Patriots Minicamp: Christian Gonzalez, Kayshon Boutte Return

Attendance

Absent: RT Morgan Moses, ED Harold Landry III, ED Gabe Jacas

Limited: CB Christian Gonzalez, LG Alijah Vera-Tucker, CB Marcellas Dial Jr.

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Mike Vrabel’s Top Quotes of Note

On whether he’s seen growth from Drake Maye this offseason: Yeah, I think we have seen growth in a lot of players, especially some of the younger ones, which I would consider Drake, going into his third year, one of those younger players. I think that Josh [McDaniels] and Ashton [Grant] have given him some really positive things to work on, some areas of focus, and being able to try to limit mistakes at the line of scrimmage, right? Get us in the best play. Not that we are going to be perfect, but being able to use every resource that we have to get us into the right play and be able to give us an option to have a positive play. Whether they are pressuring or they are in a look that is not advantageous to the play, we do not want to be tentative, so there is a fine line of that. But I think expanding some of that into the second year of the system has been good to see here in the spring.

On Harold Landry’s status: Harold has played a lot of football, and so we just have to try to — this is all part of everyone has a little different plan. I think you guys understand that, having spent a year with us and kind of how we operate. So, he is very involved, very heavily involved in the meetings and the workouts and in a leadership role. For him to take reps right now in the spring, I feel like, is unnecessary. We will just keep working to make sure that he is ready to go when we need him.

On how Elijah Ponder and Bradyn Swinson have capitalized on more opportunities: Well, I think physically, they both have worked really hard with Frank [Piraino] and his group in the time that they spent away from here, however long that was. That was evident when they came back. I just think from a maturity, from getting stronger and being better conditioned, those things really stood out. I think that through the course of the eight or nine weeks, that has become evident on the field as well.

On the status of Christian Gonzalez’s extension talks: Good. Conversations have been great. I talked to him about his event last week. I talked to him about normal things that we talk about. It is good to have everybody back in here that either was here last week or that was not. It is just good to have an almost complete football team here. I am excited to keep working.

On team red zone execution: Well, it is a critical area. It is a critical situation. We were fifth in red zone drives offensively, but unfortunately, we were middle of the pack and too many negative plays, too many turnovers. Almost half of our turnovers were in the red zone. So, that hurts you there. Defensively, you have to be on body, you have to be in tight coverage, making sure teams do not run the football in on you, and just understanding how critical every yard is and being great tacklers and communicating all the motions and the pre-snap motions and different routes, combinations that they have.

Headline: Christian Gonzalez, Kayshon Boutte Return

Christian Gonzalez and Kayshon Boutte returned to the Patriots’ practice field after missing all of the team’s voluntary offseason program.

Gonzalez is eligible and waiting for a contract extension, while Boutte has been the subject of trade rumors that only intensified when the team traded for star receiver A.J. Brown.

Gonzalez appears to be holding in, as he only took part in early position drills and a slow-paced walkthrough near the end of practice. The Pro Bowler wouldn’t disclose any behind-the-scenes details, but he made it clear he wants to stay in New England.

“For sure. Of course I want to be here,” Gonzalez told reporters. “I’ve been drafted here. I want to be rewarded as a Patriot. I love this town. I love this city.”

Boutte had a much more active day, regularly mixing into a deep wide receiver. He was on the field for the first snap of competitive drills, lining up at X across from Brown. Boutte’s only targets came from QB Tommy DeVito, which included a slight overthrow on a would-be deep touchdown and a curl completion, but he was undoubtedly one of the group’s top snap leaders.

Boutte, who told WBZ’s Dan Roche he wants to remain a Patriot, called his absence from OTAs a “personal decision,” noting that the sessions were voluntary. But now that he’s back, the veteran receiver welcomes the challenge of yet another crowded receiver room.

“We find ourselves in the same position at the beginning of every season,” Boutte told reporters. “At the end of the day, still gotta come to training camp and fight.”

Headline

• Drake Maye’s first day of minicamp was also his best practice session in front of reporters this offseason. He went 19-22 in a red zone-centric practice, including one throw in the dirt on an unsuccessful screen. Maye’s top plays included a back-shoulder fade to A.J. Brown, separate touchdowns to Rhamondre Stevenson and Hunter Henry on corner routes against Robert Spillane, and a no-look checkdown to Stevenson. His only significant gaffes were an early overthrow to Jack Westover on what would’ve been another corner touchdown.
• Morgan Moses was absent after appearing to suffer an injury during an OTA practice last week. Rookie Caleb Lomu stepped up as the top right tackle while also serving as the top backup on the left side.
• Second-round pick Gabe Jacas is the only Patriots rookie who remains unsigned, and he hasn’t been seen since rookie minicamp. Mike Vrabel noted that Jacas had a procedure this offseason and said the team is excited to coach up the rookie when he returns.
• Alijah Vera-Tucker took some of his first competitive snaps of the offseason today, rotating with Ben Brown at left guard.
• OLB coach Mike Smith told reporters he has “high expectations” for sophomore Elijah Ponder, who’s already had some freaky moments at the top of pass rushes this offseason. Ponder has been a starter opposite Dre’Mont Jones and nearly batted down a screen to Stevenson that went nowhere.
• Andrew Rupcich, who saw reps at backup guard and center, delivered a low snap that led to a fumbled snap later in practice.
• Kobee Minor was a regular at outside cornerback alongside Carlton Davis III and Marcus Jones, both of whom were absent during last week’s open OTA.