Winners, Losers From First Week of Patriots Training Camp

Shocker. The face of the franchise had himself a productive start to the summer. The quarterback started camp a bit slow, but eventually turned it up a notch once the pads came on.

Maye began pushing the ball down the field a lot more and his accuracy has been sharp. He's been more vocal and truly evolving into a larger captain role in the huddle and under center. He's also been getting a ton of different players the ball, including some of the slot guys (DeMario Douglas, Efton Chism III).

WINNER: A.J. Brown

His connection with Maye didn't start off too hot. In fact, the wide receiver caught just one pass in team drills from his starting quarterback. That too has changed, as Brown has looked like the player the Patriots traded for back in June.

His quick first step and ability to win at the point of attack has been on display, and he's clearly the WR1 on this team. Brown has beaten Christian Gonzalez a couple of times during 1-on-1s, always a good sign if you're getting the best of one of the NFL's top cornerbacks.

WINNER: TEs Eli Raridon/Tanner Arkin

Two rookie tight ends, two winners. Raridon (third round) and Arkin (undrafted) came to New England different ways and with different roles, but they've both been productive during team drills.

Raridon -- who's repping as the second tight end on the depth chart -- has become a favorite intermediate threat for both Maye and backup Tommy DeVito, while Arkin could be in line for the TE3 job (and backup fullback job, should Reggie Gilliam go down).

LOSER: WR Kyle Williams

The Patriots broke into different groups during a walkthrough last week, and Williams wasn't with the top six receivers. Instead, he was the quote unquote WR7 on the second-string offense. Not a good sign for a player who didn't contribute in buckets last year as a rookie.

The former third rounder did have a nice practice with pads on, including a great one-handed grab in 1-on-1s. But he's mostly been with the backups, and in a crowded wide receiver room, that doesn't bode too well for Williams.

LOSER: OG Caedan Wallace

Wallace, who's spent plenty of time at both tackle and guard since being drafted in 2024, was originally opening camp as a top option at backup guard. He's since been leapfrogged in that department, and is now dealing with an injury to boot.

Mehki Butler replaced Wallace on the second-string offense at left guard, and he's looked servicable in there. During an OL/DL drill, Wallace also appeared to get banged up and left Saturday's practice early.

LOSER: CB Kobee Minor

After Carlton Davis appeared to injury his hamstring during the team's fourth practice of the summer, a few players have gotten cracks at larger roles with the top defense. Minor, a second-year player, hasn't fared too well compared to others.

Charles Woods, Kindle Vildor and Karon Prunty have all gotten increased looks after Davis' injury. When Minor has gotten his chances, he's been on the other end of some big plays -- including a 45-yard play to Douglas.