Progress is the message and focus as they rebuild from the rubble of last season. Mac Jones has dusted himself enough off to believe Bill O’Brien’s system can and should inspire hope, if not belief, for the 2023 season. Life will be different in Foxboro when the Patriots have the ball.

But when they don’t? When Bill Belichick’s defense prowls the field, sneering and hunting from sideline to sideline? Forget hope.

It’s time to convert already.

Early signs are the next Patriots defense will be fast, deep and multiple. Violent, vicious and deceptive. This unit forced Jones and Bailey Zappe to pump the ball and hang in the pocket repeatedly during team drills this spring, including Tuesday’s minicamp practice.

Jones tossed two picks, while thumping safeties, freak man-cover cornerbacks and pass-rushers took turns flashing all across the field. Defense dominated every 11-on-11 period to the point players began impressing themselves.

“I’ve never been a part of something so fast like that,” said safety Jabrill Peppers, who individually runs a 4.4.

It may not be until early in the regular season that Jones and Co. find similar cohesion and give reason to celebrate. But the Patriots defense, a top-3 unit last year that Bill Belichick kept almost entirely intact and bolstered with high draft picks this offseason?

Get your popcorn ready.

Here are the rest of the Herald’s observations from practice:

Attendance

Returned: OT Trent Brown

Absent: WR JuJu Smith-Schuster, OL Mike Onwenu, DL Lawrence Guy, WR Tyquan Thornton, DL Keion White, DB Quandre Mosely, WR Kayshon Boutte

Limited: S Cody Davis

Non-contact jersey: LB Marte Mapu, OL Atonio Mafi

Dress code: Helmets and shorts

Notes: Trent Brown returned to practice, but departed for a lower field after positional drills. He was closer to being a non-participant than a full one. This, of course, hurt the Patriots’ offensive tackle depth. No other player absent Monday suited up Tuesday, while second-round rookie Keion White sat out practice after a minor injury scare the day before.

Play of the Day

DeVante Parker’s back-corner touchdown

DeAndre who?

Parker staked an early claim to keeping his starting “X” receiver job with a spectacular grab over Jonathan Jones in a 7-on-7 drill early in practice. Mac Jones floated a perfect 30-yard pass into the back left corner, Parker plucked it over Jones’ head and took care of the rest. One of the best contested-catch receivers in the game showed why he has that reputation Tuesday.

Player of the Day

CB Jack Jones

Back-to-back.

Jones wins this award for a second straight practice after snatching an interception for a second straight day. As one play dragged on during 7-on-7 work, he dropped off his assigned receiver to pick a deep Mac Jones pass intended for Hunter Henry on an out-and-up route. Jones also intercepted third-string quarterback Trace McSorley when his starting defense faced the Pats’ scout-team offense in an 11-on-11 period.

QB Corner

Note: The passing stats below were tallied during competitive 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 periods only. Stats in parentheses cover all of minicamp.

Mac Jones: 23/32, 2 INTs (39/50, 2 INTs)

Notes: Here’s the good: Jones was more aggressive, and successfully so, during initial 7-on-7 periods that included the play of the day. He maintained the same command he showed Tuesday. A few problems that cropped up in 11-on-11s — like busted screens — weren’t his fault.

The bad: His other interception was a pass Marcus Jones undercut before it could reach Kendrick Bourne on an in-breaking route during a 2-minute drill. As was the case Monday, it’s unclear how fast the second-string defense should have been playing during that drill.  Overall, though, Jones performed OK around a 3-of-7 dry spell in one full-team period against the starting defense. A decent day.

Studs

S Joshuah Bledsoe

Remember him? The little-used safety recorded a team-high two pass breakups in team drills, extending himself to bat down a Trace McSorley pass to the flat and blanketing tight end Anthony Firkser to deflect another pass from Bailey Zappe. Bledsoe will need more of these performances to make the team again.

OLB Matt Judon

The Pats’ best pass-rusher flexed on new left tackle Calvin Anderson by zipping right by him for the only non-coverage sack in team drills. Judon remains a certified problem.

Duds

WR Kendrick Bourne

Despite taking virtually all of the first-team reps, and the absences of JuJu Smith-Schuster and Tyquan Thornton, Bourne failed to register a catch. Quarterbacks went 0-for-2 when targeting him, including Mac Jones’ second interception.

K Chad Ryland

Ryland slipped on his first field goal try and missed a 43-yarder at the end of practice, while incumbent Nick Folk nailed all of his kicks. It’s way too early to move Ryland off being the favorite to win the job, but the rookie surely wants that period back.

Offensive notes

• Top targets in competitive team drills: Hunter Henry 7, Devante Parker 7, Pierre Strong 7, Mike Gesicki 5, Rhamondre Stevenson 4, Anthony Firkser 4, Malik Cunningham 4
• Penalties: None
• The Patriots’ first-team offense again worked exclusively from two-tight end personnel: running back Rhamondre Stevenson, wideouts DeVante Parker and Kendrick Bourne and tight ends Hunter Henry and Mike Gesicki.
• Mac Jones enjoyed a fast start, going 5-of-6 in an opening period of 7-on-7 work. Among the completions, he hit Parker for a back-corner touchdown on the Play of the Day and Henry on a corner route over Joshuah Bledsoe.
• After Jack Jones picked his first pass in the next drill, Jones finished 4-of-5, including a 30-plus-yard slot fade throw to Gesicki with Adrian Phillips in tight coverage. Perfect throw.
• Around Jones’ 7-on-7 periods, Bailey Zappe dealt with bouts of inaccuracy. He went a combined 6-of-11 to start practice, firing behind receivers and overthrowing third-string tight end Scotty Washington on an out route.
• Zappe reined himself in, however, for a rare period of 11-on-11 work with the starters. He relied entirely on flat throws and checkdowns and went 5-of-5, though he took a sack and whipped one pass that would have led Gesicki straight into obvious trouble on a screen.
• Overall, Zappe finished 13-of-21 and was more erratic than Jones. Again, there is a clear hierarchy in the quarterbacks room, and it shows Jones at the top.
• That said, in the only 11-on-11 period that pitted Jones’ starting offense against the top defense, he went 3-of-7 with a sack and one checkdown. He suffered from a busted screen, overthrow, batted pass at the line and Henry drop.
• In the backfield, Stevenson caught all four targets and took a couple hand-offs as the coaching staff mixed in some light work. Pierre Strong was frequently up next and recorded a team-high seven catches.
• Jones’ connections with his tight ends — one fostered partly due to a lack of receiver depth — is evident and strong. So far in minicamp, he’s completed 10 of 13 passes to Henry and gone 9-of-10 throwing at Gesicki.
• Nice bounce-back day for DeVante Parker, who caught five of his seven targets. He was in the vicinity of two pass breakups on Monday and zero Tuesday.

Sacks: Judon, Team
Absent: Smith-Schuster, Onwenu, Thornton, Guy, Keion White, Boutte, Mosely, Ju. Tavai
Trent Brown returned, was not a full participant.
OT depth is troubling. Starting OTs: Calvin Anderson and Conor McDermott. Backups: Riley Reiff and rookie Sidy Sow.

— Andrew Callahan (@_AndrewCallahan) June 13, 2023

• Bourne’s performance in training camp deserves extra attention. Not only because he went catch-less Tuesday despite eating up first-team reps, but two of his five grabs in Monday’s practice — when he also took a penalty lap — came on screens.
• Not to mention, if DeAndre Hopkins signs, Bourne could be on his way out due to a logjam at receiver and his team-friendly contract on its final year.
• None of the backup receivers have flashed enough to warrant consideration as a sleeper to make the final 53-man roster — yet.
• Trent Brown’s absence in team drills left Calvin Anderson starting at left tackle and Conor McDermott at right tackle. Their backups were Riley Reiff and fourth-round rookie Sidy Sow, respectively.
• That, of course, is a major concern given Brown’s inconsistent conditioning and spotty injury history. It’s been five years since Sow, a college guard, played offensive tackle in a game.
• Inside, fourth-round rookie Jake Andrews took the first reps in Mike Onwenu’s place at right guard. Andrews rotated with practice-squad alum Bill Murray, who converted from defensive line less than a year ago.
• Interestingly, Andrews also replaced starting center David Andrews halfway through Zappe’s lone 11-on-11 period with the starters. The younger Andrews currently projects as the team’s backup center, but the Patriots invite competition at every position, even at the expense of established veterans and captains.
• From left to right, the second-team offensive line: Reiff, Chasen Hines, James Ferentz, Bill Murray and Sow. Fifth-round rookie Atonio Mafi also took reps at left guard with the second team and a few first-team reps at right guard.
• During special teams periods, the quarterbacks threw to the side with the tight ends, including Washington. He’s a former wide receiver who bulked up almost 30 pounds to play his new position and appeared in one game last season, the Christmas Eve loss to Cincinnati.

