Biggest winners and losers from Patriots’ OTAs and minicamp

Who stood out and who didn’t at the Patriots’ spring practices?

Not everybody came out of organized team activities and mandatory minicamp a winner for the New England Patriots.

That doesn’t mean they won’t bounce back in the summer and turn things around at training camp. It’s always important to avoid overreacting to spring practices, especially when players aren’t even working out in pads.

But then again, the teams wouldn’t be meeting if OTAs and minicamp weren’t considered important offseason work. There were clearly standouts for the Patriots on the field, and on the other end of the spectrum, there were also players that struggled.

Here are the biggest winners and losers from the Patriots’ spring practices:

Riley Reiff struggles paints grim picture for Patriots’ offensive line

The offensive line concerns for the Patriots could linger into the season

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Veteran offensive tackle Riley Reiff was brought in as a short-term solution for what has turned into a long-term problem for the New England Patriots.

With OTAs and minicamp in the rearview and the dead heat of summer training camp quickly approaching, it’s clear that the offensive tackle position could continue to be a major trouble spot for the Patriots.

The pads haven’t even come on, and per The Athletic’s Chad Graff, Reiff was already downgraded to working with the second team in the spring practices. It’s obviously no picnic of a matchup with Matthew Judon and Josh Uche coming off the edges, but the struggles at tackle are sticking out like a New York Jets jersey at Gillette Stadium.

Trent Brown being out hasn’t helped matters, either. He’s the one legitimate starter at the position the team can rely on, and he spent his one minicamp practice working on conditioning.

Graff wrote:

At least in spring practices, those decisions looked concerning. Reiff struggled so much that he was relegated to the second-team offense; Anderson and McDermott were constantly beaten by Matthew Judon and Josh Uche; left tackle Trent Brown, the lone stalwart at the position, skipped OTAs and missed the start of minicamp, then was sent to do conditioning work instead of practicing with the team.

Reiff, 34, was always going to be a long-shot option for the Patriots. The veteran offensive lineman didn’t even start in all 16 games for the Chicago Bears last season.

But the Patriots were still desperate enough to give him $4.1 million guaranteed on his contract, which was an early indication that he would play a significant role on offense. Perhaps things will settle down as he becomes more acclimated to the system at training camp.

There are few options out there for New England this late in the game. They could consider trying rookie guard Sidy Sow out at tackle, given his experience at the position in college, but there are no guarantees he’d be ready by the start of the season.

To make matters worse, the Patriots will be at the mercy of Brown’s health. If he goes down with an injury, a huge problem would quickly turn into a catastrophe.

Making a splash signing for wideout DeAndre Hopkins won’t save the Patriots if they can’t protect their quarterback.

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10 best video highlights from Patriots’ spring practices

Here are the best video highlights from the Patriots’ OTAs and minicamp practices

The New England Patriots experienced a sense of rejuvenation through their spring practices.

Whether it was organized team activities or minicamp, there was a team connectedness, particularly on the offensive side of the ball, that wasn’t there last year. Perhaps a better way of phrasing it is that things finally felt normal for the Patriots.

Bill O’Brien was leading the offense, and both Steve Belichick and Jerod Mayo had their prints on the defense, while coach Bill Belichick captained the ship. The smell of saltwater is already in the air as the Patriots get set to sail for the 2023 season.

Let’s take a look at 10 of the most highlight-worthy and just straight up entertaining moments captured on video during New England’s spring practices:

Justin Herbert ‘pleased’ with effort of Chargers teammates at minicamp

Justin Herbert said that he was “pleased” with the effort of his teammates at the Chargers’ offseason program.

Offseason minicamps are a great way for teams to stay in rhythm in late spring, and quarterback Justin Herbert seemed impressed with his teammate’s effort at the Chargers’ offseason practices in his comments.

Asked about his experience at minicamp, Herbert said that he and his teammates emptied the tank, even if it didn’t seem like it lasted for an exceptionally long time.

It went by really fast. I thought we had a lot of good work out there. We had a lot of guys come out this offseason. I thought that was huge for us to be able to work together and kind of grow together with this new offense. I was really pleased with the effort that everyone gave this year.

Now heading for the slowest part of the year in the NFL, Herbert and the rest of the roster will lick their wounds, rest for about a month, and get ready for training camp in the preseason in late July.

If Herbert’s assessment is to be believed, fans should expect the team to strive for perfection when the next phase of the new season starts next month.

7 biggest takeaways from Colts’ minicamp

Here are the biggest takeaways from Colts’ minicamp.

The Indianapolis Colts spent two days wrapping up the offseason workout program last week with mandatory minicamp at the Indiana Farm Bureau Football Center.

