Patriots Minicamp Day 2 Takeaways: Gonzalez, Maye Showdown

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Opening day was so nice, the New England Patriots decided to do it twice. 

For the second time in as many days, the Pats participated in an early-afternoon mandatory minicamp practice. With heavy rain in the forecast, New England’s coaching staff moved Tuesday’s practice into the indoor confines of the WIN Waste Innovations Field House. Despite the new location, Tuesday’s session was once again heavily concentrated on situational drills in both third down and red zone situations.

Here are some of the highlights of 2025 Patriots mandatory minicamp, day two:

Roll Call

The Patriots enjoyed nearly identical attendance to that of the previous day. Offensive lineman Tyrese Robinson and cornerback Miles Battle were not spotted on the field. Receiver Mack Hollins and linebacker Jahlani Tavai were present, but not in uniform.

Receivers Stefon Diggs and Ja'Lynn Polk, offensive linemen Mike Onwenu and Jared Wilson, defensive lineman Wilfried Pene, linebacker Marte Mapu, and safety Kyle Dugger were limited participants.

Offense Spotlight: Maye-Henry Connection Continues to Impress

Though he looked mechanically sharp, quarterback Drake Maye did noit enjoy the same success as he did just one day earlier. Maye, per MassLive’s calculations, completed 9-of-14 passes during team drills, including an interception by cornerback Christian Gonzalez.

Though the Pats second-year starter struggled to complete scoring strikes in the red zone, his problems were compounded by receivers having difficulty getting open inside the 20-yard line. Maye finished 3-of-6 with no touchdowns and a quarterback sneak in red zone drills.

New England’s reserves incurred the same fate as Maye on Tuesday, finding the indoor confines of the field house less accommodating than intended for red zone work. Joshua Dobbs finished 9-of-15 with one touchdown, while Ben Woolridge finished 2-of-5.

By consensus, the play of the day on offense was awarded to tight end Hunter Henry — who hauled in a one-handed throw from Maye that was ooringinally thought to be a bit beyond his reach. Henry was able to break free of safety Jabrill Peppers on a crossing route to make the impressive grab.

Defense Spotlight: Christian Gonzalez Gets the Jump on Drake Maye

As the old saying goes, “iron sharpens iron.”

Just one date after Maye acknowledged his desire to “test” Gonzalez coverage skills, the latter rose to the challenge. During a full-field, 11-on-11 drill, the Oregon product showcased his ability to elevate and high-point the ball to intercept Maye on a deep ball intended for rookie receiver Kyle Williams. Gonzalez provided smothering coverage as Williams headed up the sideline, leaving virtually no room for Maye to complete his pass. While one play can hardy make or break a player’s offseason body do work, Gonzalez’s interception served as the ideal example for the type of prowess and effort he has shown throuhgout the spring.

In addition to Gonzalez, New England’s secondary helped the defense outshine their counterparts on offense. Rookie Craig Woodson and undrafted free-agent linebacker Cam Riley each broke up two passes, while cornerbacks Marcus Jones and Alex Austin each defected one.

The Patriots pass rush was not to be outdone and clearly made its presence felt throuhgout the session. Edge rushers Keion White, K’Lavon Chaisson, Milton Williams, and Marcus Jones from the defensive backfield were each credited with “would be” sacks. Chiasson was in on nearly every drill wchich featured the pass rush. Based on his usage throughout the offseason, the 2020 first-round pick may be one to watch closely heading into camp.

Stefon Diggs: Ready for Week 1?

Despite being limited for the second straight day, Diggs continues to impress his coaches, teammates by showcasing impressive mobility. As the 31-year-old attempts to take the focus away from his recent exploits and place it back on football, any continue to wonder whether he may be ready to start the season on the active roster.

When asked about a potential timeline for his on-field return, Diggs responded in a manner which may provide hope to Pats Nation — who continues to clamor for watching the former All-Pro in a New England uniform sooner rather than later.

“We’ll see how it goes. Obviously, I don’t make the rules,” Diggs told reporters on Tuesday. I’m grinding each and every day, though. I can’t do too much of the team stuff, but I’m eager to get out there, so whenever they do press the button, I’m going to be ready. I’m grinding, though, every day.”

Schweitzer Retires, Strange Steps Up?

Conspicuous by his absence on Tuesday, veteran offensive lineman Wes Schweitzer formally announced his retirement at age 31 on Tuesday evening. Schweitzer played nine NFL seasons with the Atlanta Falcons (2016-2019), Washington Commanders (2020-22) and the New York Jets (2023-24). The 6’4” 300-pounder, played in 90 regular season games with 62 starts – 28 at left guard, six at center and 28 at right guard. He was limited to just four games last season with the Jets due to injury. 

Perhaps more importantly for the Patriots, the versatile lineman had played a prominent role in team drills throughout offseason workouts. In fact, some projected him as Cole Strange’s primary competition at the left guard position. With Schweitzer’s retirement now official, Strange appears to have a clear path to the starting left guard spot heading into training camp.

Next Up:

The Patriots will participate in a team event on Wednesday before concluding their three-day mandatory minicamp. Following a hiatus period of nearly six-weeks, the team will reconvene on July 22 to begin 2025 training camp.