Defensive notes

• Starting personnel used during 11-on-11 periods: defensive linemen Davon Godchaux, Deatrich Wise, Christian Barmore, Carl Davis and Daniel Ekuale; linebackers Matt Judon, Ja’Whaun Bentley, Josh Uche and Jahlani Tavai and defensive backs Kyle Dugger, Adrian Phillips, Jonathan Jones, Christian Gonzalez, Jack Jones, Jalen Mills, Marcus Jones and Jabrill Peppers.
• Interceptions: Kyle Dugger, Adrian Phillips
• Pass breakups: Joshuah Bledsoe 2, Christian Barmore
• Would-be sacks: Matt Judon, Team
• Penalties: Anfernee Jennings (offsides)

• Have another day, Jack Jones. He didn’t allow a completion in man coverage, per the Herald’s charting, as he continued to rotate with Jonathan Jones and Christian Gonzalez at outside cornerback.
• Gonzalez did not stand out for reasons good or bad. Overall, the first-round rookie has been a natural fit at minicamp.
• Jonathan Jones took a few reps at safety during 7-on-7 work, a position he’s moonlighted at before. Jones most notably played back deep during the Patriots’ last Super Bowl win over the Rams as a game-plan wrinkle.
• The plan to replace Devin McCourty appears to involve all available safeties, including possibly the eldest Jones. Kyle Dugger, Jabrill Peppers, Adrian Phillips and Jalen Mills all took turns rotating into deep-half coverage and/or a single-high spot as the free safety with the first-team defense in 11-on-11 work.
• That group did not include 2021 sixth-rounder Joshuah Bledsoe, who was the most productive of all defensive backs and started the second 7-on-7 period. Great day for him.
• Up front, the defensive line rapidly recognized most screens a day after Bill O’Brien dialed up a ton of misdirection. Deatrich Wise and Christian Barmore were among those fastest on the scene against running back and receiver screens.
• Josh Uche has had an unexpectedly quiet minicamp considering his raw talent, the non-padded setting and lack of starting-caliber offensive tackles across from him.
• Third-round rookie linebacker Marte Mapu took snaps with the first, second and third-team units. He bounced between linebacker and safety, and yet again earned high praise from veterans in their post-practice press conferences.
• The Patriots’ starting unit used far more personnel groupings with two linebackers in team drills. Interestingly, Mack Wilson — their fastest linebacker who was benched for most of the second half of last season — joined Ja’Whaun Bentley on those downs.
• Bentley, again, was a staple in the middle of Belichick’s defense for every drill and starting package.

Special teams

• Punt returners: Marcus Jones, Jabrill Peppers, Myles Bryant, Demario Douglas, Ed Lee
• Kick returners: Isaiah Bolden, Ed Lee

• Starting punt team: Bryce Baringer, Joe Cardona, Matthew Slater, Chris Board, Brenden Schooler, DaMarcus Mitchell, Jonathan Jones, Ja’Whaun Bentley, Mack Wilson, Jahlani Tavai, Jabrill Peppers
• Starting kickoff team: Chad Ryland, Matthew Slater, Chris Board, Brenden Schooler, DaMarcus Mitchell, Raleigh Webb, Jonathan Jones, Kyle Dugger, Jabrill Peppers, Jalen Mills, Mack Wilson
• Nick Folk out-performed rookie Chad Ryland during end-of-practice field goal attempts. Meanwhile, rookie Bryce Baringer seemed to at worst draw veteran Corliss Waitman and crushed a few balls that reached notably higher heights than Waitman’s.
• Seventh-round rookie Isaiah Bolden continues to see top reps on kickoff returns. He was the best kick returner in college football in 2021 at Jackson State, though the staff won’t know what it has with him until training camp or perhaps the preseason.
• Matthew Slater and Jonathan Jones repped as the starting gunners on punt team. Tre Nixon and Jourdan Heilig, an undrafted rookie who hardly played any defense in college at Appalachian State, were their backups.

Extra points

• Former Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman visited practice.
• Penn State head coach James Franklin attended his second straight practice and spoke briefly to the team after they huddled at the end.

Among those players is Jabrill Peppers, a 7-year veteran who re-signed on a 2-year deal this offseason. His return fit neatly into the overarching theme of the Patriots’ offseason on defense: let’s run it back.

For Peppers, running actually feels like running again. After Tuesday’s minicamp practice, he admitted he finally feels explosive, now a year and a half removed from the ACL tear that ended his 2021 season. Last year, he played 17 games for the Patriots, while he literally found his footing, learned a new system and worked with new teammates.

Now?

Everything is familiar, down to the burst in his movements; whether he’s hunting ball carriers close to the line of scrimmage or patrolling the back end in McCourty’s old coverage grounds.

Bill Belichick sees the change, too.

“Yeah. Oh my god, yeah. He’s a much different player now than he was last year at this time or even in training camp,” Belichick said before practice. “A full year after the injury, a lot of confidence in the communication, the system, his assignments. He’s playing fast, aggressive, helping out his teammates.

“Last year he was trying to learn things, now he’s helping out his teammates, anticipating, making calls or adjustments that maybe help him or possibly help his teammate be in a better position to defend a certain play or type of play. Yeah, he’s been great. He’s way ahead of where he was last year.”

In minicamp, Peppers has been a cornerstone of the first-team defense. He’s rotated through the secondary positions with fellow veterans Kyle Dugger, Adrian Phillips and Jalen Mills. Third-round rookie Marte Mapu has also seen a few starting snaps, as a young, hard-hitting safety whose practice performance has been Peppers-esque.

Kendrick Bourne suggested he would welcome him with open arms.

Bill Belichick deflected, but at least confirmed the Patriots had interest when asked about DeAndre Hopkins on Monday.

As for Matthew Judon and DeVante Parker, though, they passed on Hopkins chatter all together.

“In the NFL, he’s a great player. He did amazing things, and wherever he lands, he lands,” Judon told reporters after Tuesday’s minicamp practice. “If it’s here, it’s here. Then we can talk about him.”

The Patriots will reportedly host Hopkins on a free-agent visit Wednesday and Thursday. The 31-year-old took his first visit to Tennessee on Monday. If signed, Hopkins would instantly become the Pats’ best receiver. He’s a three-time All-Pro who led the NFL in catches after returning from a suspension in Week 7 last season.

Hopkins’ arrival might also mean an exit for one of the Pats’ current receivers, with a top four of JuJu Smith-Schuster, DeVante Parker, Kendrick Bourne and 2022 second-round pick Tyquan Thornton already in place. Parker and Bourne are both entering contract years on team-friendly deals. Trading either of them for draft capital would offer an easy avenue to creating both cap room and a roster spot.

That might explain why Parker quickly dismissed follow-up questions about Hopkins after practice Tuesday.

“I’m just focused on us right now. Great player, but I’m focused on us,” Parker said.

Has Parker ever met Hopkins before?

“Focused on us,” he replied.

Does Parker think his offense could use some help?”

“Focused on us,” he said. “Next question. Next question.”

The Patriots are scheduled to hold their third and final minicamp practice Wednesday.

Patriots offensive tackle Trent Brown returned to the field after missing the start of mandatory minicamp Monday after his flight was cancelled due to a hail storm, per MassLive. The 6-foot-8, 380-pound tackle warmed up with the team and did positional work, but did not participate in any team drills. He was the only starter who missed Monday’s practice to return.

Wide receivers JuJu Smith-Schuster and Tyquan Thornton continue to sit out because of reported injury precautions, while defensive tackle Lawrence Guy was again absent over his contract.

Tuesday’s complete attendance report is below.

Absent: WR JuJu Smith-Schuster, OL Mike Onwenu, DL Lawrence Guy, WR Tyquan Thornton, DB Quandre Mosely, WR Kayshon Boutte, DL Justus Tavai

Limited: OT Trent Brown, S Cody Davis

Non-contact jersey: LB Marte Mapu, OL Atonio Mafi

Hopkins took his first visit to Tennessee on Monday. The 31-year-old has drawn interest across the league, but only recently started to tour team facilities. Hopkins hit free agency in late May after the Cardinals failed to trade him and his massive contract for much of the offseason and cut him.

Hopkins, a three-time All-Pro, would instantly upgrade a Patriots receiving corps that’s long operated without a true No. 1 option. After returning from a six-game suspension to start last season, Hopkins led the NFL in catches from Week 7 on and finished with the fourth-most receiving yards.  Following Monday’s minicamp practice, Patriots quarterback Mac Jones said he would “love” to add Hopkins, but said he was happy with the team’s current pass catchers.

The Pats currently have two open roster spots available and more than $15 million in cap space after releasing running back James Robinson and defensive back Tae Hayes on Monday.

Meaning the Organized Team Activities the Pats conducted over the previous month-plus featuring non-padded practices, team drills usually run at less than full speed and players mostly in attendance, but not always.

Turns out, Belichick was right in every sense — for better and worse.

Offensive tackle Trent Brown missed Monday’s practice after missing a flight, according to MassLive, while star free-agent addition JuJu Smith-Schuster remained sidelined as an injury precaution. Brown’s absence during the regular season would leave the Pats paper-thin at his position. But in a non-padded OTA — er, minicamp — practice, that doesn’t matter.

Yet.

What did matter was the timing and organization of the starting offense, which again leaned heavily on tight ends Hunter Henry and Mike Gesicki. Both veterans caught six passes across team drills conducted at various speeds. Mac Jones went 16-of-18 in the only competitive team periods, two 7-on-7 drills and one 11-on-11 period.

After practice, Jones declared the Patriots offense had made progress despite a rough finish. His confidence, he said, derived mostly from Bill O’Brien’s system; how the pieces all fit and how answers to all of Bill Belichick’s defensive problems were at his disposal. It showed.

Here are the rest of the Herald’s observations from practice:

Attendance

Absent: WR JuJu Smith-Schuster, OT Trent Brown, OL Mike Onwenu, DL Lawrence Guy, WR Tyquan Thornton, DB Quandre Mosely, WR Kayshon Boutte

Limited: S Cody Davis

Non-contact jersey: LB Marte Mapu, OL Atonio Mafi

Dress code: Helmets and shorts

Play of the Day

Scotty Washington goes skyward

You are forgiven if you do not recognize he name of the Patriots’ third-string tight end, a former wide receiver who appeared in one game last season: the sad Christmas Eve home loss to Cincinnati.

But there was nothing sad about Washington’s appearance Monday, especially his first catch. Washington flew upfield on a go route during the opening rep of a 7-on-7 drill led by third-string quarterback Trace McSorley. Spotting reserve safety Joshuah Bledsoe in Washington’s back pocket, McSorley lofted a long ball a touch outside the left seam.

It landed more than 30 yards downfield, where Washington had slowed slightly, leapt and high-pointed the ball off Bledsoe’s head. Securing his catch with two hands, he turned and spun back toward the end zone with his prize.

