How Patriots new offensive install is progressing early in minicamp

FOXBORO — Hunter Henry is entering his fourth season with the Patriots, and every offseason for the veteran tight end has been spent learning a new offense under a new coordinator.

Including his last season with the Chargers, he’s now working with his fifth offensive coordinator in as many seasons. So, learning a new offense, this one under new OC Alex Van Pelt, who came over from the Browns, has actually become part of Henry’s spring operation.

“It’s part of the process. This time of year is huge just being able to slow down in a way,” Henry said Monday after the first day of Patriots mandatory minicamp. “Being in the meeting room, really going over things, I think that helps the young guys, especially. It can be tough learning a new offense every year, but this one I feel like we’re able to dissect, we’re able to talk about, we’re able to slow it down. So, when we come back for training camp, at least we have a lot in and we’re able to kind of hit the ground running.”

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The Patriots ran essentially the same offense for the entirety of Tom Brady’s career from 2000 to 2019, though they did have three different coordinators in Charlie Weis, Josh McDaniels and Bill O’Brien. That was great for Brady and the Patriots’ experienced veterans who would come in every spring already knowing the offense. But sometimes that continuity and a growing, more complex playbook made it difficult for young players to acclimate.

The Patriots should be counting on plenty of new faces this season, including rookie quarterback Drake Maye, veteran QB Jacoby Brissett, rookie wide receivers Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker, veteran wide receiver K.J. Osborn, veteran running back Antonio Gibson, veteran tight end Austin Hooper and offensive linemen Chukwuma Okorafor, Caedan Wallace and Nick Leverett. Brissett has experience in Van Pelt’s offense after spending time together with the Browns, but most players on the roster are starting from square one. That should make it easier for young players to contribute early.

Running back Rhamondre Stevenson got an early start on learning the offense by turning on highlights of Browns running back Nick Chubb.

“Just seeing what they were trying to get done and how AVP wants things ran,” Stevenson said. “Everything looks well put together, and everyone is working together. So, I hope we can get that done this year.”

Henry said the Patriots have watched the Browns and other teams around the league who run similar offenses. Van Pelt said last week that he’s throwing in his own wrinkles to the system Kevin Stefanski ran in Cleveland.

“It’s similar to what I’ve done in the past. I was in charge of all of the installations in the old offense. So, we’re following some of that blueprint,” Van Pelt said. “A little more things I might have done differently that we didn’t do in the past that we’re trying to test out and see if those work. It’s been good. The guys have a good grasp of what we’re trying to get done in the system.

“We’ve installed a lot of our offense, different schemes in the run game, in the pass game, as well, third down, red zone, we’ll hit tight red zone today. We’ve gone through it now twice, so I feel like as we come back for training camp that third time, we should have a good grasp of what we’re trying to get accomplished. Guys have done a great job, as far as learning. I think the biggest thing I’ve seen is these guys taking the drill work and applying it in the team periods and having success with it. We’ll continue to grow.”

Stevenson has been leaning on Gibson to help him learn plays. Gibson, who came over from the Commanders in free agency, played in a West Coast offense in Washington under Scott Turner and Eric Bieniemy.

“In some way it’s almost the same,” Gibson said. “Different terminology. It’s moreso different terminology and trying to forget about what I’ve learned the last few years and put it into this offense. Of course, a few things are different, but that’s why we’re out here getting our reps in.”

Henry cautioned that “there’s a lot of work left” when asked if he could provide a grade for how the offense has progressed this spring. But he also said that’s how everyone across the NFL feels since OTAs and minicamp practices are unpadded. The veteran tight end also feels like the team will be able to start fast when the pads finally are strapped on for training camp this summer.

“It’s been great ever since we stepped in the building with (the coaches), in the meeting rooms, stepped on the field, it’s been great. They’re throwing a lot at us, which is good. Just trying to throw as much as they can on you so when we come back in training camp, we can hit the ground running,” Henry said. “I feel like we’re doing a good job. Every single day, there’s something new. We’re trying to apply that to the field. That’s what it’s all about every single day.”

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