Patriots Training Camp Notebook: Slow Walkthrough, Key DT Absent Once Again

FOXBORO --- With nobody in the stands, the New England Patriots took to the practice fields for an easy walkthrough practice. To say that it was slow would be an extreme understatement.

The Patriots didn't do anything past what appeared to be 50%, and there was a long lull where both the starting offense and defenses just stood on the sideline waiting for a special teams period to end.

There are not that many takeaways from Sunday's practice, but here are a few things to note:

Attendance

New England Patriots wide receivers and cornerbacks working together during Sunday's walkthrough. | Ethan Hurwitz / Patriots On SI

After Saturday's laundry list of absences, today wasn't as bad. But still, there were some players not on the field that have begun to become repeat offenders.

The players that did not show were wide receiver Kyle Dixon, center Ben Brown (who's expected to be shelved for a few weeks after a lower-body injury), defensive tackle Christian Barmore, edge rusher Xavier Holmes and cornerback Christian Gonzalez. Edge rusher Harold Landry (PUP) and safety Brenden Schooler (NFI) were also not cleared for participation.

Some good news, however. Wide receiver Kobe Prentice, linebacker Chad Muma and safety Eric Butler all returned after missing Saturday's padded practice. Cornerback Charles Woods, who walked onto the field with a red, non-contact jersey, eventually changed into a blue jersey (likely because of the slower pace of the practice).

Passing Stats

No rep was taken, at least not visibly in front of us (more on that later) at full speed. Instead, the offensive plays that did involve throwing the ball were all done at walking speed. So sorry, no updated numbers for Drake Maye, Tommy DeVito and Behren Morton.

One thing on the quarterbacks from today: Morton, working with the third-string offense, nearly fumbled an exchange with Lan Larison during a play action period. The rookie kept control of the ball and rolled to his left to hit his target in the flat. In a game, or a full-speed practice, it could have turned ugly.

Where Is Christian Barmore?

The one big name that continues to pop up on the absent list is Barmore. The defensive tackle been absent a consistent amount this summer, especially in recent days. Since Aug. 7, Barmore has been absent four and limited once. He wasn't spotted at Thursday's preseason opener, and Mike Vrabel has shared that it's partially because he's played a lot of football. But clearly he's dealing with something.

After the game Thursday, Vrabel name-dropped Barmore as being part of a group that wasn't physically unable to go.

In his place, there's been a lot of Joshua Farmer, Eric Gregory and Leonard Taylor III, but the Patriots' defensive front is not at full strength without Barmore on the field. Based on how it's looking right now, it feels unlikely that he'll be an active participant in joint practices with the Eagles

Backup Options On Second-String OL

Jul 28, 2026; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots offensive lineman Jacob Rizy (64) does a drill during training camp at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Brown and Andrew Rupcich (placed on season-ending IR yesterday) were not at practice, so it was another day of their replacements getting time on the second unit. Those guys were undrafted rookie Jacob Rizy at center and Mehki Butler at left guard.

Those were the players who came in during the game, and it's trending that they'll be the top interior backups at those positions moving forward.

John Saunders Jr. Stacking Days

We didn't get to see Saunders intercept a pass like he's done three times before this summer, but he did get a boost on the safety depth chart.

The second-year player originally worked as the fifth safety to open up the spring. Now, after a solid start to his camp, has jumped past Mike Brown to get time as the third safety on the top unit. Working hand-in-hand with Dell Pettus, the Ole Miss alum has become one of the top storylines on this defense this summer.

"Mentally he's kept working, and it's been great to see him show up and get into that competition," Vrabel said Saturday.

Loud Noises!

With roughly 20 minutes to go in the practice, most of the offensive starters and scout team defenders left the practice field. Where did they go? Inside the WIN Waste Innovations Field House next door.

It was quiet for a bit, but then the defeaning sounds of Mötley Crüe, Fall Out Boy and other bands started blaring. It was so loud that reporters a field away were able to hear it, and even so, it was still loud. The goal? To work on crowd noise and silent counts, something that will come in handy in Week 1 at Seattle.

"Any time that we can work towards something that's going to help us in the future, I think it's a good opportunity to do that," offensive tackle Will Campbell said after practice.

"They Said It"

Jul 25, 2026; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots safety Craig Woodson (4) signs an autograph after training camp at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

"That was good work. It's good to compete against somebody else other than your own team. Just see a couple things on how people move and stuff like that, and how you can play it. We learned a lot from the joint practice." - safety Craig Woodson on what the Patriots learned from their joint practice with the Indianapolis Colts.

What's Next?

The Patriots will strap the pads on tomorrow morning to kickstart their week with the Philadelphia Eagles. Mike Vrabel will speak to reporters prior to the team's 17th training camp practice.

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