Player of the Day

CB Jack Jones

Jones’ two pass breakups led all defenders, and he was in the area of multiple other incompletions. Between him, Jonathan Jones and Christian Gonzalez, the Patriots may well have a good problem on their hands picking two starting outside cornerbacks from that group.

QB Corner

Note: The passing stats below were tallied during competitive 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 periods only.

Mac Jones: 16/18

Notes: A solid, but unspectacular day from Jones. He completed close to 10 checkdowns across team drills, while backups Bailey Zappe and Trace McSorley both attacked deep more frequently. Jones did deliver the best passes of the day, and played with superior command and efficiency, but there’s more meat on the bones of this new offense under his direction.

Let’s see what the next two days have in store.

Studs

TE Mike Gesicki

Most of Gesicki’s catches came at the end of short, safe routes (curls, drags, stick routes, etc.), but the timing and chemistry between him and Jones is undeniable. It’s striking how quickly they’ve developed a rapport coming off two years of the failed and pricey Jonnu Smith experiment.

WR Tre Nixon

Call him minicamp Randy Moss.

A year after looking like was on the precipice of a breakout (spoiler alert: he wasn’t), the 2021 seventh-round pick sizzled again at minicamp. Nixon caught his last five targets in team drills, including a perfect post route throw from McSorley against cornerback Shaun Wade. If the season was ever moved up to July, Nixon might make the team.

Duds

DT Carl Davis

The 320-pound nose tackle replaced Lawrence Guy in the starting lineup during team periods. His most memorable play was jumping offsides.

WR DeVante Parker

Parker and undrafted rookie Malik Cunningham tied for being the intended target on a team-worst two pass breakups. But as a college quarterback learning a new position, Cunningham gets a pass here. The nine-year veteran does not.

Offensive notes

• Top targets in team drills: Ty Montgomery 7, Mike Gesicki 6, Hunter Henry 6, Tre Nixon 6, J.J. Taylor 5
• Penalties: Kendrick Bourne (illegal formation)
• Forget any talk of a quarterback competition. Jones took all of the starting reps in team drills. He was more accurate and decisive.
• He also dumped several checkdowns, which were a function of good coverage and sometimes disguise. Backup running backs J.J. Taylor and newly minted slot receiver Ty Montgomery benefited most.
• Montgomery’s role bears watching in light of James Robinson’s release. He was the Pats’ top third-down back in last year’s season opener before suffering a season-ending shoulder surgery.
• The Patriots’ top personnel grouping in team drills was a two-tight package featuring Rhamondre Stevenson, DeVante Parker, Kendrick Bourne, Hunter Henry and Mike Gesicki.
• Their starting offensive line from left to right: Calvin Anderson, Cole Strange, David Andrews, Bill Murray/Jake Andrews and Conor McDermott.
• Right guard Mike Onwenu should return to his starting spot once he returns to health. He is not expected to participate in minicamp after undergoing ankle surgery.
• Jake Andrews also took reps at backup center, a job that should be his to lose. Fellow fourth-round rookie Sidy Sow took reps at offensive tackle.
• Bill O’Brien unleashed several creative screens in two team periods that looked purposed to work on that chapter of his playbook. Bourne, Montgomery and the running backs were the most common targets.
• Later, Bourne burst through the secondary for a touchdown scored against the blitz, a score he celebrated with Parker. On a lower note, Montgomery replaced him after Bourne committed the starting offense’s only pre-snap penalty of the day.
• Jones’ first incompletion during competitive periods was a hospital ball that led Gesicki right into Josh Uche’s zone. Uche registered the pass breakup merely by standing there as Gesicki carried his left-to-right crossing route straight into him.
• Later, Jones looked a bit careless in a closing 2-minute drill where the defense was supposed to yield completions. He joked about his two picks in the drill after practice.

Defensive notes

• Starting personnel used during 11-on-11 periods: defensive linemen Davon Godchaux, Deatrich Wise, Christian Barmore, Carl Davis and Daniel Ekuale; linebackers Matt Judon, Ja’Whaun Bentley, Josh Uche and Jahlani Tavai and defensive backs Kyle Dugger, Adrian Phillips, Jonathan Jones, Christian Gonzalez, Jack Jones, Jalen Mills, Marcus Jones and Jabrill Peppers.
• Interceptions: Kyle Dugger, Adrian Phillips
• Pass breakups: Jack Jones 2, Christian Gonzalez, Josh Uche, Deatrich Wise, Mack Wilson, Marte Mapu, Isaiah Bolden
• Would-be sacks: Matt Judon, Ja’Whaun Bentley, Christian Barmore
• Penalties: Carl Davis (offsides)
• The interceptions for Dugger and Phillips were both bad flips Mac Jones made during a closing 2-minute drill that was supposed to be defended at a slower tempo, as Jones loudly reminded the defense after Dugger’s pick.
• That said, it was a strong overall day for the secondary. Gonzalez looked like a natural running with the starting unit, Jack Jones draped himself over most of his assigned receivers. Both of them rotated with Jonathan Jones at outside corner, where Marcus Jones took a few snaps while the elder Jones bumped inside.
• Gonzalez earned his pass breakup knocking a sideline pass away from DeVante Parker during the 2-minute drill. Moments earlier, Jack Jones batted away another pass to Parker on an in-breaking route. Jones’ first pass deflection came at the expense of undrafted rookie Malik Cunningham.
• Matt Judon and Christian Barmore’s sacks were both of the coverage variety, whereas Ja’Whaun Bentley would have immediately dropped Jones on a well-timed blitz up the middle.
• Bentley was a mainstay in the middle of the defense during 11-on-11s and 7-on-7s. Like several veterans, he appears to be entering a well-timed contract year that coincides with the middle of his prime.
• Excluding the messy 2-minute drill, the defense’s best stretch came in the preceding 11-on-11 period. Bentley opened with a sack, then Barmore earned his sack after a short completion. Next, Deatrich Wise batted down a pass at the line before Mac Jones hit Parker on a curl route and Kendrick Bourne on a slant.
• The defense “spun the dial” against Jones, showing him a variety of looks in team drills and reminding everyone that while Bill O’Brien’s new playbook gets all the attention, defensive players are installing an expansive, complex system, too.
• Jalen Mills took the majority of his reps and safety, where third-round rookie Marte Mapu continues to impress. In team drills, Mapu saw most of his snaps with the second-team defense.
• Quiet days for second-round rookie Keion White and pass-rushing fiend Josh Uche.
• Fourth-year linebacker Anfernee Jennings saw some run in 7-on-7s, but didn’t start a single 11-on-11 drill.

Special teams

• Punt returners: Marcus Jones, Jabrill Peppers, Myles Bryant, Demario Douglas, Ed Lee
• Kick returners: Isaiah Bolden, Ed Lee
• Starting punt team: Corliss Waitman, Joe Cardona, Matthew Slater, Chris Board, Brenden Schooler, DaMarcus Mitchell, Jonathan Jones, Ja’Whaun Bentley, Mack Wilson, Jahlani Tavai, Ameer Speed
• Starting kickoff team: Nick Folk, Matthew Slater, Chris Board, Brenden Schooler, DaMarcus Mitchell, Kyle Dugger, Jonathan Jones, Jalen Mills, Jabrill Peppers, Mack Wilson, Ameer Speed
• Incumbent veteran kicker Nick Folk led off field goal tries, while journeyman punter Corliss Waitman took the first reps during punting periods. Light day for rookie kicker Chad Ryland and rookie punter Bryce Baringer.
• As expected, the Patriots’ new core special team group appears to be Slater, Board, Schooler and Mitchell. Though Speed, a sixth-round rookie, will surely make a push. Seventh-round rookie corner/returner Isaiah Bolden is another name to remember come training camp, pending his impact as a return man.
• Christian Gonzalez repped with the second-team kickoff unit. He also saw action as a gunner on punt coverage.

Extra points

• Former Patriots Devin McCourty and James White visited practice. They joined ex-teammates Aaron Dobson and LeGarrette Blount, who attended OTAs as part of the Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship program.
• Penn State head coach James Franklin, defensive coordinator Manny Diaz and analyst Frank Leonard attended practice and spent several minutes speaking with Belichick. Leonard is an ex-Patriots scout and longtime college coach who previously worked at Boston College. Diaz visited minicamp last year.
• Director of player personnel Matt Groh was one of several staffers watching practice from the sideline.

According to ESPN, longtime defensive tackle Lawrence Guy did not report due to what are believed to be contract-related reasons. Guy is entering his seventh season with the Patriots and 13th in the NFL. In 2021, Guy re-signed on a 4-year, $11.5 million contract packed with incentives.

He is set to earn $2 million this season in base salary and can make an extra $3.5 in incentives, per Over The Cap. Guy, 33, has no more guaranteed money left in his deal.

Over the past six seasons, he started 91 of 93 games and was voted to the franchise’s 2010s All-Decade Team. Guy was also elected a team captain and won the Ron Burton Community Service Award in 2021. Last season, he recorded 46 tackles, five QB hits and two sacks.

Asked if the team had any excused absences Monday, Pats coach Bill Belichick said the team was “working through a couple things.” Guy’s  penalty for skipping mandatory minicamp practices would be a $16,459 fine for the first practice, $32,920 in fines for the second practice and a $49,374 blow for the third practice, per ESPN.

Starting offensive tackle Trent Brown was also absent Monday. According to MassLive, Brown’s scheduled flight from his native Texas back to the northeast was cancelled due to a hail storm. The 6-foot-8, 380-pounder also missed most of the team’s recent OTA practices and meetings.

It is unknown whether Brown or Guy will report for Tuesday’s practice.

The 24-year-old was expected to serve as the primary backup to Rhamondre Stevenson. His departure leaves Stevenson as the only proven rusher on the roster. Robinson signed a 2-year, $4 million deal that protected the team in case of injury or unexpected release and now creates roughly $1 million in cap space.

