FOXBORO — Maybe it was a blip.
Or a perhaps a message despatched. Or a nothing-burger served at midfield throughout a steamy Sunday observe. Or maybe it was a footnote that simply occurred to hold on the prime of the web page as a substitute of the underside.
But no matter it was, rookie quarterback Malik Cunningham taking snaps from David Andrews in the beginning of group durations was no accident.
After 20 minutes of warmups and basic drills, the Patriots broke into their first 11-on-11 interval of a shorts-and-shells observe. Cunningham, who electrified the Pats offense late within the preseason opener together with his lightning quickness and pace, dropped beneath middle to start work towards the beginning protection. Then, thunder rolled within the distance.
Bill Belichick blew his whistle, hustled the group off the sector earlier than actual lightning may strike and trotted into the protection of Gillette Stadium. Thirty minutes handed, gamers and coaches reconvened beneath sunny skies, and Cunningham took over once more.
He made a pair hand-offs, then later interrupted a Bailey Zappe-led interval contained in the crimson zone to interchange Zappe at quarterback. He scored. What does it imply?
Time, and the Patriots teaching workers, will inform. Cunningham stays listed at quarterback, a place he performed all through school and has performed an increasing number of during the last 5 days. Cunningham initially signed in New England realizing the plan was to maneuver him to vast receiver, one thing Belichick reiterated final Friday.
But have plans modified?
Elsewhere on the group’s Sunday coaching camp observe, Mac Jones was on hearth till his final cross of 11-on-11s, a beginning offensive lineman returned and the tight ends couldn’t shake third-round rookie Marte Mapu.
Here are the Herald’s full observe observations.
Attendance
Returned: OL Cole Strange
Absent: CB Jonathan Jones, RB Pierre Strong, RB/WR Ty Montgomery, OL Bill Murray, OL Kody Russey
Limited: DL Trey Flowers, OLB Ronnie Perkins
PUP: OL Mike Onwenu, S Cody Davis
Non-Football Injury: OT Calvin Anderson
Notes: Strange participated in his first observe since injuring his left leg on July 31. Jones has missed greater than every week of observe for undisclosed causes. Strong was absent for the primary time Sunday. He performed 15 offensive snaps within the preseason opener. Flowers was current, however not in uniform whereas he labored on a separate subject with Perkins and the specialists. Perkins was newly restricted.
Play of the Day
Christian Gonzalez’s end-zone INT
Mac Jones had accomplished all however three of his 17 passes in group durations earlier than he uncorked a hurried lengthy ball down the fitting numbers on the finish of his 2-minute drill. The Patriots had been given seconds left to attain, and Jones turned to JuJu Smith-Schuster to make a play.
Turns out, Jones accomplished his cross — simply to not Smith-Schuster.
After working step for step with the Pats’ No. 1 receiver on a go route, Gonzalez crossed the aim line and turned again for the ball. With Smith-Schuster falling behind him, he gracefully threw on the brakes and skied for Jones’ cross. It took all of his 6-foot-2 body to succeed in the ball, however Gonzalez picked it with each arms prolonged and landed with the Play of the Day.
Player of the Day
QB Mac Jones
He began 9-of-10 in group drills. He went an ideal 4-of-4 contained in the crimson zone, hitting Hunter Henry, DeVante Parker, Kendrick Bourne and Henry once more for touchdowns. Jones threw with timing, readability and accuracy.
Mac Jones, Jack Jones and 28 Patriots ideas 28 days from the season opener
Gonzalez’s choose could have soured his 2-minute drill, however that could not deny the very fact Jones regarded like the most effective gamers on the sector over arguably his greatest observe of the summer time.
QB Corner
Note: The passing stats beneath had been tallied throughout aggressive 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 durations solely. The stats in parentheses symbolize the quarterbacks’ camp-long efficiency.
Mac Jones: 14/18, INT (111/167, 4 INTs)
Bailey Zappe: 9/16 (92/147, 3 INTs)
Trace McSorley: N/A (45/77, 4 INTs)
Studs
LB Marte Mapu
Mapu has but to have interaction absolutely in padded practices, as he continues to get well from a torn pectoral he suffered final February. But in a shorts-and-shells session like Sunday’s, he dominated.
Mapu blanketed backup tight finish Matt Sokolo for a cross breakup contained in the crimson zone, then denied a completion to Hunter Henry three performs later. The rookie security/linebacker continues to bounce across the first, second and third-team defenses. But wherever he is been, Mapu is perpetually across the ball.
TE Mike Gesicki
Like Mac Jones, Gesicki had a blemish through the 2-minute drill. Gesicki dedicated a false begin on the primary snap. But you’d wish to assume the workers would forgive going 5 yards backwards for a participant who carried the offense 60 yards downfield earlier in observe.
Gesicki caught three passes in 11-on-11s, two lengthy seam throws and a nook route with backup security Joshuah Bledsoe in his again pocket. He additionally drilled with Jones’ group, whereas Hunter Henry ran with Bailey Zappe and Co. throughout group durations. Gesicki continues to construct momentum in camp.
Duds
CB Jack Jones
Jones allowed touchdowns on back-to-back performs contained in the crimson zone, getting beat within the again nook by DeVante Parker and Kendrick Bourne on a whip route. The second-year nook
QB Bailey Zappe
Zappe went 0-of-4 on passes contained in the crimson zone, then did not get a lot occurring his 2-minute drill. After consecutive completions to Henry in the fitting flat, Zappe had one cross damaged up and threw one other cross away round a hand-off. Anything extra harmful than a checkdown was making an attempt for the Pats’ backup QB.
Offensive notes
- Malik Cunningham break up his time between receiver throughout positional drills and quarterback in group durations. Cunningham didn’t try a cross or take almost the quantity of snaps Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe did. He additionally wore the identical white jersey non-quarterbacks put on on offense.
