The New England Patriots were on the practice field behind Gillette Stadium on Tuesday, as the team continued its OTAs in Foxboro. On Tuesday, reporters got to watch the team in action.

Mike Vrabel is happy with the work his team has done so far in his first organized team activities as head coach, though there is a lot he won't be seeing from the Patriots during these sessions. The no-contact aspect of these practices makes it difficult to evaluate players at this point in the offseason, especially on the defensive side of the ball. 

But Vrabel said there is a lot he and his staff can take away from these practices, as players work to learn and install a new system on both offense and defense.

"They're wired a certain way and they want to do things that affect the quarterback and create a new line of scrimmage, and you have to pull them back to a sense. This is a passing camp. This is a non-contact camp and time of year, but I think the receivers and the DBs can certainly look to mirror, shadow, react and still go make plays on the football and try to stay up," explained Vrabel. "Maybe the running backs you can evaluate; are they picking up the right person in protection? Not necessarily sure if they're going to be able to block them, but are they getting to the right guy? Quarterbacks, operation, the urgency in which we practice are things that are important. Our tempo, the way that we finish plays, our effort and continue to build the identity. Are we taking care of the football? Are we running with it in the open field? Things like that."

What hasn't stopped is Vrabel's hands-on approach. The coach is everywhere on the field, and always having a conversation with a player or a group of players between drills. Vrabel is always teaching, using every second available to him and his team during the offseason program.

While he can't see everything he wants on the field, Vrabel did highlight several points that would make these OTA sessions a success in his mind.

"I'm going to set myself up for failure because you're going to look and read off every single one I say here. That we're in and out of the huddle, that there's clean substitution, that there's communication," said Vrabel. "You hear the defense making checks when somebody on the offense moves or motions. There's coordination, that the offense is moving with urgency and that the play clock isn't sitting at zero for four seconds. All the operational things. Then obviously, there's got to be a level of execution when we're in the speed. Then when we get to the jog through, can we practice at a tempo that's less than 100 percent and still get something out of it?"

Vrabel said the team's depth chart will remain fluid throughout the offseason, and added that competition has already started among players on the field.

"Life's a competition. Everything we do every day, we're trying to improve and we're trying to do better than the next person," said Vrabel. "But whether that's a competitiveness to know what to do, to be able to play more than one position, to go extra reps when somebody's down and take advantage of opportunities, young guys popping in there. Third group, they do a nice job, then they get elevated and get some reps with the twos, and you see how they do with those opportunities. So, I think that there's always a level of competition to what we do. It just may not be as physical as what it would be in training camp."

Here are some takeaways from Tuesday's practice in Foxboro:

Let's just remember that it's May and only the first OTA we were able to watch. But Drake Maye got off to a rough start Tuesday as he learns a new offense under Josh McDaniels. 

In 11-on-11s, the second-year QB was picked off four times in the first six plays. Maybe he's just getting all his interceptions out of the way in the offseason. 

At least he calmed down and finished strong, as Maye connected on seven of his final eight attempts. He finished 10-of-16, which included a nice deep ball to Javon Baker over Christian Gonzalez.

Don't be too alarmed by the interceptions, as Maye starts second NFL season with a new OC. But it's important to acknowledge they happened, and we'll see how Maye bounces back in future sessions.

It's easy to understand why Maye was picked off four times, given he was throwing against Christisan Gonzalez and Carlton Davis in the New England secondary. We know how great Gonzalez is, and the addition of Davis is going to be huge for this secondary given his wingspan, experience, and play-making abilities. 

Of those four picks thrown by Maye, Gonzalez came down with two of them. Second-year safety Dell Pettus and fourth-round pick Craig Woodson had the other two picks off Maye.

"Got two off him," Gonzalez told reporters after Tuesday's practice.

It was a very solid start for Gonzalez, who should be in the Defensive Player of the Year conversation throughout the season. And so far, Gonzalez loves playing for Mike Vrabel.

"A lot of new faces, but we're rolling. Love playing for Vrabel so far. Great energy," he said. "Everything you see on TV, that's exactly what you get." 

The Patriots have a crowded receivers room, but Vrabel said every team in the league has a crowded receivers room at this point. 

The offseason additions of Stefon Diggs and Mack Hollins via free agency and Kyle Williams in the draft (plus three other undrafted receivers) gives the Patriots a dozen receivers on the roster right now. That crowd might make it tough for second-year receivers Ja'Lynn Polk and Javon Baker (both of whom struggled throughout their rookie season) to earn a spot on the team, but Vrabel said everyone is starting with a clean slate. 

"I would say that the players that aren't available need to make sure that they're doing everything they can to stay up mentally and continue to work hard to get back. The young players that are coming onto this roster have to earn a role. The ones that are returning have a clean slate to go and compete, whether that's a carryover position from last year or a new position," said Vrabel. "We're very early on in the process, but we need that group to compete and have a willingness to go out there and help the quarterback through this spring process."

The Patriots rolled out what could be the team's starting offensive line in Week 1, with rookie Will Campbell locking down the left tackle spot. On the right side, it was 11-year veteran Morgan Moses at tackle.

Morgan said it was important for him to be at OTAs because of the team's youth a long the line, and it's already paying off. Campbell was consistently around Morgan throughout the afternoon, and the veteran lineman revealed that the rookie's locker is next to his. Morgan, 34, told reporters that Campbell is "a stud" and asks to get extra reps together every day. 

It certainly sounds like Moses is going to have a big hand in developing the fourth overall pick in New England. Moses also said that starting center Garrett Bradbury, 29, has been a "phenomenal" presence in the locker room, so there should be no shortage of leadership along the offensive line this season.  

It was great to see defensive tackle Christian Barmore on the field and putting in work after he missed most of last season with blood clots. Barmore told us last week he's been cleared to play and expects to be in the lineup come Week 1.

After a scary 2024, it's nice to see things are getting back to normal for the 25-year-old Barmore. 

Vrabel said there was a "long list" of players who can't fully participate in this round of OTAs, but didn't rattle off the names. Stefon Diggs is obviously a part of that group as he continues to recover from his ACL surgery from last October.

Running back Rhamondre Stevenson was not with the team, following the death of his father this offseason. Vrabel said he's been in communication with Stevenson during this difficult time.

"Obviously, our thoughts and prayers with him and his family as they heal and they grieve. I want to be a part of that to help them and get to know him," said Vrabel. 

Receiver Mack Hollins and linebacker Sidy Sow were both in street clothes for Tuesday's practice. 

This is still the voluntary portion of the offseason program, but just about the entire roster showed up, which is pretty big for the Patriots. New England's mandatory minicamp is set for June 9-11.