Minicamp is essentially an extension of the organized team activity (OTA) practices the Colts went through during the months of May and June with the slight difference in that the media is permitted to attend every practice.

Here are the seven biggest takeaways from Colts minicamp in 2023:

Justin Herbert speaks on Chargers’ new offense ahead of 2023 season

Justin Herbert was bullish on the idea of the Chargers offense improving their ability to create more explosive plays in 2023.

The Chargers gave Justin Herbert a new offensive coordinator in Kellen Moore and two new receivers with their selections in the 2023 NFL draft.  And with a tailwind after his standout season last year, the team’s offense seems poised for success come September.

Herbert was asked if Los Angeles’ offense might be more explosive in 2023 with the likes of Quentin Johnston and Derius Davis in their receiving corps, which he answered in the affirmative.

Yeah, I’d like to think so. I think that’s always the goal for an offense, is having those explosive plays, whether that’s through the run game or the pass game. [Offensive Coordinator] Kellen [Moore], he has a great mind. He’s done such a great job of kind of interpreting exactly what he wants for this offense. It’s a clear message for us as an offensive unit of what he’s trying to accomplish.

Moore’s playcalling and guidance will only bring the Chargers so far, though, and it will be up to their outstanding cast of offensive talent to put Los Angeles over the top in the highly competitive AFC.

With Herbert under center and a revamped crew of receivers for him to target, improvement should come early for the team’s offense as they aim to win their first playoff game in more than five years,

NFC South news roundup: Latest on Bryce Young, Panthers free agency rumors

NFC South news roundup: Latest on Bryce Young, Panthers free agency rumors, Falcons hyping themselves up, and Buccaneers linebacker drama

Mandatory minicamps have shuttered around the NFL, so it’s a good time to check out the other teams in the NFC South and see how they’re all progressing through their offseason — not just the New Orleans Saints, who we talk about every day, but their rivals in the Atlanta Falcons and Carolina Panthers, as well as the neighboring Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Here’s what’s being written about every team at Panthers Wire, Falcons Wire, and Bucs Wire:

10 biggest OTAs and minicamp standouts for Patriots

Who stood out the most for the Patriots during the spring practices?

The New England Patriots have finished up the last of their spring practices and will be taking the next few weeks off before returning in late July for training camp.

Even though the players weren’t in pads, things clearly got competitive on the practice field. Just ask Anfernee Jennings, Christian Barmore and Cole Strange, who were all involved in a brief dust-up during organized team activities.

We didn’t get a full course meal, but we were able to feast on enough appetizers to know this team is ready for training camp. The defense could be a real juggernaut in 2023, and the additional playmakers, particularly the rookies, could play a major role right out of the gates.

Meanwhile, the offense has shown real strides in the spring practices. This is no longer the predicted train wreck unit is was last year around this time.

Here are the 10 biggest standouts during the spring practices for the Patriots:

Chargers 53-man roster projection updated post-minicamp

With the Chargers’ spring offseason process in the rearview, there’s a clearer picture of what the 53-man roster could look like.

As minicamp has come and gone, there remains just a little over a month until Chargers’ training camp despite not having an exact date yet. With the draft and the spring offseason process in the rearview, there’s a slightly clearer picture now of what the 53-man roster could look like.

It wouldn’t surprise me if there were still some signings to be made for the Chargers between now and the date for final cuts. But basing it off of the roster now, here’s my best guess:

Quarterbacks (3): Justin Herbert, Easton Stick, Max Duggan

Three quarterbacks, pretty simple. Tom Telesco has kept three in eight of his ten seasons as general manager. Investing a Day 3 pick into TCU’s Max Duggan only clarified his intentions. While it’s not the savviest roster-building decision, in my opinion, it’s how they operate.

The NFL’s new emergency quarterback rule prompted by the 2023 NFC Championship game only increases the odds of keeping three.

Running backs (3): Austin Ekeler, Joshua Kelley, Isaiah Spiller

If the running backs on the roster are the same after August, the Chargers will keep three. Larry Rountree III currently would be their lead practice squad back that also functions as a special teamer on certain game days.

However, don’t be shocked if the Chargers add another body into the fold. The team added Sony Michel late in the game last offs they’re not quite getting what they want out of Isaiah Spiller early on in training camp, bolstering the running back room in free agency is possible.

Fullbacks (1): Zander Horvath

There’s no competition for Zander Horvath this year, not even a friendly Gabe Nabers visit to camp. Pencil him in.

Wide receivers (6): Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, Quentin Johnston, Joshua Palmer, Jalen Guyton, Derius Davis

On paper, this is the group. The only hesitation here is the health of Jalen Guyton. It wouldn’t be a shocker if he started the season on PUP while recovering from his ACL injury late last September. Guyton was amongst a group of players working with the trainers at minicamp last week.