- Cunningham did appear to interchange third-string quarterback Trace McSorley, nevertheless, as McSorley didn’t partake in 11-on-11s.
- In non-Cunningham information, veteran offensive lineman Riley Reiff kicked inside to proper guard for the primary time in coaching camp. Reiff neighbored fourth-round rookie Sidy Sow, who blocked at proper sort out for Mac Jones in all group durations.
- The Patriots’ newly shuffled offensive line went: left sort out Trent Brown, left guard Atonio Mafi, middle David Andrews, Reiff and Sow.
- Starting left guard Cole Strange practiced for the primary time in two weeks, however didn’t take part in 11-on-11s.
- The Patriots’ offensive line that blocked for Bailey Zappe was, from left to proper: left sort out Andrew Stueber, left guard Chasen Hines, middle Jake Andrews, proper guard Micah Vanterpool and proper sort out Conor McDermott.
- McDermott returned to proper sort out, however performed on the left aspect in final week’s preseason opener. He additionally repped behind Sow for the primary time in coaching camp.
- Mac Jones opened his day in group drills with a display to Rhamondre Stevenson, corner-route reference to Mike Gesicki and two screens to rookie receiver Demario Douglas round one other Stevenson catch.
- In the subsequent 11-on-11 interval, Jones received the protection to leap with a tough depend. Jones’ command on the line of scrimmage has been robust all through coaching camp, and he seems able to weaponize his cadence and taking part in tempo way more this season.
- His subsequent 5 throws went: Gesicki down the seam, Hunter Henry in-cut completion (presumably sack), DeVante Parker display, Gesicki down the seam once more and a deep incompletion for Gesicki down the center.
- During red-zone work, Jones hit Henry alongside the again center of the top zone for a landing, Parker within the again left nook, Bourne within the left flat and related once more with Henry earlier than celebrating in the long run zone.
- His woes within the 2-minute drill began with a deep incompletion to Parker down the left sideline and a Matt Judon sack. Then, Jones fired a brief completion to JuJu Smith-Schuster, a throwaway and the choose to Gonzalez, which can have been preceded by a Josh Uche sack.
Patriots rookie Malik Cunningham nonetheless primarily working at receiver?
- In the backfield, newly signed working again C.J. Marable wore No. 37 and drilled after Stevenson, Kevin Harris and J.J. Taylor. Pierre Strong was absent for causes unknown.
- Sixth-round rookie receiver Kayshon Boutte caught one in all two targets. Backup nook Shaun Wade was accountable for the incompletion on a left-to-right crossing route.
- Top targets in group drills: Hunter Henry 4/5, Mike Gesicki 3/4, Kendrick Bourne 3/3
- Drops: None
Defensive notes
- Starting and second-string personnel throughout group durations: defensive linemen Davon Godchaux, Christian Barmore, Lawrence Guy, Deatrich Wise, Keion White, Carl Davis and Daniel Ekuale; linebackers Matt Judon, Ja’Whaun Bentley, Chris Board, Mack Wilson, Jahlani Tavai, Josh Uche, Marte Mapu and Anfernee Jennings, and defensive backs Kyle Dugger, Adrian Phillips, Jalen Mills, Jabrill Peppers, Joshuah Bledsoe, Christian Gonzalez, Myles Bryant, Jack Jones, Marcus Jones, Isaiah Bolden and Ameer Speed.
- Interceptions: Christian Gonzalez
- Pass breakups: Marte Mapu, Shaun Wade
- Would-be sacks: Matt Judon, Josh Uche, Deatrich Wise
- Christian Gonzalez and Jack Jones manned each outdoors cornerback spots in Jonathan Jones’ continued absence.
- After getting beat for 2 touchdowns throughout red-zone work, Jones went step for step with DeVante Parker on a protracted incompletion throughout a 2-minute drill.
- Safeties Kyle Dugger, Adrian Phillips and Jabrill Peppers proceed to guide in taking part in time at security, regardless of Jalen Mills’ robust efficiency within the preseason.
- Matt Judon beat rookie offensive sort out Sidy Sow for his sack, whereas Josh Uche raced by Trent Brown. Deatrich Wise received his from an inside alignment, because the Pats deployed their greatest pass-rushing teams on passing downs.
- Ja’Whaun Bentley and Jahlani Tavai needs to be the Patriots’ assumed starters at linebacker till they point out in any other case. But, Marte Mapu and Mack Wilson seem like approaching robust.
Special groups
- Kick returners: Kyle Dugger, Marcus Jones, Isaiah Bolden, Kayshon Boutte
- Kick return group: Dugger, Matthew Slater, Brenden Schooler, Chris Board, Jabrill Peppers, Josh Uche, Mack Wilson, Anfernee Jennings, Calvin Munson, Ameer Speed and Hunter Henry
- Kickoff group: Slater, Schooler, Board, Wilson, Munson, Speed, Dugger, Adrian Phillips, Christian Gonzalez, Jahlani Tavai, Nick Folk
- Marte Mapu changed Tavai throughout one rep with the beginning kickoff group.
- Backup linebacker Calvin Munson drilled with the starters forward of DaMarcus Mitchell, a core particular teamer final 12 months who performed deep into the preseason opener.
- Nick Folk made all 4 subject aim makes an attempt throughout observe. It was unclear how far his makes an attempt had been from the viewing angle afforded to the media at observe.
Extra factors
- The Patriots will observe subsequent on Monday at 12:30 p.m. All of their remaining practices this season are closed to the general public.
- The group will fly to Green Bay on Tuesday for a pair of joint practices and a preseason recreation towards the Packers.
Source: www.bostonherald.com