Last season, Robinson slowly worked his way back from an Achilles tear he suffered in Dec. 2021. He proved far less effective than the 1,000-yard rookie rusher who broke out with the Jaguars in 2020. Midway through the 2022 season, Jacksonville traded him to the Jets, who declined to retain him as a restricted free agent this offseason.

The Pats now have Stevenson, Pierre Strong, Kevin Harris, Ty Montgomery and J.J. Taylor in their running backs room. Montgomery served as the team’s third-down back in last year’s season opener, then underwent season-ending shoulder surgery, which forced Stevenson into a full-time role. As a result, he wore down as the season progressed and led the team in catches and rushing yards.

On Monday, Montgomery primarily played receiver during minicamp practice, while Strong took the next running back reps after Stevenson in team drills.

Before practice, the Patriots re-signed undrafted rookie defensive lineman Justus Tavai. The 24-year-old originally signed in mid-May after participating in rookie minicamp, then received his release on June 2. He is the younger brother of Patriots linebacker Jahlani Tavai.

The Pats also released former practice-squad cornerback Tae Hayes, a long shot to make the 53-man roster. He did not participate in practice. The Pats closed league business Monday with two open roster spots ahead of an expected free-agent visit from DeAndre Hopkins.

DeAndre Hopkins is expected to take a free-agent visit with the Patriots, though Bill Belichick cast doubt on the timing Monday morning. If Hopkins does visit, and sign, what would Jones think?

“Yeah, I think that’s definitely a hypothetical, but I think DeAndre’s a great player. If you watch his film from college all the way through the NFL, he’s done a great job. So obviously we’d love to have him, but we do have a great group of guys,” he said Monday.

“We just know that we want to win, and I know all the guys feel the same way. But I’ve been really pleased with the playmakers that we have on our team.”

Jones was without  two of his top wide receivers at Monday’s minicamp practice, when JuJu Smith-Schuster and Tyquan Thornton both sat out with reported injuries. When healthy, the Patriots’ receiving corps is seen as average. On Monday, the offense leaned heavily on tight ends Hunter Henry and Mike Gesicki, who also repped with the first-team unit for most of OTAs.

Hopkins spent Monday in Tennessee during his first free-agent visit with the Titans. The 31-year-old wideout has previously said he wants his next team to have strong management, an elite defense and a quarterback who cares deeply about the game. The Cardinals released Hopkins in late May after failing to find a trade partner for the three-time All-Pro, who had been set to earn more than $19 million in base salary this season.

“We’re working through it, so I don’t really have anything to add to that,” Belichick said in a morning press conference.

Last week, the NFL Network reported Hopkins would visit New England. The three-time All-Pro spent Monday in Tennessee, where the Titans hosted him on his first visit since being released by the Cardinals. Arizona shopped Hopkins in the spring, but failed to find a trade partner willing to surrender assets and absorb more than $19 million in base salary.

The Cardinals cut him in late May and swallowed a $22.6 million cap hit as they start a rebuild under a new head coach and general manager.

The Patriots are expected to welcome Hopkins on Monday night, per Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer.

“I think it relates more to logistics, things like that. I’m not really a travel agent here. I’m not going to say it’s going to happen here or not going to happen,” Belichick said. “There’s a lot of stuff going on that I’m not directly involved in, so I’m not going to say anything.”

The Chiefs and Bills reportedly expressed interest in Hopkins, but were scared off his asking price and invested their spare cap room into other players. The Patriots currently hold more than $14.2 million in cap space, 14th-most in the NFL.

The Patriots’ mandatory, three-day minicamp will kick off Monday outside Gillette Stadium before a summer recess. In recent months, Bill Belichick overhauled his offensive coaching staff, bolstered his weapons and restocked his defense with a widely lauded draft class. For the first time this year, the 2023 Patriots will take the field as a complete team.

How will it all come together? Here are five things to follow in Foxboro:

1. Mac’s chemistry

So far, so good.

Mac Jones took every starting rep in Organized Team Activity (OTA) practices open to the media in prior weeks. He reportedly looked sharp and connected with several new targets, including tight end Mike Gesicki. Jones will set the tone for this offense, with his demeanor and work ethic, but most critically his performance.

If he’s playing well, that will force everyone around him to elevate their performance, including possibly JuJu Smith-Schuster who did not participate in OTAs. And that means more than usual, considering the Patriots treat their OTAs and minicamps as de facto passing camps and they lost two OTA practices due to meetings violations. If Jones continues to thrive in minicamp, despite less on-field time, hope for this new offense should only continue to grow inside and outside the building.

2. How involved are the top rookies?

Third-round rookie linebacker/safety Marte Mapu stole the show at the Patriots’ final OTA practice, recording an interception and pass breakup in team drills. Mapu also repped with the top defense, as did first-round rookie cornerback Christian Gonzalez and second-rounder Keion White. But Mapu, who will have more on his playbook plate than either of his draft classmates playing linebacker and/or safety, has more to prove.

If Mapu continues to rep with the starting unit, that’s the clearest indication the staff believes he could contribute this season. He also faces stiffer position competition than Gonzalez and White, who have clearer paths to playing time, even if it’s a smaller role in White’s case. Other rookies to watch: wide receivers Boutte and Douglas and offensive guards Sidy Sow and Atonio Mafi.

3. Devin McCourty replacement

Kyle Dugger?

Jalen Mills?

Jonathan Jones …?

The Patriots have already admitted they can’t — and won’t — replace McCourty with a single player. He was the glue in their secondary, an iron man who made pre-snap checks and coverage audibles and nary a mistake. Not to mention, McCourty served as the literal last line of defense in the Pats’ preferred single-high coverages and snatched a few interceptions every year.

The Patriots are without a traditional free safety, but several players, including Dugger, Jones and Adrian Phillips, have moonlighted at the position. McCourty has said he believes a rotation will benefit the defense as a way to disguise coverages. But how many players can be included in that rotation, who takes the first snaps, the most snaps and can handle the mental workload McCourty did for more than a decade, all remains to be seen.

This week will provide the first hints to those answers.

Patriots’ Kendrick Bourne enjoying transition to Bill O’Brien: ‘It’s something we needed’

4. Bill O'Brien's base stuff

A year ago, the signs of offensive change surfaced right away.

The Patriots opened every running drill with outside zone plays. Mac Jones looked long and threw deep in team periods. He also triggered new run-pass option plays (RPOs) that hardly threatened the Pats' top defense and every opponent they faced in the regular season.

So what will Bill O'Brien bring?

After losing two OTA practices for offseason infractions, O'Brien must pack his system installation into a tighter schedule, meaning what reporters see is what fans should get come September (at least schematically). Expect his offense to look like a modernized version offense Josh McDaniels orchestrated for years, with more dynamic RPOs, increased motion and perhaps an emphasis on multi-tight end packages considering Gesicki's performance so far this spring.

5. Overhauled special teams

A kicker competition. A new punter. A bevy of young returners and fresh faces.

The Patriots' special teams cost them a trip to the playoffs last year in their season-ending loss at Buffalo and arguably a 10-win season after their miserable failures at Minnesota on Thanksgiving. Bill Belichick acted accordingly this offseason, overhauling all four phases.

Marcus Jones should be considered the favorite to return kicks and punts again after his All-Pro rookie season, but Dugger, Jabrill Peppers and seventh-round rookie Isaiah Bolden should push him. Bolden took several reps in OTAs. Meanwhile, rookie kicker Chad Ryland will compete against veteran Nick Folk and Bryce Baringer, who bombed a 78-yard punt at the Senior Bowl, will see their first extended action.

The 2022 season was an obvious disaster, a failure for a Patriots offense led by Matt Patricia and Joe Judge. Desperate change was needed. They got it with the return of Bill O’Brien as offensive coordinator.

The early reviews from OTAs have been universally positive. Just take it from Bourne, who was at the center of the Patriots frustrations last season.

“He’s familiar with what he’s doing, so it feels good,” Bourne said. “You can tell he knows what he’s doing in all areas of the offense. …

“He’s doing well. He knows how to engage with all of us, I feel like. He knows our strengths right now and he knows where to put us, so it’s been good. … You can tell he knows what he’s doing.”

When it was noted to Bourne that what he was saying would indicate that last year was the exact opposite feeling for the Patriots’ offense under Patricia and Judge, Bourne doubled down.

“It just feels good. Change is good,” Bourne said. “It’s something we needed, I feel like, and it’s good. It feels good so far, so if that’s what it’s going to be, then it’s better so far. …

“New year, new me, new us, new everything,” Bourne continued. “That’s what we’re focused on, and that’s always the goal every year is to move forward and be better.”

Last season’s disaster was deep-rooted, and went beyond the numbers. Mac Jones regressed in his second season. The unit was predictable. It looked lost every week. There was dysfunction between the offense and the coaching staff. But that seems to be well in the past now.

It’s only June, with minicamp next week and training camp more than a month away. There is certainly plenty of work to do as the players learn the system, one Hunter Henry acknowledged is similar to the one Josh McDaniels deployed two years ago. But the first practices with O’Brien have seemingly been as smooth as possible. The unit looks functional again, with a purpose that didn’t exist last year.

“Just being fast, man. Just being consistent and not being one-dimensional, so just being very versatile in everything we do,” Bourne said. “Intermediate, long, short, just doing everything, in the backfields it’s been going well, so I think just being very consistent. …

“It feels good, feels fast,” Bourne went on. “Just excited, man. Everyone’s on the same page. You can feel the growth already, so that’s the most exciting part. I feel like we’ve been knowing exactly what we’re doing and who we are, figuring out who we are.”

Turning the page

Bourne didn’t mince words about his own personal performance last season: “Just a bad year,” the wide receiver said Friday.

