The New England Patriots finally got a chance to measure themselves against somebody else Tuesday, and their big-money offseason addition wasted little time providing a highlight.
A.J. Brown drew a marquee matchup with Sauce Gardner during one-on-one drills at the Patriots’ joint practice with the Indianapolis Colts.
Brown won one of their most notable reps in emphatic fashion, creating enough separation with his route to leave Gardner scrambling to recover.
The Patriots posted video of the rep, along with other 1-on-1s.
NESN also highlighted the matchup, noting Brown’s ability to shake one of the NFL’s premier cornerbacks during the drill.
Brown’s victory was part of a nice stretch of one-on-one work for New England.
Patriots reporter Taylor Kyles highlighted additional wins during the period, giving the offense some positive tape against unfamiliar competition.
There was another side to Tuesday’s practice, however.
New England’s pass defense had a more difficult time when the Colts had the football.
Brown Tested After Gonzalez Battles
GettyFOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – AUGUST 11: A.J. Brown #1 of the New England Patriots catches as he is defended by Sauce Gardner #1 of the Indianapolis Colts during a joint practice at Gillette Stadium on August 11, 2026 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Getty Images)
Brown spent much of the early portion of training camp competing against Christian Gonzalez, creating one of the Patriots’ most compelling daily matchups.
Gonzalez had frequently held his own in those battles. During an Aug. 6 practice, he won the majority of his matchups against Brown and broke up a pass intended for the veteran receiver in the end zone.
Gardner presented a challenge Tuesday.
Before practice, Boston Sports Journal’s Greg Bedard identified Brown-Gardner as one of the premier matchups to watch, pointing specifically to Gardner’s length compared with Gonzalez.
Gardner entered the league as the No. 4 overall pick in 2022 and earned first-team All-Pro honors in each of his first two seasons.
Brown beating him cleanly provided another encouraging snapshot for an offense that acquired the veteran receiver to give Drake Maye a true No. 1 option.
The Patriots were also working without Gonzalez. NBC Sports Boston reported that Tuesday marked his first absence of the summer after he appeared to tweak his left ankle late in Monday’s session.
That absence became more noticeable once Indianapolis’ offense went to work.
Patriots Pass Coverage Has Rougher Showing Against Colts
GettyFOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – AUGUST 11: Coleman Owen #9 of the Indianapolis Colts looks to receive a pass as he is defended by Marcus Jones #25 of the New England Patriots during a joint practice on August 11, 2026 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Getty Images)
Boston Herald reporter Andrew Callahan noted New England’s struggles in pass coverage during the joint session.
Those problems provided an important counterweight to the encouraging work from Brown and the offense.
The Colts entered practice without their full complement of receiving weapons, while starting quarterback Daniel Jones was expected to receive his primary work against New England on Tuesday rather than during Thursday’s preseason opener.
Indianapolis already had Jones atop its first unofficial depth chart entering the week.
The Athletic’s Chad Graff also offered a an observation about the lackluster defense as New England faced an opposing scheme for the first time this summer.
That’s part of the value of a joint practice in August.
Brown creating separation against Gardner offers something tangible to build on, particularly after weeks of competing with Gonzalez.
The work on the other side of the ball gives head coach Mike Vrabel and his staff something different to address before the games begin to count.
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