RICHMOND, Va. -- A daily review of the hot topics coming out of New England Patriots training camp:

Tom Brady is still very, very good. That's probably the biggest takeaway from Monday's initial joint practice with the Washington Redskins as it was clear that one quarterback was at an extremely higher level compared to everyone else on the field. Brady, wearing a protective brace over his left knee perhaps with what happened in last year's joint practice with Tampa Bay in mind, was simply stellar. Washington defenders spoke about how it was a struggle to adjust to the tempo of the Brady-led offense at times, while coach Jay Gruden said one thing that disappointed him was the stamina of his defenders 4-5 reps into a series.

Is cornerback Brandon Browner's physical play within the rules? Some Washington receivers spoke about how they felt there was significant contact and holding beyond the allowed 5-yard zone, with Gruden pointing out that it was a great experience for his team to work against such physical play because it's tough to get off the jam.

When two top players like cornerback Darrelle Revis and receiver DeSean Jackson go head-to-head, it naturally draws attention. Revis was complimentary of Jackson, saying, "I have a lot of respect for DeSean Jackson. I played against him for a number of years. He's one of the best in the league. He's fast. He's crafty. I saw him a lot today and it was a good practice." Both Revis and Jackson made some plays of note.

Bill Belichick seemed to enjoy the change-up in the schedule, reflecting in the morning on his history competing against Washington, and then spending time speaking with Joe Theismann during practice.

Big crowds came out for the joint practice, with the Redskins announcing a total of 21,047 between the morning practice with both teams and an afternoon walk-through with just Washington. Plenty of Patriots representation, and it was great to meet up with Patriots fans later in the day for an informal tweet-up.

When visiting an opposing team's training camp, some things stand out that can make one appreciate the way things are done back home. One example: Fans were charged $5 to park for the joint practice. It's free back in Foxborough.

Curious for some depth-chart detail and defensive groupings? The Patriots' official website goes in depth.