After a promising first season in New England in 2021, Bourne took a step back in 2022, as did the entire offense. He seemed to fall out of favor with the coaching staff. But he didn’t make excuses. It went beyond the numbers.

Bourne was proactive in trying to improve himself. He got bigger and stronger. When asked about that Friday, he flexed for the cameras.

“Just being in shape in ways that I’ve never been before, so just taking care of my body, eating well, doing everything that I need to do, just to be prepared to play better,” Bourne said. “Talking about last year, I was very disappointed in myself in my play and everything and how the year went, so just giving myself the best opportunity to do the best I can for the team.”

Bourne said he personally didn’t give his best effort for the Patriots last season, and he’s working hard to correct that this year.

“I want to get better every year, I feel like I didn’t get better,” Bourne said. “I don’t really go off stats, I just go off how I feel and how I look, and I just wasn’t in a good place, so now I just want to avoid that. So it was a good learning process. It’s good it happened to me, and it’s always good to learn from hard times, struggling times, so that’s what I learned.”

The veteran wide receiver and the premier free agent on the market is traveling to Foxboro to visit the Patriots next week, according to a report from the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Hopkins is also reportedly visiting the Titans, and will stop with the Patriots after.

The 31-year-old Hopkins was released by the Cardinals two weeks ago after three seasons in Arizona. His availability is obviously intriguing for the Patriots, as the five-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro could serve as the elite pass-catcher and weapon that third-year quarterback Mac Jones hasn’t had in the league. Hopkins would bolster and lead a group that includes Juju Smith-Schuster, Kendrick Bourne and DeVante Parker.

Asked Friday if he would want to play with Hopkins, Bourne welcomed the idea.

“Yeah, that would be cool,” Bourne said. “Great player, so anything to help us win, I’m with.”

Bourne said Hopkins is a receiver he’s watched and he’s a big fan of him.

“Just what he’s done over his career, and just watching him when I was younger and stuff,” Bourne said. “And he’s just a great leader, so if anything was to happen, he’s a great leader. …

“I don’t really know the gist of what’s going on (with Hopkins’ visit), but yeah, he’s a great player.”

Hopkins was also coached by Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien, who was the wide receiver’s head coach with the Texans for six seasons, so a potential reunion would be fascinating. Reports suggest the two don’t have a great relationship – O’Brien and the Texans infamously traded Hopkins before the 2020 season, which was massively criticized – but Hopkins enjoyed the best seasons of his career under O’Brien.

What would Bourne’s pitch to Hopkins be?

“Come on through, man,” Bourne said. “We need any help we can get to win.”

Going into this season, though, there’s no question.

Harris is gone after signing with the rival Bills in free agency, meaning Stevenson is the unquestioned leader of the Patriots’ running back group. After a strong second season, when he tallied 1,040 rushing yards, the third-year back seems ready for the responsibility that comes with that. The 25-year-old is trying to be more of a leader in the running back room. And he wants to be counted on to produce for the Patriots on a weekly basis.

“That’s what’s being asked of me right now,” Stevenson said of his blooming leadership after the Patriots’ OTA session on Tuesday. “I’m trying to take that step. It’s still early, but I’m trying to take that step to be a leader.”

As the Patriots start their early work and preparation for the upcoming season here in June, with minicamp set for next week, Stevenson said his conditioning has been a focus.

“Just getting in shape again, just getting my wind back,” Stevenson said. “Damien’s out of here now so I’m kind of the guy, so just trying to make sure I’m ready for the end of the season.”

That’s key for Stevenson, who shouldered a heavy workload last season with 279 touches, which ranked tied for 10th in the NFL among running backs. He admitted toward the end of last season that he was feeling that load a bit. With that experience under him, he knows how to prepare for what should be potentially an even heavier season in 2023.

““I’d just say the same thing I was doing, just more consistency,” Stevenson said. “Just doing the same thing every day, just taking care of my body and just trying to be proactive. …

“It’s just a long season. You just have to mentally prepare for that long season. That’s the best thing you can do, just mentally prepare, just know that it’s a 17-game season and have to get after it.”

Stevenson is a Patriots breakout candidate in 2023. There were some changes to the coaching staff, but most of the same players are returning to the offense. He’s comfortable and ready to be a key leader for this group as it looks to take a big step from last season.

“I think just getting years under your belt in this league brings confidence,” Stevenson said. “I think I’m pretty confident, just being around almost the same guys for three years, just building that chemistry is bringing us closer and play better.”

Filling a big void

After being a fixture of the Patriots defense for 13 seasons, Devin McCourty retired this offseason. From a leadership perspective, especially for the secondary, that will be almost impossible to make up.

But Kyle Dugger, who’s entering his fourth season, is hopeful they can collectively. And it seems he’s taking some initiative as one of those lead voices.

“That’s somebody you can’t replace, and he was huge on communication,” Dugger said. “Big voice back there for us. That definitely has to pick up from everybody but definitely, knowing the defense and things, I want to make sure I communicate as much as I can to make sure it’s not a drop-off.”

Gonzalez fits in

After missing the team’s first open practice last week, Patriots top draft pick Christian Gonzalez was present on Tuesday and he earned reps with the first-team defense, as he lined up across Jonathan Jones in the first 11-on-11 period. It looks like the Patriots have big plans for the rookie cornerback they took at No. 17 overall, and his teammates came away impressed with his athleticism.

“It’s pretty effortless just the way he does everything, really,” Dugger said. “The way he moves in and out of breaks, he runs easy, he just looks very light, very fluid. So it’s very easy to see.”

New role for Mills?

Last month, Jalen Mills tweeted his intentions of making a list of the top safeties in the NFL. A cornerback the last two seasons with the Patriots, Mills seems to be in the mix to return to safety – where he played in 2020 with the Eagles – to help fill the void left by McCourty.

On Tuesday, Mills was playing in the slot with Gonzalez and Jones on the outside. It’s certainly too early to define roles, but the Patriots love Mills’ versatility and he said he’ll be ready whenever his name is called.

“Jalen’s a smart kid,” coach Bill Belichick said. “He has a lot of playing experience in different spots. He’s done a good job for us.”

Mills was briefly released by the Patriots in March before re-signing on a one-year deal. He didn’t want to share details of what happened.

“That’s all in the past,” Mills said. “I’m here, I’m happy, I’m a Patriot.”

Odds & ends

Tempers flared briefly at Tuesday’s practice, as Cole Strange and Anfernee Jennings got into it during a skirmish after a play. Christian Barmore was a late participant to the action and threw a punch at Strange before David Andrews took him away. Strange and Barmore proceeded to watch the rest of practice from the sideline. …

Belichick said Monday’s OTA session was a “big day” as the Patriots ran a significant number of plays and “got a lot done” before they tempered things down with a light session on Tuesday. …

The Patriots signed Ed Lee, a rookie wide receiver from Rhode Island, as a free agent on Monday and he participated Tuesday as part of a light wide receiver group that did not include Kendrick Bourne or Juju Smith-Schuster. “Just gives us a little more depth at the position,” Belichick said of Lee. “We had him here in rookie minicamp, have an opportunity, have a spot for him, so take a look at him in OTAs here and see how it goes.”

“It’s in the past. We’ve moved on,” Belichick said Wednesday as his team resumed their optional offseason conditioning program.

The team announced last week that a scheduled workout that was supposed to be open for reporters to attend had been canceled. Another workout originally slated for this week was also canceled.

The violation reportedly was for holding a mandatory meeting that was required to be optional.
“Had a good long weekend,” Belichick said when asked what effect the lost workout time had on the team. “The whole situation is in the past and we moved on.”

Belichick confirmed the violations occurred over three days of Phase 2 of the nine-week program in which teams are allowed to conduct workouts on the field.

The Patriots were originally allotted 13 days of workouts. They will now hold a total of 11, including next month’s mandatory three-day minicamp.

According to documents obtained by Boston Sports Journal, Judge held 20-minute “special teams workshops” prior to regular offensive and defensive meetings that led to the violation. The NFLPA filed an initial complaint on May 4 citing three instances where these workshops directed players to stay at the facility longer than the permitted four hours per day. The Patriots responded almost two weeks later, per Boston Sports Journal, and cooperated fully with the NFL, which levied its punishment this week.

The team was forced to cancel its upcoming OTA practices on Thursday and Tuesday, May 30. Pats coach Bill Belichick was also reportedly fined $50,000.

The Patriots will next practice on Wednesday, May 31. The team is now down to eight allowed OTA practices this offseason, as it continues to install a new offense under returned offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Bill O’Brien. Judge lost his title as the team’s quarterbacks coach to O’Brien in January, when O’Brien was also named offensive coordinator.

During the 2022 season, Judge’s first and only coaching quarterbacks, he repeatedly clashed with Mac Jones. Judge was also phased out of offensive meetings later in the year, per sources. Belichick re-assigned Judge to an assistant head coach/special teams coach role this spring.

The Pats will conclude their offseason with a mandatory minicamp running June 12-14.

ProFootballTalk first reported the violation involved an internal scheduling error caused by the coaching staff.

Firkser fills the roster spot vacated by linebacker Raekwon McMillan, who was placed on injured reserve. McMillan partially tore his Achilles, according to The Athletic. The 27-year-old backup will miss the entire season unless he is released and then re-signed.

McMillan played in 16 games last season, recording 35 tackles, a QB hit and one fumble recovery. He missed the 2021 season with a torn ACL, the second of his career. He leaves behind Ja’Whaun Bentley, Jahlani Tavai, Mack Wilson, Chris Board and third-round rookie Marte Mapu in the team’s linebacker room, along with fringe backups Calvin Munson, Terez Hall and Olakunle Fatukasi.

Last year, Firkser caught nine passes for 100 yards over 11 games with the Falcons. He made one start in his first and only season with Atlanta, which followed a four-year stint with the Titans. Tennessee signed Firkser as an undrafted rookie free agent in 2018, and he quickly established himself as a quality blocking tight end.

