Here are 5 takeaways from the final day of Patriots minicamp

The New England Patriots closed out mandatory minicamp on Wednesday with another solid day of practice.

Things got competitive towards the end as the offense came alive, and rookie quarterback Drake Maye delivered a touchdown pass to first-year wideout Ja’Lynn Polk with one second remaining on the practice clock. It was a throw and catch to the back of the end zone, which the defense argued was out of bounds.

Coach Jerod Mayo had referees overseeing the game, and after a brief discussion, the officials called the play a touchdown for the offense. It was quite a moment with the defense dropping to do push-ups as a result, while the offense celebrated.

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If that sort of competition is an indication of what training camp is going to be like, then fans better bring their popcorn in late July.

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The seven players listed as absent for Wednesday’s practice were Kendrick Bourne, Jahlani Tavai, Tyquan Thornton, Tyrone Wheatley and Sione Takitaki.

Here are five takeaways from Day 3 of minicamp:

Don't sleep on Kayshon Boutte

One of the more unexpected standouts at Wednesday’s practice was second-year receiver Kayshon Boutte. For all of the talk of security blankets for Drake Maye, Boutte emerged as the volume playmaker for the rookie quarterback.

The two linked up for three straight touchdown completions at one point.

There is no denying Boutte’s talent and potential as an offensive playmaker. It’s more about consistency and his ability to sustain those same playmaking skills he sometimes flashes on the field.

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There was a time when Boutte was believed to be one of the top receiving prospects in the country. However, his run in college was derailed by injuries, and he was never able to claim that level of prestige. That set the stage for his draft stock to fall all the way down to the sixth round and land in the awaiting arms of the Patriots.

The roster is much deeper at receiver with the additions of Ja’Lynn Polk, Javon Baker and KJ Osborn. Boutte might have to move mountains to prove he’s worthy of a roster spot.

The offensive line tinkering was no fluke

Mike Onwenu was once again working at right guard during Wednesday’s practice. So the team is seriously experimenting with multiple offensive line combinations in hopes of improving the blocking up front.

Moving Onwenu to guard would free up right tackle for Caedan Wallace, while Chuks Okorafor would take over the left-tackle responsibilities. When the offensive line has struggled during these practices, it hasn't been pretty, and those issues could get even worse once the season begins.

New England could be more comfortable with Onwenu moving back to his natural position. It would make the transition for Wallace, who played right tackle at Penn State, significantly easier.

It’s hard to get an exact feeling on where the offensive line currently stands because it’s still too early. The team hasn’t even started practicing in pads. When things get more physical in the trenches, the Patriots will have a better idea of what they’re working with on the field.

Ja'Lynn Polk is becoming a go-to target

Rookie wide receiver Ja’Lynn Polk continues to get better with each outing. That was particularly evident after he caught a touchdown pass from Maye in the back of the end zone to close out the minicamp practices on Wednesday.

There was only one second on the practice clock in the scenario, and with the game on the line, Maye looked to Polk to connect on the play of the day.

The Patriots need Polk to hit the ground running to help improve their struggling wide receivers unit. They failed to land a big-ticket free agent option in the offseason. Instead, they added three more promising faces in Polk, KJ Osborn and Javon Baker.

Surely, one of those three players will break out for the Patriots, right?

That’s the hope coming from the New England side of things. The good news so far is Polk is proving himself worthy of being a second-round draft pick.

Christian Gonzalez is picking up where he left off

Christian Gonzalez received high praise from Patriots veteran cornerback Jonathan Jones after Wednesday’s practice.

“He’s going to be one of the best players in the game,” said Jones, when talking about the second-year corner.

Gonzalez’s rookie season was cut short by injury, but what he was able to accomplish in his first four weeks in NFL action was sensational. He willingly took on the challenge and did an amazing job shadowing some of the NFL’s best receivers, including Tyreek Hill, A.J. Brown, Garrett Wilson and CeeDee Lamb.

That isn’t normal for a first-year player.

Gonzalez’s season was cut short due to a shoulder injury, but since he’s returned to the practice field, he’s picked back up where he left off. He has continued to make life difficult on the offense and everyone he’s lined up against.

When you start to consider the future faces of the franchise, guys like Gonzalez and Christian Barmore come to mind on the defensive side.

Drake Maye's composure is evident

Things didn’t start off great for Drake Maye at practice on Wednesday. The offensive line struggled, and receivers weren’t getting good separation. It all culminated into Maye throwing an interception to Patriots cornerback Azizi Hearn on a pass intended for JuJu Smith-Schuster.

It was an ugly start that could have set the tone for the entire practice.

However, Maye was never rattled, which is something every coach wants to see from a young quarterback. He stood up in the face of adversity and got the offense back on track. The unit finished on a high note with Maye linking up on a last-second touchdown pass to Polk.

Things aren’t going to be perfect playing under center for the Patriots. Their offensive line has been spotty, and there are still questions regarding their talent at receiver. The Patriots need Maye to rise above all of it on the football field.

They need a quarterback who can carry some of that pressure on his back and still give the team a fighting chance.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Competition clicks up as Patriots close out minicamp