Young QBs in spotlight as Commanders, Patriots share field in scrappy joint practice

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Drake Maye isn’t exactly measuring himself against Jayden Daniels.

But the New England Patriots quarterback is keeping tabs on what his Washington Commanders’ counterpart — and others from their draft class — are up to heading into their second NFL seasons.

Maye and Daniels were on the field together Wednesday for a joint practice between the teams in advance of their exhibition game on Friday. For Maye it was a reminder of the potential and expectations they both carry.

“I saw him out there. I congratulated him. What a year he had,” Maye said. “I think there’s always in the back of your mind the draft class you came in with, and anytime you play him, especially, it’s a little different. ... I think I’m just trying to worry about myself, but at the end of the day, keep up with those guys. Those guys are — him and Caleb (Williams) and Bo (Nix), those guys are good friends of mine, and they’re friends until we play each other.”

Friday’s game won’t count in the standings and the Commanders will be approaching it as such with Washington coach Dan Quinn announcing before practice that Daniels will not play in the exhibition.

With backup Marcus Mariota also nursing a lower leg strain, quarterbacks Josh Johnson and Sam Hartman will handle the offense for Washington.

Receiver Terry McLaurin, who is on the physically unable to perform list with an ankle injury in addition to “holding in” as contract talks continue, was among the Commanders players that didn't make the trip.

But Maye is expected to see action, with first-year Patriots coach Mike Vrabel saying that all healthy players would receive at least some playing time.

While there was no tackling allowed during Wednesday’s session, it didn’t stop tempers from flaring during a pair of scuffles.

The first featured just minor shoving between linemen. But the second, after Patriots rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson got tangled up with a Commanders defender, caused players from both sidelines to rush the field as even Vrabel jumped into the ensuing scrum.

“That’s just how the game goes. Two teams with very competitive coaches, and players are representative of their coach,” Commanders cornerback Mike Sainristil said. “We’re out there competing and they’re competing. But just being able to de-escalate situations before they get worse is very professional. Sometimes things happen. Guys start chirping. It’s the game of football.”

Maye liked the fire his teammates showed during the exchanges.

“That’s what we’re trying to build, I think, and it starts with the coach. The intensity, bringing it every day, taking no (nonsense) when we’re out there on the field,” he said. “But also, it comes to a time where, with our guys offensively, and getting over there and getting some tussles, and kind of having some penalties, and extra after the whistle can get us in trouble. But for mentality, I like it. I think that’s what you want. I mean, I almost got in there, but I think maybe another day, maybe. We’ll see.”

Between the pushing and shoving, both teams also had some highlight plays in front of a packed house of VIP onlookers that included Celtics star Jayson Tatum and rock star Jon Bon Jovi.

Maye spread the ball around for multiple TD passes during some red zone situations.

Washington’s defense also got the best of Maye late in practice when his pass to receiver DeMario Douglas was tipped by Commanders linebacker Bobby Wagner and intercepted by Sainristil.

But Maye said he was pleased with the day overall.

“Anything is positive when you’re moving the ball,” Maye said. “It looked like some football out there against a different team. Felt good to get our operations done against somebody else. We did some no-huddle that I thought went well. So it’s good for us to learn from it, watch it and kind of just build off of it.”

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New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel talks with his players at the team's NFL football training camp, Wednesday, July 30, 2025, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) takes a water break during practice at the team's NFL football training camp, Sunday, July 27, 2025, in Ashburn, Va. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, left, looks to pass at the team's NFL football training camp, Wednesday, July 30, 2025, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. forces in the Caribbean Sea have seized another sanctioned oil tanker that the Trump administration says has ties to Venezuela, part of a broader U.S. effort to take control of the South American country’s oil.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem wrote on social media that the U.S. Coast Guard had boarded the Motor Tanker Veronica early Thursday. She said the ship had previously passed through Venezuelan waters and was operating in defiance of President Donald Trump’s "established quarantine of sanctioned vessels in the Caribbean.”

U.S. Southern Command said Marines and sailors launched from the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford to take part in the operation alongside a Coast Guard tactical team, which Noem said conducted the boarding as in previous raids. The military said the ship was seized “without incident.”

Noem posted a brief video that appeared to show part of the ship’s capture. The black-and-white footage showed helicopters hovering over the deck of a merchant vessel while armed troops dropped down on the deck by rope.

The Veronica is the sixth sanctioned tanker seized by U.S. forces as part of the effort by Trump’s administration to control the production, refining and global distribution of Venezuela’s oil products and the fourth since the U.S. ouster of Venezuela President Nicolás Maduro in a surprise nighttime raid almost two weeks ago.

The Veronica last transmitted its location on Jan. 3 as being at anchor off the coast of Aruba, just north of Venezuela’s main oil terminal. According to the data it transmitted at the time, it was partially filled with crude.

The ship is currently listed as flying the flag of Guyana and is considered part of the shadow fleet that moves cargoes of oil in violation of U.S. sanctions.

According to its registration data, the ship also has been known as the Galileo, owned and managed by a company in Russia. In addition, a tanker with the same registration number previously sailed under the name Pegas and was sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department for moving cargoes of illicit Russian oil.

As with prior posts about such raids, Noem and the military framed the seizure as part of an effort to enforce the law. Noem argued that the multiple captures show that “there is no outrunning or escaping American justice.”

However, other officials in Trump's Republican administration have made clear that they see the actions as a way to generate cash as they seek to rebuild Venezuela’s battered oil industry and restore its economy.

Trump met with executives from oil companies last week to discuss his goal of investing $100 billion in Venezuela to repair and upgrade its oil production and distribution. His administration has said it expects to sell at least 30 million to 50 million barrels of sanctioned Venezuelan oil.

This story has been corrected to show the Veronica is the fourth, not the third, tanker seized by U.S. forces since Maduro's capture.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks with reporters at the White House, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks with reporters at the White House, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks with reporters at the White House, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks with reporters at the White House, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks with reporters at the White House, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks during a press conference, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks at a news conference at Harry Reid International Airport, Nov. 22, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ronda Churchill, File)