Firkser’s best receiving season topped out at 39 catches for 387 yards and a touchdown in 2020. The season prior, he caught a touchdown in the Titans’ Wild Card playoff win at New England, Tom Brady’s last game as a Patriot. He now joins Hunter Henry, Mike Gesicki, Matt Sokol, Scotty Washington and rookie Johnny Lumpkin in the Pats’ tight end room.

Firkser stands at 6-foot-2 and 246 pounds and is a Harvard alum.

It is unclear what offseason rules the team broke.

Earlier Wednesday, the Patriots announced they were cancelling practices scheduled for Thursday and Tuesday, May 30. They will next return to the field for an OTA practice on Wednesday, May 31. OTA practices are non-padded, voluntary for players and are purposed to install the team’s playbooks.

The Pats recently entered Phase Three of their offseason program, when players and coaches can conduct 10 OTA practices, per league rules. No live contact is permitted, but teams can run 7-on-7, 9-on-7 and 11-on-11 drills for the first time.

In Phase Two, which concluded last Sunday, players and coaches could work together on the field. Teams across the league held workouts and drills for individual and positional instruction over a three-week span. Offensive and defensive players could also line up across from one another and practice at a walkthrough pace.

NFL offseason programs officially kicked off in mid-April with strength and conditioning work that lasted two weeks.

The Patriots’ remaining OTA practices are scheduled for May 31, June 2, June 5, June 8 and June 9. Only the May 31 and June 6 sessions will be open to reporters.

The team’s mandatory minicamp is set for June 12-14.

Among the most notable players, wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster will wear No. 7, while new running back James Robinson dons No. 3 and tight end Mike Gesicki takes over No. 88.  The Patriots also released the temporary jersey numbers for their rookies this spring and summer.

Both lists of new jersey numbers are below.

Veteran numbers

RB James Robinson – 3

DB Jabrill Peppers – 5

WR JuJu Smith-Schuster – 7

P Corliss Waitman – 15

TE Scotty Washington – 17

QB Trace McSorley – 19

DB Tae Hayes – 37

DB – Rodney Randle – 49

LB Chris Board – 45

LB Olakunle Fatukasi – 47

OT Riley Reiff – 74

OT Calvin Anderson – 76

TE Mike Gesicki – 88

Temporary rookie numbers

CB Christian Gonzalez – 50

DL Keion White – 51

LB/S Marte Mapu – 52

C Jake Andrews – 53

OL Sidy Sow – 54

OL Atonio Mafi – 55

WR Kayshon Boutte – 58

P Bryce Baringer – 59

WR Demario Douglas – 60

CB Ameer Speed – 61

K Chad Ryland – 62

CB Isaiah Bolden – 63

QB Malik Cunningham – 64

TE Johnny Lumpkin – 65

S/ST Jourdan Heilig – 66

DL Justus Tavai – 67

McCourty is joining NBC Sports’ studio show “Football Night in America” as an analyst, the network announced Tuesday. McCourty will work alongside fellow former Patriots safety Rodney Harrison among others. During the NFL season, “Football Night in America” serves as a weekly bridge from the late-afternoon games on Sunday to the Sunday Night Football broadcast on NBC.

“I’m excited to be a rookie on the best team in America again,” McCourty said in an NBC release. “I’m very grateful for this opportunity from NBC Sports to learn from great individuals, chase new goals and provide viewers with my thoughts on the biggest games every week.”

Before he announced his retirement in March, McCourty had long been preparing for a career in sports media. Last season, McCourty spent the Sunday of his bye week as a guest analyst on the CBS pregame show “The NFL Today.” He has also been a frequent guest on Boston TV and radio shows for years.

In 2018, McCourty started his own podcast, “Double Coverage,” with his twin brother, Jason, a former NFL player and now a host on the NFL Network’s “Good Morning Football.”

The 13-year veteran won three Super Bowls in New England and became a two-time Pro Bowler. McCourty was voted a team captain every season from 2011-2022. He originally joined the organization as a first-round pick out of Rutgers in 2010.

“It’s rare when you have the opportunity to add a three-time Super Bowl-winner to your team, and we’re excited to welcome Devin McCourty to Football Night following an incredible NFL career,” Sam Flood, NBC Sports’ executive producer and president of production, said in a statement. “Devin is a leader in every sense of the word, both on and off the field, and his dynamic personality and passion for the game will be a great addition to the show.”

Unless they don’t.

Among other rules passed by league owners Monday afternoon, the NFL can now flex Thursday Night Football games out in Weeks 13-17. The Patriots and Steelers are scheduled to play in Week 14 at 8:15 p.m. and could now be pushed back to a Sunday afternoon kickoff. If the game is flexed out, both teams will receive at least 28 days’ notice.

The NFL can flex a maximum of two games during this late-season window, per a league memo.  No NFL team can be flexed into Thursday night more than once or play more than two games on Thursday Night Football. The new Thursday Night Football schedule rules will take effect for the 2023 season on a “trial basis,” unless zero games are flexed and then they will carry over into 2024.

The Patriots are scheduled to play in four primetime games this season, including a Week 2 Sunday Night Football matchup with Miami, Monday Night Football game versus Kansas City in Week 15 and a Sunday night game at Denver on Christmas Eve in Week 16.

According to reports, the Patriots were one of 24 teams to vote in favor of the amendment, which required 24 votes to pass.

Tavai, who played at San Diego State last season, recently participated in the Patriots’ rookie minicamp on a tryout basis. The 24-year-old is the younger brother of Pats linebacker Jahlani Tavai. He stands at 6-foot-3 and 290 pounds and fills the roster spot vacated by offensive tackle Yodny Cajuste, who was released Thursday.

Tavai posted 3.5 sacks and 38 tackles last season. He spent the previous four years at Hawaii, where he recorded 72 tackles and four sacks. Tavai started his career at El Camino College in 2017.

He joins Davon Godchaux, Deatrich Wise, Christian Barmore, Lawrence Guy, Daniel Ekuale, Carl Davis and Sam Roberts on the defensive line depth chart.

The Pats tendered Cajuste as a restricted free agent this offseason, keeping him on a 1-year, $2.743 million deal with no guaranteed money. The 27-year-old was a longshot to make the roster this summer after four injury-plagued years in New England. Cajuste started three of 10 game appearances last season, but was replaced down the stretch after the Pats signed veteran Conor McDermott off the Jets’ practice squad.

Without Cajuste, the Patriots are down to Trent Brown, Riley Reiff, Calvin Anderson, 2022 seventh-round pick Andrew Stueber and McDermott at offensive tackle. Cajuste originally joined the team as a third-round pick in 2019, but did not appear in a single game over his first two seasons due to injury.

Even though they haven’t donned pads yet, Reiff and Anderson have separately declared they already know one thing: they love playing for new Patriots offensive line coach Adrian Klemm.

“I love AK so far,” Anderson said Thursday. “You can tell he played. You can tell he understands the positions we’re put in on the field. I always have an appreciation for guys who understand, first-hand, what it’s like to be playing.”

Klemm rejoined the Patriots in January after one year as the associate head coach and offensive line coach at the University of Oregon. He previously coached three seasons with the Steelers and spent the first 10-plus years of his coaching career in the college ranks. As a player, Klemm became the first Patriots draft pick of the Bill Belichick era in 2000.

Nowadays, Klemm is working to rebuild one of the worst offensive lines in the NFL from a year ago. Anderson and Reiff, both free-agent signings, should help.

The Patriots signed Anderson to a 2-year, $7 million contract, pulling him away from Denver where he started 12 games over the last three years as a backup. Anderson played mostly on the left side, but has experience at right tackle and said he’s honing his skills at both positions this offseason.

As for Reiff, the 34-year-old is on his fifth team, and indicated Klemm has already earned his respect this early in the process.

“It’s been great,” said Reiff. “Right now, we’re in the offseason workouts learning the playbook, learning the techniques that he wants. He’s been an awesome coach, teacher — and we’re just trying to build every day.”

Callender spent four years at Princeton, where she worked with NFL scouts as a liaison. According to the school, she was also involved in team travel, communication, player engagement and alumni relations. Callender follows director of scouting administration Nancy Meier, the team’s longest-tenured employee who joined the Patriots in 1975, as the only other woman in the team’s scouting department.

Callender also has NFL experience. In 2020, she was one of 40 women to participate in the league’s Women’s Careers in Football Forum. The Forum educates women working in college football and connects them with owners, general managers and head coaches. A year later, Callender had a three-month internship with the Eagles.

In 2022, she attended the Phil Savage Scout School founded by Jets senior football advisor Phil Savage. That led to a month working with the Buccaneers on a scouting fellowship in August, where, according to her LinkedIn page, she assisted personnel staff during training camp. Callender also “evaluated positional groups and presented scouting reports,” and “learned how to watch film and identify strengths and weakness of each position.”

In 2016, Callender graduated from Utica College, where she worked as a manager for the football team.

The only other female employees listed in the Patriots’ football operations directory last season were software engineer Emily Capprini and assistant dietician Samantha Couture. Capprini joined the team last year, and Couture was hired in 2021.

Inside the League’s Neil Stratton first reported Callender’s hiring.

Kapp was also a Boston Patriot! (Pardon us AP, but we had to edit in this gem).

According to NFL.com: “A rare free agent in 1970, Kapp signed with the Boston Patriots two weeks into the season, leading the AFC team to a league-worst 2-12 record. After the Pats drafted Jim Plunkett No. 1 overall in the 1971 draft and amid a contract squabble, Kapp left the Pats after one year and never played in professional football again.”

Cal confirmed that Kapp died. He had suffered from Alzheimer’s disease for the last 15 years and was residing in an assisted living facility, his son J.J. Kapp said.

