FOXBORO The final Patriots practice of the spring ended with offensive and defensive players huddled around NFL referees, called on by head coach Jerod Mayo to officiate practice. With the raise of an officials' arms, offensive players celebrated and defensive players were forced to do pushups. Quarterback Drake Maye had tossed a fade to fellow wide receiver Ja'Lynn Polk, a fellow rookie, who had to extend to catch the pass as he fell to the ground with undrafted rookie cornerback Mikey Victor in coverage.
The Patriots are playing with a fourth offensive coordinator in as many years. Players are encouraged by how the offense is progressing during OTAs and minicamp, and they believe they'll be able to hit the ground running when training camp begins in 2024.