Patriots Dial Back Minicamp on Day 2 as 40-Yard Sled Races Cap Foxboro Session

Q: Is rookie Caleb Lomu poised to take the starting tackle spot from the aging and absent Morgan Moses?

No. Caleb Lomu looks like the Patriots’ long-term answer at tackle, but the available evidence points to Morgan Moses still holding the starting right tackle job entering 2026. Lomu’s minicamp work is notable because it shows how much the Patriots trust his versatility. With Moses out for workload management, Lomu took the top reps at right tackle and also worked on the left side, and Mike Vrabel praised how quickly he is learning. That is a strong sign he could be the top game-day backup early and a future starter. But the broader context still favors Moses. The Patriots’ plan, based on the reporting around the draft and offseason program, is for Lomu to open as a swing tackle behind Moses and Will Campbell, not to unseat Moses immediately. Moses, 35, remains the projected starter, and Vrabel’s explanation for his absence framed it as maintenance for an important veteran, not a loss of standing. Lomu was drafted in the first round because New England sees starter-level upside and likely views him as Moses’s eventual successor. Still, he is transitioning from primarily left tackle in college, and development on the right side remains part of the process. Unless Moses’s health becomes a bigger issue or Lomu forces the issue in training camp and preseason, the more realistic timeline is that Lomu pushes for a larger role this year and competes to take over in 2027 rather than right now.

Q: After acquiring A.J. Brown, will the Patriots grant Kayshon Boutte's reported trade request?

Probably not, at least not based on what is publicly known now. The key issue is that the premise itself is disputed. Some reports, including ESPN’s Adam Schefter, have said Boutte has been interested in a trade after the Patriots added A.J. Brown and further crowded the receiver room. But Boutte publicly pushed back on that idea at mandatory minicamp, saying he wants to stay in New England and hopes to be there long term. That makes it hard to frame this as a straightforward case of the Patriots “granting” a trade request. Publicly, Boutte is not asking out. Internally, there may still be interest from his side or calls from other teams, but the Patriots have not signaled that a move is imminent. From New England’s perspective, there are reasons to keep him. Brown is the clear No. 1 target, but Boutte still has value after a productive 2025 season, and the Patriots may not view a late-round pick as enough return. The available reporting also suggests the team does not have such overwhelming receiver depth that moving Boutte for minimal compensation would automatically make sense. So the most accurate answer is that a trade remains possible this summer, especially after the Brown deal, but there is no clear evidence the Patriots are preparing to grant a formal trade request. As of minicamp, Boutte is with the team, participating, and publicly saying he wants to remain.

3 articles · Updated · Pats Pulpit · Jun 10

Wednesday’s second mandatory minicamp practice ran mostly at a jog-through pace in Foxboro, with Mike Vrabel saying the lighter workload was planned before a faster, red-zone-heavy final day Thursday.
Three players stayed out again — Morgan Moses, Gabe Jacas and Harold Landry III — with Vrabel saying the Patriots are managing Moses’ reps now to preserve him for the season.
Caleb Lomu took first-team right tackle reps in Moses’ place and also worked at left tackle, versatility Vrabel said has stood out because the rookie learns quickly and handles both sides.
A.J. Brown kept seeing heavy work across multiple spots as he builds chemistry with Drake Maye, while the day’s main competition came in 13 family-group races pushing wooden sleds 40 yards.
Devin Bale returned for another punter tryout after working out Tuesday, a sign New England is still testing competition around Bryce Baringer as he enters a contract year.