5 takeaways from Patriots' first 2026 OTA practice

The Patriots began building for the 2026 season with Mike Vrabel, Drake Maye, and most of the roster returning for the first organized team activities practice behind Gillette Stadium. OTAs are voluntary and non-contact, allowing 11-on-11, 7-on-7, and 9-on-7 drills over four weeks in late spring. Media can attend one OTA session per week. The offense started solidly with Maye completing 13 of 22 passes and throwing one interception. Rookie corner Karon Prunty intercepted a pass intended for Kyle Williams, returning it for a pick-six. Maye acknowledged the mistake on the out route and emphasized that defenders will take advantage when the ball carrier is outside with the football.

"The Patriots started to lay the groundwork for the 2026 season on Wednesday, with Mike Vrabel, Drake Maye, and most of New England's roster returning to the practice fields behind Gillette Stadium for the team's first organized team activities (OTA) practice of the year. OTAs are a four-week voluntary program in the late spring where 11-on-11, 7-on-7, and 9-on-7 drills are permitted. While OTAs are non-contact and not mandatory, they can give coaches an early look at looming roster battles and ascending (or struggling) players before the work begins to ramp up in July and August during training camp."

"As is the case with every OTA and training-camp practice, it's a dangerous game when it comes to making any declarative statements or sweeping conclusions about what transpires on the fields behind Gillette Stadium. Never forget last year's first OTA practice, when the collective Patriots fanbase signaled DEFCON 1 after Maye was knocked for four interceptions. Turns out, the second-year QB still had a pretty good year, to put it lightly. On Wednesday, Maye and the Patriots offense were solid. The MVP runner-up completed 13-of-22 throws with one interception."

"Rookie corner Karon Prunty picked off Maye's throw intended for Kyle Williams, with the 2026 sixth-round pick jumping on an underthrown out route and running it back for a pick-six. "I just left the out route inside," Maye acknowledged after practice. "You can't do that in this league, it's as simple as that. So, I think it's part of throwing the out route to the field and not being outside with the football. These players in this league are going to take it the other way, so I think that's about i"

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