his rookie season at left deal with. So, only a down day for a rookie whose head may be spinning slightly bit within the canine days of camp.”

The excellent news for the Patriots? Regardless of an onslaught of stress from the Vikings, Maye went turnover-free in each classes.

“Massive image when it comes to your quarterback, that to me is the optimistic,” Perry stated of Maye. “He stored his poise, stored his wits about him, zero turnovers over the course of two practices in opposition to a really difficult-to-match-up-with sort of protection. That needs to be probably the most encouraging takeaway from these two days of labor in opposition to the Minnesota Vikings.”

It might take time for the offensive line to jell, and for Campbell and Wilson to regulate to the velocity and physicality of NFL defenses. But when Maye can proceed to deal with stress in a optimistic approach, that bodes properly for the Patriots’ capacity to climate the storm in opposition to aggressive defenses like Minnesota’s.

Additionally on this episode: