Patriots OTAs Round Up: Mike Vrabel's Defensive is Starting to Take Shape. But So is Javon Baker's Status as Another WR Bust.

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Once again, I'm going to be honest with you. Ours is a relationship built on mutual trust and respect. Once we lose that, it becomes nearly impossible to get back, so I'm going to level with you and admit I didn't go to Patriots OTAs this week. Like Stefon Diggs, I wasn't at Gillette. Just without the literal boatload of lovely women, and with all the allegations of illegal substances. 

But enough of that. There were actual reporters reporting actual reports from the scene. And story lines came out of camp that are very much worth talking about on a slow news Friday in early summer. So let's get to them:

--The first and perhaps biggest takeaway of the two OTAs Mike Vrabel has run is that we're getting a look at what the defense he invested so heavily on this offseason is going to look like. By all accounts, it consists of a front of Harold Landry, Christian Barmore, Milton Williams, and Keion White along the line. Presumably with Landry on the outside, White on the strong side tackle, and the other two in the middle. At least on passing downs, which is primarily what they've been working on since no one's in pads and Vrabel says everything the offense is doing right now is pretty much 3rd & 10 situations. 

This would seem to maybe be the opposite of something Vrabel said a few weeks ago:

Heavy - Vrabel intends to stick with the 3-4 base defensive front the Patriots have played almost exclusively since Bill Belichick took charge in 2000. Vrabel made the revelation during an appearance on “The Triple Option” podcast with fellow former Ohio State luminaries Urban Meyer and Mark Ingram II.

He told Meyer and Ingram, “I mean the base, which is only 20% of the time, will be like a, you know, a 34 structure, but I mean, most of the game is played with substituted defenses anyway.”

So given this is essentially a passing camp, where the base is a Nickel, in passing situations we can look for this front of all penetrating D-linemen, similar to what Williams was a part of in Philly. And on 1st downs we can probably expect free agent signing Khyiris Tonga in Davon Godchaux's role of two-gapping nose tackle. 

--Off the ball, the standout has been a more high profile free agent signee:

Patriots.com - Robert Spillane was flying to the ball in Wednesday's session and was on the scene three times for "tackles" near the line of scrimmage. Spillane was so quick to the ball in some instances that I wondered if he was in the offense's huddle. Perhaps he's already getting a feel for the offense's base plays after seeing them in practice over the last few weeks.

I said when they first introduced Spillane that he might lead all Pats players in Most Jerseys Worn in Schools Returning After the Christmas Break. By the time training camp is over, I might be moving that date up to the first day of school, period. This is a future folk hero in our midsts.

--The breakout rookie on defense so far seems to be 4th round safety Craig Woodson out of Cal:

Source - [T]he Patriots rookie safety has stuck out in the team’s first two open practices of 2025. His habits on and off the field have also impressed veteran starting safety Jabrill Peppers.

“I like him – smart, savvy,” Peppers said. “He’s done a great job soaking up what the coaches want him to do, different techniques. …”

In the first open OTA practice, Woodson made an instant impact on defense. On a play where Drake Maye tried to connect with Hunter Henry, the rookie safety jumped in front of the veteran tight end for an interception.

Henry argued that he was held, but Woodson and his defensive teammates were celebrating on the field.

Wednesday’s practice marked the second session open to the media and Woodson made another nice play. This time, he broke up a Joshua Dobbs pass in the first 11-on-11 period.

Patriots.com again - Woodson is the player who has surprised me the most, in a good way. He can play centerfield, looks smooth as a robber/short zone defender, and can cover tight ends. There's a good skill set there that's worth developing as a complement to Kyle Dugger and Jabrill Peppers. He has consistently been in the right spots and forced some errant throws in both practices.

To circle back to Vrabel's comments about base being only 20% of what you do, and assuming Woodson keeps developing and can be that versatile, all-purpose hybrid Big Nickel, that could give DC Terrell Williams (who's working remotely from his home in Michigan after "a medical scare) a whole variety pack of gameplan specific options for how to utilize Peppers, Marte Mapu, Jahlani Tavai, and Dugger, who's coming his worst year as a pro while he played through injuries. I cannot wait to see him in padded practices and going full contact. 

