In today’s NFL, joint practices have essentially replaced exhibition games for starting players. They provide a more controlled, competitive setting where teams can give their top players meaningful reps and quality work against another team.
That’s what makes these two joint practices with the Eagles so important for the Patriots.
Since the start of the 2022 season, no team has won more regular-season games than Philadelphia, which has 50 over that span. The Eagles’ six playoff wins are also second in the NFL, trailing only the Kansas City Chiefs’ nine. That stretch includes two trips to the Super Bowl and a championship in 2024.
Bringing the Eagles in for two days of joint practices was an intentional move by Mike Vrabel, giving the Patriots a measuring stick with just three weeks remaining before the 2026 season opener in Seattle.
“They’ll be a good way to gauge [where the team is at]. This is intentional,” head coach Mike Vrabel said. “This is a very good football team. It has been for quite some time. They’re really good at the line of scrimmage, big physical lines of scrimmage. Certainly, an excellent quarterback. They’re well-coached, good defensive scheme, so I think this’ll be a really good measuring stick just to see where we’re at this point in camp, and how we can respond. There are going to be some good plays, and we’re going to have to make some adjustments really quickly, and then try to keep our competitive stamina throughout the day.”
Drake Maye and the Patriots’ offense looked more than ready for the challenge.
Against an Eagles defense that has two first-team All-Pros in the secondary in Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean, as well as a Pro Bowl linebacker in Zack Baun and defensive tackle Jalen Carter, Maye and the offense had no problem moving the ball against a defense that allowed the sixth-fewest passing yards in the NFL last season (204.47 per game).
Maye completed 15 of his 18 pass attempts in 11-on-11 work, which included full-field work and a two-minute drill to end the session. Last year’s MVP runner-up completed his first 12 passes of the day, with his first incompletion not coming until his first attempt in the two-minute drill, when Romeo Doubs dropped a pass on a zig route. The drive ended with a 52-yard field goal by Borregales.
Maye’s other incompletions came on a wheel route to Rhamondre Stevenson that was a little underthrown and broken up, and a pass that landed in no-man’s land after a miscommunication with DeMario Douglas. On the day, he completed passes to nine different pass catchers. He was “sacked” once when left guard Alijah Vera-Tucker missed a stunt.
Of course, all eyes were on A.J. Brown going against his former team. The 29-year-old, who topped 1,000 receiving yards in all four of his seasons in Philadelphia, including the two highest single-season receiving yard totals in franchise history, 1,496 yards in 2022 and 1,456 in 2023, had one of his best days of the summer.
Between 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 work, the three-time Pro Bowler caught all seven of his targets, with four coming in 11-on-11. His biggest play of the day was an over-the-shoulder grab in 11-on-11 on the sideline over Riq Woolen in tight coverage for 20-plus yards.
Brown spoke highly of his new quarterback after practice.
“He’s very special, and he makes my job a lot easier. Just learning how he sees the game and getting on the same page,” Brown said of his connection with Maye. “He has a lot of arm talent. He can place the ball anywhere.”
It was also a strong day for the offensive line.
Behind the left side of Vera-Tucker and Will Campbell, Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson were able to find space in the run game and pick up a handful of positive gains. Campbell, Vera-Tucker, Jared Wilson, Mike Onwenu and Morgan Moses also kept Maye clean in the pocket for most of the day against a talented Eagles defensive front.
The Patriots and Eagles will meet on the practice fields at Gillette Stadium again Thursday for the second of their two scheduled joint practices. Thursday’s session is expected to be more red-zone-focused.
