Still, Maye taking over for center David Andrews is a new development. Along with Andrews, right tackle Chukwuma Okorafor, right guard Mike Onwenu, left guard Sidy Sow and left tackle Vederian Lowe made up the starting offensive line, but the group experimented with a variety of combinations.
Are Maye’s appearances a sign of things to come? Coach Jerod Mayo said Friday that the quarterback competition between Brissett and Maye is still open. He also said the team planned a meeting later Friday to discuss whether Maye would be a first-team starter in the future.
The Patriots will practice on Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday before heading to Washington for their final practice of the season on Aug. 25. If Maye plays behind the starting offensive line during the most competitive periods, those reps will certainly be more meaningful — and perhaps indicate a change in his development plan.
2. Tight end Austin Hooper was unable to complete practice due to an injury, further limiting New England’s tight end capacity. Hunter Henry, who again did not practice on Saturday, is already out with an unspecified injury.
The remaining tight ends on the roster are seventh-round draftee Jaheim Bell, La’Michael Pettway, undrafted rookie Jacob Warren and Mitchell Wilcox. Hooper and Henry are expected to play important roles this season.
3. In addition to Henry, offensive tackle Calvin Anderson, defensive tackle Christian Barmore, wide receiver JaQuae Jackson, offensive lineman Nick Leverett, safety Marte Mapu and linebackers Josh Uche and Oshane Ximines did not participate in practice.
Wide receiver Kendrick Bourne, guard Cole Strange and linebacker Sione Takitaki remain on the physically unable to perform list.
Anderson, Bourne, Henry, Leverett, Mapu, Strange and Ximines were spotted on the field.
4. Cornerback Christian Gonzalez called his workouts against Philadelphia wide receivers AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith “very helpful.”
“It’s picking up speed,” Gonzalez said. “Everyone knows what it’s like to (train) together. There are a lot of emotions involved. You’re very nervous when you can play against another team in training. You get a kind of feeling of playing with emotions.”
Brown and Smith represent the caliber of receivers Gonzalez will likely face this season. The two players have different skill sets, with Brown being a bigger, more physical threat. Gonzalez appreciated the challenge both brought.
After Tuesday’s practice, Brown said he identified Gonzalez as the top defensive back prospect from the 2023 draft. He called their one-on-one battles “great work,” a phrase Gonzalez also used on Saturday.
“To be able to compete against him is a great accomplishment,” Gonzalez said. “Seeing it in practice is a lot different than in a game. Practice and a game are two completely different things. To be able to practice against him and Smitty was incredible.”
The Patriots aren’t playing Philadelphia this season, but Gonzalez said he’s already started watching opposing receivers in the schedule. First up are Cincinnati’s Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, followed by Seattle’s DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett and Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
5. Defensive end Keion White said he doesn’t see Matthew Judon’s departure as an opportunity for him to earn a bigger role, but it looks like White deserves more responsibility.
White, who played 45 percent of New England’s defensive snaps as a rookie, said he learned a lot from Judon, which helped him improve his awareness on the field and his ability to read offenses.
Without Judon (and Barmore for the foreseeable future), White will have a chance to help New England’s pass rush. He believes his 21 snaps on Thursday showcased his inside rushing ability, but he still wants to improve his outside rushing. Still, he’s not necessarily focused on replacing Judon.
“I don’t really see myself as following in anyone’s footsteps,” White said. “I’m just representing my own position.”
You can reach Nicole Yang at [email protected]. Follow her @nicolecyang.
