Patriots
Stefon Diggs continues to impress through ACL rehab, but he’s not the only receiver turning heads in Foxborough.
The Patriots wrapped up their organized team activities (OTAs) period on June 5, marking the end of voluntary workouts with the team.
OTAs provided fans and media the first opportunity to look at New England’s full team in action. Rookies and veterans practiced side by side, and the early stages of lineup configurations came together on the field.
The real lineup decisions don’t come until training camp and preseason, but OTAs provided an initial spotlight for some players to shine, in hopes of making the Patriots’ 53-man roster at the end of August.
Here are five standouts from New England’s OTA period.
Stefon Diggs
Diggs is only eight months removed from tearing his ACL, but he still looks like arguably the most explosive wide receiver in the Patriots locker room.
New England has lacked offensive star power for a number of years in the post-Brady era, and Diggs could finally fill that void once he’s healthy. And judging by how good he already looks, the wait to see him on the field in New England may not be very long.
Diggs showed quickness out of his breaks during receiver drills this week, and appeared faster than Kayshon Boutte when lined up beside him.
Diggs had a controversial week after a viral video surfaced of him holding an unidentified substance on a boat in Florida. But, the Patriots are reportedly still committed to him as their wide receiver one for their young signal caller Drake Maye.
Efton Chism
Diggs isn’t the only receiver turning heads this offseason. Chism had a great few weeks of practice and could cement his case for the 53-man roster with a good training camp.
Boston Sports Journal‘s Greg Bedard said it “would be hard” to keep Chism off the roster. He’s looked strong compared to other receivers on New England’s roster, and it’s likely an advantage that he is one of the only true slot receivers on the Patriots’ depth chart outside of DeMario Douglas.
If Josh McDaniels chooses to utilize the slot position as heavily as he did in his previous tenure in New England, Chism could be an asset behind Douglas in the lineup.
Cole Strange
Three of New England’s offensive line starters appear to be set, with No. 4 pick Will Campbell at left tackle, Mike Onwenu at right guard, and Morgan Moses at right tackle.
However, center and left guard have yet to be defined, and Cole Strange could fit into either spot, though it appears the Patriots coaching staff is leaning towards deploying him at left guard. He and Wes Schweister have seen the most time at that position, though ESPN’s Mike Reiss listed a whole host of players who have been in the mix.
Reiss also noted that Strange had some of the best protection of camp, though without fully padded practices, that admittedly doesn’t mean too much.
Regardless, Strange is a former first-round pick, and after dealing with multiple injuries early in his career, earning a full-time spot on the offensive line under Mike Vrabel would be a significant turnaround for his career.
Craig Woodson
Woodson was viewed by many experts as a reach when New England selected him in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. His consensus big board ranking of 188 was significantly lower than the position he was drafted, but early practices are showing why Vrabel and Eliot Wolf were comfortable selecting him in a much higher spot.
Woodson looked the part in practices thus far and could carve out a role in the Patriots’ defense.
New England has a lot of options at safety, but it may work in Woodson’s favor that both Kyle Dugger and Jabrill Peppers had down seasons in 2024. Eric Galko, a scout and current director of football operations and player personnel for the Shrine Bowl, thinks Woodson could challenge for a starting safety spot by the end of his rookie year.
Robert Spillane
Robert Spillane is expected to be a key contributor as a field general linebacker, and he’s getting plenty of praise from coaches early on in offseason workouts.
“Robert Spillane is phenomenal, he’s like a coach on the field,” linebackers coach Zak Kuhr told reporters. “He’s helping guys just as much as I am, and he’s made my job a lot easier having him in there.”
Spillane recorded 158 tackles last season, a stat that will be a big lift for New England’s defense. Jahlani Tavai’s 115 tackles were the most on the Patriots last season.
New England made a number of investments to improve its defense early in free agency, and Spillane’s early days as a Patriot seem worthy of the investment New England made in him.
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