FROM THE ARCHIVES:

HERALD TRAVELER, November 8, 1970

HERALD TRAVELER, November 2, 1970

HERALD TRAVELER, August 1971

The family made plans to send his brain to UC San Francisco researchers for study of the potential connection between his dementia and hits he took to the head with his punishing playing style.

After a stellar collegiate career at Cal that was capped by an appearance in the 1959 Rose Bowl, Kapp went on to star in Canada before making it to the NFL. He took over for Fran Tarkenton in Minnesota and led the Vikings to a Super Bowl appearance in the 1969 season before losing to Kansas City.

Kapp is the only quarterback to lead his team to a Rose Bowl, Grey Cup and Super Bowl. He still holds a share of the NFL single-game record with seven touchdown passes, in a 1969 win over Baltimore.

“It was kind of like having your own superhero living in your house,” J.J. Kapp said in a phone interview with The Associated Press.

Known as a fighter on the field, Kapp was the subject of a Sports Illustrated cover story that dubbed him “The Toughest Chicano.” That was the title of Kapp’s autobiography published in 2019 and co-authored by J.J. Kapp and two other friends.

Kapp, whose mother was Mexican American, was a fierce advocate for the Latino community who worked with activist Cesar Chavez for farmworker rights. He also dabbled in acting, with credits that include a role in the 1974 film “The Longest Yard” about a prison football team.

He was a trail blazer as one of the first Mexican-American stars in pro football and remains with Jim Plunkett one of only two Mexican Americans to start at quarterback in a Super Bowl.

Kapp also later coached his alma mater for five seasons and was on the sideline for one of the most memorable plays in school history when the Golden Bears returned a kickoff with five laterals to beat rival Stanford on the final play in 1982, scoring the touchdown with the Cardinal band on the field.

When he was hired to coach at Cal before the 1982 season, he vowed not to drink his favorite alcoholic beverage tequila until the Bears made another appearance in the storied bowl game. They never made it back in his lifetime. Kapp had a 20-34-1 record in five years at Cal, his final game being the biggest upset in the history of the rivalry with Stanford when the Golden Bears won as 21-point underdogs.

“Playing for and coaching at Cal meant the world to him,” J.J. Kapp said.

His grandson, Frank Kapp, also was a member of the Golden Bears last decade. Kapp was cognizant of the toll the sport took on his body and mind, but nonetheless he was proud of his career.

“He used to tell people to put your son in piano lessons and not let them play football, but he let me play and he let my brother play,” J.J Kapp said, adding: “He never regretted playing football.”

Kapp spent his first eight seasons in the CFL with Calgary and the BC Lions. He took the Stampeders to the playoffs in his second season and led the Lions to back-to-back Grey Cup appearances, winning it all in his second try in 1964.

“Along with helping put the Lions on the map after some lean early years, Joe also served as a trailblazer for quarterbacks making a name for themselves on both sides of the border,” the BC Lions said in a statement.

He then went to the NFL in 1967 as part of a complicated trade between teams in different leagues and replaced Tarkenton, who had been traded by Minnesota to the New York Giants.

Kapp helped the Vikings make the playoffs before losing to Baltimore in 1968 and then threw 19 TD passes and led Minnesota to a 12-2 record the following year when he finished second in MVP voting.

He ran and threw a TD pass against Cleveland to lead Minnesota to a 27-7 victory in the 1969 NFL title game. The Vikings then lost the last Super Bowl before the merger to Kansas City. Always a team-first player, Kapp was voted Most Valuable Player by the Vikings that season but refused to accept it on his stance that all 40 players on the roster were equally valuable. He coined the mantra “40 for 60,” referencing every player giving his best for all 60 minutes of the game.

“Men like Joe Kapp are the cornerstones the Minnesota Vikings franchise was built upon,” Vikings owner Mark Wilf said. “Joe’s toughness and competitive spirit defined the Vikings teams of his era, and his tenacity and leadership were respected by teammates and opponents alike.”

Kapp left as a free agent the following season and played briefly for the Patriots in 1970. He refused to sign with the team after New England drafted Jim Plunkett first overall in 1971 and never played again. He filed an antitrust suit against the league that he eventually lost, but it helped pave the way for the free agency system that eventually took hold.

Kapp was born in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and moved around California as a child before becoming a four-sport athlete at Hart High School in Newhall and becoming the first person in his family to attend and graduate from college. Kapp helped lead Cal to the Pacific Coast Conference title in 1958 and the accompanying trip to the Rose Bowl, where the Bears lost to Iowa. He also played basketball at Cal.

Kapp was survived by his second wife, Jennifer Kapp; four children and six grandchildren. His first wife, Marcia Kapp, died in 2005.

Athletic, fast, competitive and confident. In several games last season, Jones happily accepted the assignment of covering an opposing No. 1 receiver.

So what did he make of the Patriots taking a corner with their first pick in the draft, effectively acknowledging they needed help at the position? Jones, it turns out, was happy.

“We needed it,” he told reporters Tuesday/ “We need help. We need all the help that we can get. We’ve had a lot of transition at that position over the last few years.”

The 29-year-old is now the elder statesman of the Pats’ secondary, as the longest-tenured defensive back on the roster. He flipped to outside corner last season after spending the first six years of his career as a nickelback. Jones has also moonlighted at safety.

Largely, he succeeded as the Patriots’ new No. 1 corner last year, though his matchups with elite wideouts down the stretch, including two with Buffalo’s Stefon Diggs and another with Vikings star Justin Jefferson, were decisive losses.

Enter Christian Gonzalez.

The 6-foot-2, 199-pounder rookie is an athletic marvel, who thrived played man and zone in college. Gonzalez, 20, was considered a top-10 pick entering the draft, but fell to 17th overall where the Patriots scooped him up. He recently started participating in the team’s rookie minicamp along with the other first-year players on the roster.

Jones gave Gonzalez, and late-round rookie corners Ameer Speed and Isaiah Bolden, high marks for the first impressions they’ve made inside the team facility.

“In the meetings, they’re trying to answer questions. They’re participating, and that’s a start,” Jones said. “All the guys have been in there. We’ve met them all. They’ve all just bought in — answering questions, asking questions and just trying to learn.”

As for what position Jones will play, considering his versatility, Devin McCourty’s departure at free safety and the potential for Gonzalez and second-year corner Jack Jones to start outside, he stayed mum on the topic.

“My answer to that is I get to play football,” he said with a laugh. “Any time I get to go out there in between those lines, I love it. So I’m not really particularly worried about where I play, where I end up. I just like to be out there with my teammates.”

Entering his 12th NFL season, Reiff turned to New England for a surprising reason: a ring.

The 34-year-old veteran said Tuesday a championship is what keeps him motivated at this late stage of his career. Two years ago, Reiff came close to a title with the Bengals after an ankle injury sidelined him for the end of Cincinnati’s Super Bowl run. But instead of joining his teammates on the sideline for an eventual 23-20 loss to the Rams in Super Bowl LVI, he was stuck in the stands.

“I was there – up in the press box,” he told reporters. “Not a nice press box, either.”

That year, Reiff started 12 games at right tackle — a position he may soon play with the Patriots. Prior to playing in Cincinnati, he was the Vikings’ left tackle from 2017-2020. That stint followed a five-year run with the Lions, when he played both tackle positions after Detroit selected him in the first round of the 2012 draft.

Last season, Reiff started 10 games for the Bears as an injury replacement at right tackle.

Reiff’s transition to New England has been helped by a few familiar faces, including backup offensive lineman James Ferentz. The two were college roommates at Iowa, and have remained close. While Ferentz’s future with the Patriots is in doubt after the front office drafted three interior offensive linemen last month, Reiff’s contract should guarantee at least a swing tackle job for him this season.

The Pats inked Reiff to a 1-year, $5 million contract with $4.15 million guaranteed. They also signed former Broncos offensive tackle Calvin Anderson to a 2-year, $7 million. Between those two and incumbent left tackle Trent Brown, the Patriots are hoping to have two starters ready for Week 1.

As for Reiff, his focus remains on the day-to-day; the meetings, workouts and on-field drills that comprise the team’s ongoing offseason program.

“Right now, I’m just worried about learning the playbook and stuff,” he said. “I just want to keep playing. Simple as that.”

If the Patriots fulfill Reiff’s dreams of winning the Super Bowl, they’ll do so as a long shot. Vegas oddsmakers currently project them to finish fourth in the AFC East and give them the 12th or 13th-best odds of winning the Lombardi Trophy, depending on the sportsbook.

Kickoff is set for 8:15 p.m. in Nashville.

The Patriots and Titans have discussed holding joint practices prior to their shared preseason finale, sources confirmed to the Herald. Those practices would likely take place Monday through Wednesday of that week. The Pats practiced with the Titans before their last preseason game in Tennessee during the summer of 2019.

The Patriots will open the preseason with a home exhibition against the Texans on Aug. 10. The following week, they’ll travel to Green Bay, where they will reportedly hold joint practices.

The Pats will play their regular-season opener more than two weeks after their preseason finale. Kickoff at Gillette Stadium is set for 4:25 p.m. against the reigning NFC champion Eagles on Sept. 10.

ESPN first reported the potential for Patriots-Titans joint practices this summer.

Standing a few feet in front of him, looking at the sparkle in his eyes, I was equal parts amused, awed, and perplexed. Was he really asking me to throw a few jabs?

You bet he was. And if a boxing legend asks you to shadow-box with him during the course of an interview, there shouldn’t be any hesitation. Just dive right in.

And I did so with absolute pleasure.

This was one of the countless pinch-yourself type of assignments the Herald sent me on during my 38-year run with the paper. Ali, who was in town in November 1994 to receive the Courage of Conscience Award at the Peace Abbey in Sherborn, also made an appearance at a local college during his stay.

That’s where I found him, along with his unusual greeting.