If Guyton starts the season on PUP, they probably go with five. Otherwise, he has to be rostered.

Tight ends (3): Gerald Everett, Donald Parham Jr., Tre’ McKitty

A free-agent addition here is even more likely than it is with the running back group in my opinion. The Chargers still need a tried and true blocker with some good quality depth on the market. If they do sign someone like Geoff Swaim or Kyle Rudolph, they’ll probably go with four here.

Offensive linemen (9): Rashawn Slater, Zion Johnson, Corey Linsley, Jamaree Salyer, Trey Pipkins, Jordan McFadden, Will Clapp, Brenden Jaimes, Foster Sarell

Five starters from left to right plus their four backups.

Defensive linemen (6): Sebastian Joseph-Day, Austin Johnson, Morgan Fox, Otito Ogbonnia, Scott Matlock, Nick Williams

Season-ending injuries from 2022 seem to be a bit of a theme for crafting this year’s roster and the defensive line room is no different. Otito Ogbonnia and Austin Johnson both suffered knee injuries down the stretch last year. Will both be ready in September after getting hurt last November?

Jerrod Clark and Christopher Hinton would be in prime position to get spots on the 53-man roster if Johnson and/or Ogbonnia could not go early on. Alternatively, the Chargers could also add through free agency here or post-cuts waiver wire here.

EDGE (4): Joey Bosa, Khalil Mack, Tuli Tuipulotu, Chris Rumph II

Second-round pick Tuli Tuipulotu effectively replaces Kyle Van Noy as EDGE 3 here. Chris Rumph II remains at EDGE 4 as he hopes to take a bigger step forward this season. As per usual, the unit hinges on the health of Joey Bosa.

Linebackers (5): Eric Kendricks, Kenneth Murray, Daiyan Henley, Nick Niemann, Amen Ogbongbemiga

The newly acquired Eric Kendricks leads the group as Kenneth Murray probably starts off as his running mate in a contract year. Can newly-drafted Daiyan Henley give Murray some competition there? Nick Niemann and Amen Ogbongbemiga remain on the roster as core special teamers.

Cornerbacks (6): J.C. Jackson, Michael Davis, Asante Samuel Jr., Ja’Sir Taylor, Deane Leonard, Kemon Hall

The Chargers have gone with six cornerbacks to start the season in each of Brandon Staley’s first two seasons. The need to keep six here in my mind is only intensified by the uncertainty around J.C. Jackson. There are still a lot of different possible outcomes for Jackson in terms of when he starts the season. The early optimism would suggest Week 1, but missing a few games wouldn’t be surprising.

As the sixth corner, Kemon Hall starts the season as a core special teamer who could be bumped to CB5 if Jackson is not quite ready yet.

Safeties (4): Derwin James, Alohi Gilman, JT Woods, Raheem Layne

For now, Derwin James and Alohi Gilman is your safety tandem. James spoke glowingly about Gilman during minicamp this week. 2022 third-round selection JT Woods obviously makes the roster and Raheem Layne played quality special teams snaps under Ryan Ficken last season.

ST specialists (3): Cameron Dicker, JK Scott, Josh Harris

It comes down to Cameron Dicker vs. Dustin Hopkins for the kicking job. For now, I’ll take the Chargers rolling with Dicker as the hot hand until we see the two kickers square off in the preseason.

Brandon Staley not letting externalities affect Chargers’ preparation for 2023

Brandon Staley responded when asked about the lofty expectations placed on the Chargers ahead of the 2023 season.

The Chargers are entering put-up-or-shut-up territory in Brandon Staley’s third season as the team’s head coach.

The team has plenty of talent on its roster, but in a highly-competitive conference, they will have to defy the odds to bring Los Angeles a Super Bowl title in 2023.

For all the talk in the media about what the Chargers might (or might not) be capable of, though, Staley said that he is drowning out as much of the noise as possible.

Asked about the weight of the lofty expectations placed on his team, who some consider being championship contenders, Staley made it clear that externalities will not be considered as Los Angeles prepares for the new season.

I know the team that we have. The players that were talked about in that way last year, they’re still all on our team. We’ve added even more pieces. We are confident in who we are and we’re just confident in the work that’s ahead and that we have the guys that are capable of doing it. We’re excited to get to training camp. But I love coaching this group. I know this group is really good.

These comments came just as the team was wrapping up their mandatory minicamp and off-season program. With training camp ahead of them, the Chargers will have to wait until July to start proving themselves worthy of the pre-season hype.

Time will tell if Los Angeles can rise to the top in 2023, but if Staley is to be believed, he certainly doesn’t care what anyone outside of the Chargers’ organization has to think.