The Washington Commanders held a spirited, physical joint practice with the New England Patriots on Wednesday morning that had Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel biting kneecaps. OK, while Vrabel wasn’t necessarily biting kneecaps, he did get involved in the action when he jumped into a group of players who were fighting in an attempt to stop it. It worked, but Vrabel was left with a bloody cheek.

Here’s an image of Vrabel cleaning up after the scrum.

That’s not all that happened on Wednesday. It was a good two-hour practice for both sides, giving Washington players a chance to hit someone else since training camp began over two weeks ago.

How did the Commanders fare in the joint practice? Here are six takeaways from Wednesday’s joint practice with the Patriots.

Speaking of fighting, Washington cornerback Marshon Lattimore is fully healthy and back to being his usual, physical self. Lattimore was locked up with New England wide receiver Kayshon Boutte, and things got a little physical.

Kayshon Boutte and Marshon Lattimore had some extracurriculars. Big scrum came together with both Patritos and Commanders players. Coaches cleaned it up quickly.

— Henry McKenna (@henrycmckenna) August 6, 2025

Lattimore is known for his aggressive nature and getting under the skin of opponents. He wasn’t with Washington long last season when he began to show that side, specifically with A.J. Brown of the Philadelphia Eagles. Lattimore has a lot to prove this season. He has two years remaining on his current contract and must prove he can stay healthy and return to his previous form to get a new contract. He’s off to a great start to 2025

Does this surprise us anymore? The rookie second-round cornerback has had an outstanding training camp and took advantage of going one-on-one with Stefon Diggs. Washington’s cornerback room looks so much different in 2025 with a healthy Lattimore, Mike Sainristil and Amos. Amos didn’t hesitate after being matched up against one of the NFL’s best receivers over the last decade.

CB Trey Amos continued his strong summer with a solid showing. No one wins every play; but he did a nice job on a couple routes vs Stefon Diggs. On one, patient, jam, disrupt, overthrow on a fade to the end zone. Messed up the timing.

— John Keim (@john_keim) August 6, 2025

There’s a reason Washington GM Adam Peters wanted left tackle Laremy Tunsil. Tunsil looks like he’s toying with pass rushers, and that was the case against the Patriots. No New England defender could get around Tunsil and he was blocking them into the grounds and the stands.

We know why Jayden Daniels wanted Zach Ertz back. They say a good tight end is a quarterback’s best friend. We continue to see the evolution of this relationship. Last year, they became a dynamic duo in the second half of the season and into the playoffs, leading Ertz to say he wished he were 22 again so he could play with Daniels for his entire career. The pair picked right up where they left off. With Terry McLaurin out, Washington’s pass game goes through Ertz.

Well, of course they do. Terry McLaurin is a phenomenal player, and Washington needs him. His absence is glaring when facing another team. Some of the players receiving more playing time due to his absence are struggling to get real separation. And when they do, they aren’t hanging onto the ball. While it’s easy to say this only helps McLaurin, the Commanders still hold all the cards. These two sides need to sit down in the coming days and come to an agreement that appeases both sides. This saga is overshadowing the really positive vibes around what could be a special team.

While Laremy Tunsil dominated, rookie Josh Conerly Jr. had his moments. That’s to be expected. This is the first time Conerly has gone against someone other than his teammates since entering the NFL. He showcased his upside as a run blocker and demonstrated his athleticism while blocking on the move. The one knock on Conerly is play strength. He only played three years of college football. Conerly is only 21 years old. He was beaten a couple of times against the Patriots, specifically by veteran edge rusher Harold Landry. But he won more battles than he lost. That ends up being an impressive day for the rookie tackle.