--Speaking of pads and contact, some of the rookie offensive skill guys have taken advantage of the opportunity. Most notably 3rd rounder Kyle Williams:

But also some of the UDFAs. One of them I'm also putting in the running as a future folk hero with a high number of jersey sales:

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--It's the struggle by the second year guys that have so far killed the buzz around Josh McDaniels offense a little. The first I'm not worried about:

Boston.com - Unlike last week’s practice, Drake Maye was not knocked for four interceptions during 11-on-11 drills Wednesday afternoon.

Still, it wasn’t exactly the sharpest showing from New England’s top QB during this latest media-attended OTA session — with Maye completing 9-of-17 throws, often for short-yardage pickups. 

While it’s to be expected for an offensive unit to go through some growing pains during these early days of installing plays and calls with Josh McDaniels now running the show, Maye and Co. didn’t showcase much in terms of consistency — with Hunter Henry receiving a majority of the QB’s targets. Maye’s final play of the afternoon was a fumbled snap between the QB and center Garrett Bradbury. 

Less than ideal. And even 9-of-17 is mitigated somewhat by the fact that several of those completions to Henry were checkdowns. But it would be ludicrous to expect anything more. Even the Boston sports radio shows can't pretend to be worried at this point and keep straight faces. Especially given that this is the fourth system Maye has had to master in the last four years, going back to his sophomore season at North Carolina. In 2024 he learned to speak fluent Alex Van Pelt. And far less talented QBs than him were able to master the McOffense.

--But one of Maye's fellow rookies from last year doesn't get the same pass. 

Again from MassLive - Javon Baker flashes potential, but it’s also very clear the receiver needs to mature.

On Wednesday, Baker found himself on the field with quarterbacks Joshua Dobbs and Ben Wooldridge. The second-year receiver played well and made a great play – jumping over undrafted cornerback Brandon Crossley for a catch on a Wooldridge deep pass.

After the play, however, Baker flexed his right arm and started to jog slowly to the sideline. That drew the ire of Vrabel because the Patriots offense was in the huddle and waiting for Baker to return. That’s when it appeared that Vrabel said something to Baker to get the receiver to run back to the huddle for the next play. 

Baker’s potential shines, but it was also noteworthy that he was catching passes from backup quarterbacks.

You might recall that Baker was squeezing out these same sorts of brainfarts last year. Like the time he caught a ball and celebrated by throwing it up in the air before the whistle, forcing Jerod Mayo to chew him out and explain the difference between a "celebration" and a "fumble" to him. 

As a reminder, Baker caught one pass last season. And waited 17 games to do it. As much as we don't want to be harsh becaue we'd all like to get something out of the 2024 4th rounder, he's come to OTAs already on Double Secret Probation. And still, his new coach who has made a huge priority out of judging everyone by how they finish reps, how much effort they put in and how accountable they are, is now having to drop everything to remind him to hustle back to the huddle. Quickly establishing he doesn't just commit errors; he's an error-repeater. One who's running routes with the backups QBs, even though there are veterans ahead of him on the depth chart who are missing. 

--I've talked to people around the team who honestly believe Ja'Lynn Polk was done dirty last year by having too many things thrown at him at once, without any kind of a proper foundation laid for him. and he's catching onto what McDaniels is teaching. He also looks like he's added a little mass and footspeed:

Let's hope. Because a receiver room of Stefon Diggs, Williams, Polk, Pop Douglas, Keyshon Boutte and even Kendrick Bourne sticking for another year, might be a legitimate WR depth chart. But at this point, I'll be shocked if Baker ends up anywhere but on the ash heap of history with all the Tyquan Thorntons and N'Keal Harrys. I'd like to think I'm wrong; but we've all seen this movie before.