I guess this was the champ’s way of playfully testing me before we chatted. While it still seems surreal many years later, Ali and I actually traded shadow punches for a bit. He won by TKO, since I was completely stunned this was even happening.

At that stage of his life, Ali had Parkinson’s, but was still able to communicate verbally. Mostly, though, he spoke with his eyes, as well as his hands.

During my career at the Herald, that was one of my favorite, most treasured moments.

And as my run comes to an end — I’ve accepted a job to be a sports columnist and supervising reporter with MassLive — it’s hard not to reflect, and share some of the stories behind the stories as it were.

My adventure with Ali was certainly one of the more sublime experiences. So was the time I taught Jose Canseco to play golf.

The former Sox slugger was itching to learn, and after hearing about my exploits on the golf course, asked if I’d teach him.

I thought he was joking. Turns out he wasn’t. Bob Sales, the Herald sports editor at the time, loved the idea. He loved it so much, he wanted me to write a Page 1 story about it. I never thought Jose would agree to that in a million years. Much to my surprise, he did.

So I arranged to pick him up at Fenway during the first off-day on the opening homestand and drive him to the golf course. Sales, meanwhile, wanted to make sure I drove Canseco in style. Apparently, my Honda Accord didn’t make the cut. The boss insisted on an upgrade.

Well, he upgraded, all right. Sales rented me a Jaguar for the day. It was gold-colored. Guess a sexy, hot car seemed fitting for baseball’s bad boy. And wouldn’t you know, the Jaguar impressed Canseco. Too bad Jose didn’t look as good swinging a golf club, as he did swinging a bat. Most of his drives landed two fairways over, in either direction.

But he’s not alone when it comes to blunders. I’ve certainly had my share. My most embarrassing moment as a Herald writer?

Getting stuck in Dennis Eckersley’s driveway during a December blizzard.

I was sent to do an at-home interview with Eck not long after he returned to the Red Sox to finish out his career in 1998. It was supposed to be the Herald’s Christmas Day cover story. As it turned out, the only day the Hall of Fame closer was available was a few days before the 25th. So blizzard or not, I had to make it to Sudbury.

I got there safely. But as I was turning into his driveway, I couldn’t stick the landing. The car wound up half in the road, half in his driveway, completely lodged in the snow. Talk about a pickle.

Eventually, I got out of the car, and sheepishly made my way to the front door, rang the bell, and asked Eck for help.

Only, he couldn’t help. Or rather, I wouldn’t let him. Just imagine the headlines if he damaged his arm, or slipped and hurt something pushing my car.

Eckersley still came out to assess the situation, and decided it would be best for him to drive, and for the women – myself, his wife, and one of his daughters – to push.

I have to admit, in between the awkwardness, it turned out to be a great story in the end.

And since we’re on the subject of being embarrassed, it’s hard not to mention what happened during an exclusive interview I had with Manny Ramirez in 2001, his first season with the Sox.

The session was pre-arranged, and he met me outside the clubhouse a few hours before the game. When I got there, he asked me where I wanted to do the interview. I said anywhere that’s private with just the two of us.

He told me to follow him. So I did, much to my chagrin.

After climbing the steps out of the dugout, we walked, and kept walking. Past first base. Past the infield. We ended up in center field, out by the warning track. He just led me out there, oblivious to the cameras recording our every move. This was Manny’s idea of a private location. Just the two of us hanging out by the Green Monster not long before the first pitch.

“Is this OK?” he asked, grinning at my discomfort.

It could have been worse. I was actually relieved he didn’t take me into the room inside the wall where he’d occasionally disappear during games. But for a time, Manny had me completely disarmed, and fearful of security coming out and hauling me away.

More tales from school?

How about being sent to cover the Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy, but needing to buy a scalper’s ticket to get into the women’s ice skating finale? That was fun, but mostly nerve-wracking.

While I didn’t have any trouble getting into any of the other events, this was always considered the primo event, and most-watched. Every outlet wanted to cover it, forcing the powers handling credentials to pick and choose who got in, and who didn’t.

The Herald was one of the outlets that drew the short straw, since we didn’t cover any of the lead-up events prior to the Olympics. Let’s just say the paper didn’t send me all that way to watch Michelle Kwan’s bid for gold on Italian TV.

Next thing I know, with the Herald’s permission, and a price limit attached, I was spying the streets near the venue hoping to find a scalper. Both myself, and a freelance photographer employed by the paper, prayed we could make an exchange. The photographer eventually delivered a scalper, and I bankrolled the transaction.

We met the guy at a cafe not far from the skating arena to make the deal. We walked in and settled into a booth. He sat directly across from me. I was incredibly nervous, sweating as if I’d just run a marathon. My eyes darted all over the cafe, looking for any sign of the Polizia, which is what the police were called over there.

Soon, the scalper handed over an envelope with the tickets. I had the photographer check and make sure they were legitimate, with the right date and venue, before I made the next move.

Then, as I was about to hand over the wad of cash in my pocket, the scalper stopped me short, and scolded me in a thick, Italian accent.

“Under the table, you idiot!”

Oops!

Hey, I was new at this. I hadn’t yet read the “Dealing with Scalpers for Dummies” book to know what to do.

Just chalk it up to one of many lessons learned along the way. Needless to say, I’ve had the best time at my job. Hopefully, that’s come across in my work.

I have to admit, a part of me wanted to be like Devin McCourty and Patrice Bergeron, playing for just one team. I really thought I was going to be a one-newspaper girl. Instead, as the fates would have it, I’m moving on.

But I’m leaving with a wealth of knowledge and experience to lean on.

Much like sports teams developing their young players, I went through a development process at the Herald nearly four decades ago. I started on the high school staff and gradually worked my way up, doing college games before hitting the pros. And I wouldn’t trade that development period for anything.

Along the way, I’ve covered every Super Bowl appearance by the Patriots. I’ve chronicled the exploits of Tom Brady from cover to cover. Same with Bill Belichick. That would seem like a great career right there, but there’s been so much more.

I was in New York for the Red Sox’ improbable comeback down 0-3 in the ALCS in 2004, and in St. Louis when the Red Sox broke the curse, winning their first World Series since 1918.

I stood in the press box at Busch Stadium as Sox closer Keith Foulke fielded Edgar Renteria’s one-hop grounder, and flipped to first for the final out, ending so many years of misery and frustration in New England and beyond.

I choked back tears watching the celebration below me, before heading to the clubhouse. I could almost feel my late father’s presence. He was a frustrated, yet faithful Sox follower through all the years of futility. He was also largely responsible for my love of sports, taking me to so many games at Fenway when I was kid. I could sense him smiling from high above.

Of course, I was also in New York at Shea Stadium when the ball rolled through Bill Buckner’s legs in 1986 during that World Series with the Mets. And, I was in Glendale, Arizona when David Tyree made the helmet catch and the Giants spoiled a perfect season for the Patriots in 2007.

The Buckner gaffe and Tyree miracle were incredible stories from a journalistic perspective. They were sportswriter’s gold.

There was a lot of that going around during my time at the Herald. Throw in a few Stanley Cup finals with the Bruins, a few NBA Finals with the Celtics, a half-dozen Masters shadowing Tiger Woods, a bunch of U.S. Open tennis tournaments and two Olympics, and I pretty much ran the gamut.

I really couldn’t have dropped into the Boston sports scene during a better time. And I’m grateful the Herald gave me a chance.

Having worked for an army of sports editors, I’d like to recognize and thank all of them. Starting with Tom Gibbons, who literally hired me the minute I graduated from Northeastern, then Peter Drumsta, Bob Sales, Mark Torpey, Hank Hryniewicz, Mark Murphy, Sean Leahy, Justin Pelletier and Bruce Castleberry, they’ve all impacted me in different ways. They’ve all had a hand in shaping my career.

Before I close, I’d also like to mention another important chapter, and how my colleagues came to my rescue when I was ill. In 1989, I was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma, which is a cancer that affects the immune system.

Two years later, I underwent a stem cell transplant in Omaha, Nebraska, hoping for a cure. During that time, I was overwhelmed by all the support I received from the paper, and from my colleagues in particular. Many of them donated vacation days to me so I wouldn’t feel the need to rush back to work. Mike Shalin, who has since passed away, also graciously lent frequent flyer miles for friends and family members to come out and visit me in Omaha during my extended stay out there.

That generosity has certainly left a mark. So in many ways, the Herald has been like a second family to me. It’s not easy for me to leave. For nearly four decades, I’ve been indelibly linked to the paper. But it’s time. I’m ready for a new chapter, a new challenge, and plenty of new stories to continue to inspire me.

At MassLive, I’ll still be writing about the Patriots primarily, but not limited to just that. I’ll also be supervising and mentoring some of the staff’s young reporters, something I really enjoy doing.

I remember when I first started out at the Herald, there were so many who helped me, and took the time to offer guidance. Columnists Joe Fitzgerald and Tim Horgan were a treasure. So were Steve Harris, Joe Gordon, Joe Guiliotti, Mike Carey, John Connolly and David Cataneo.

The band might not be as big as it once was, but it still fights and scrapes every day to provide the best coverage.

To borrow a phrase from Bill Belichick, Herald writers don’t take days off. And while I’m leaving, readers are still in very good hands with my amazing colleagues Andrew Callahan, Steve Hewitt, Steve Conroy, Rich Thompson, Gabrielle Starr, Mac Cerullo, and Danny Ventura leading the charge.

I feel incredibly blessed to have worked for the Herald for so many years. I continue to feel fortunate that so many readers have picked up the paper to check out my work, or read it on-line. And I hope you’ll follow my journey going forward.

The Herald saw something in me all those years ago, nurtured it, promoted it, and allowed me to thrive in a business where most voices don’t belong to women.

I leave as a much better writer, and much better reporter than when I started.

Thank you for an unforgettable ride.