It was Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla, who stopped by to spend some time on the sidelines. Mazzulla has been a guest at previous Patriots practices under Bill Belichick and Jerod Mayo. He grew up a Patriots fan in nearby Johnston, RI and enjoys learning from other coaches.

With players in pads for the first time, wins and losses are often charted during 1-on-1 drills, but Vrabel said it’s also a time to experiment with new things on the practice field. It’s not just about winning every single rep, but taking some risks and growing as a player.

Joe Mazzulla attended the seventh practice of Patriots training camp with his son, and got an opportunity to learn from an experienced coach.