FOXBORO — There he was. The receiver that was promised.
Not the sought-after No. 1 possibility, a magnet for defensive consideration or landing machine. The established fan favourite. The regular, dependable, affable, humorous even, starter whose offseason work has been hailed for months with little to indicate for it in coaching camp.
That is, till Monday.
Patriots receiver Kendrick Bourne scored and celebrated his approach by follow, his better of the summer time. Bourne snared a 1-handed landing go from Mac Jones in a single staff interval and beat Jack Jones for a catch throughout one other, whereas inhaling each goal. The timing couldn’t have been higher.
Tight finish Mike Gesicki went down with an upper-body harm throughout a 1-on-1 tackling drill early in follow and didn’t return. Gesicki hunched over and favored his proper facet as he walked off the sphere with members of the medical employees, indicating a attainable proper shoulder, arm or collarbone harm.
The harm bug additionally nipped exterior linebacker Anfernee Jennings, who obtained consideration after mendacity flat on his again for near 30 seconds late in Bailey Zappe’s two-minute drill. But Jennings walked off the sphere towards the sideline, seemingly OK.
Elsewhere, Malik Cunningham took extra reps at quarterback, JuJu Smith-Schuster was good, a backup nook made the defensive play of the day and Mac Jones’ offensive line featured two rookies.
Here are the Herald’s full follow observations.
Attendance
Absent: CB Jonathan Jones, RB Pierre Strong, RB/WR Ty Montgomery, OL Bill Murray, OL Kody Russey, DL Trey Flowers
Limited: DL Carl Davis, LB/S Marte Mapu
PUP: OL Mike Onwenu, S Cody Davis
Non-Football Injury: OT Calvin Anderson
Notes: Strange, who was restricted for Sunday’s non-padded follow, didn’t take part Monday. He and Russey joined follow late in uniform, however watched from the sideline. Strong has been out for 2 straight days. Flowers once more conditioned on a separate subject. Davis, who left final week’s preseason opener with a leg harm, didn’t take part in staff drills. Anderson continues to seem at practices in avenue garments, however stays a non-participant.
Play of the Day
Kendrick Bourne’s 1-handed seize
Mac Jones had simply overthrown Rhamondre Stevenson by half a rustic mile on the earlier play, a fade to the again nook of the top zone throughout 11-on-11s. His subsequent go appeared destined to do the identical
Not so. Kendrick Bourne, operating straight up the precise seam with Myles Bryant on his hip, realized the house he had in the long run zone as Jones’ go neared. He stutter-stepped closed to the again line, shot his proper arm out and plucked the ball out of the air. With each ft down, he held the ball straight out and began celebrating.
Touchdown.
Source: Patriots signing free-agent Ezekiel Elliott to 1-year contract
Player of the Day
WR Kendrick Bourne
One of one of the best practices by any receiver in camp.
Bourne caught all 4 of his targets in staff drills, working easily on the perimeter and within the slot. In addition to beating Bryant and Jack Jones, Bourne bested rookie nook Isaiah Bolden and located a delicate spot in zone protection. This was the participant the Patriots want.
QB Corner
Note: The passing stats beneath had been tallied throughout aggressive 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 intervals solely. The stats in parentheses symbolize the quarterbacks’ camp-long efficiency.
Mac Jones: 16/21 (111/167, 4 INTs)
Bailey Zappe: 12/18 INT (104/165, 4 INTs)
Trace McSorley: N/A (45/77, 4 INTs)
Studs
OLB Josh Uche
Three sacks.
Not solely did Uche reset his private finest for a single coaching camp follow, he earned extra sacks than any Patriots defender has this summer time. Uche was unblockable, significantly off the left edge the place he labored in opposition to Trent Brown and backup Andrew Stueber. He’s been one of many six finest gamers in all of camp.
WR JuJu Smith-Schuster
Like Bourne, Smith-Schuster went 4-for-4 on targets in staff drills. He beat Myles Bryant on a go route down the left sideline, caught two passes in opposition to zone and yet one more over the center in visitors. Most importantly, his chemistry with Mac Jones continues to construct.
Duds
OL Jake Andrews
Woof.
Andrews was the middle on two unhealthy snaps, one among which missed his goal whereas the opposite suffered from unhealthy timing. It’s unclear if the latter was his fault, however Andrews appeared pissed off afterward, contemplating it was his second unhealthy snap in as many staff intervals. The fourth-round rookie nonetheless tasks because the Pats’ backup middle regardless of his poor follow.
QB Bailey Zappe
He took six (possible) sacks in staff drills. He threw an interception on a blanketed operating again display that cornerback Shaun Wade revived when he picked off Zappe’s errant go. And Zappe hardly impressed over his 2-minute drill, which ended with a sack, throwaway, completion to Kayshon Boutte and hand-off to J.J. Taylor.
Offensive notes
- Tight finish Mike Gesicki required medical consideration after Jahlani Tavai tackled him in a brand new 1-on-1 drill that brings ball carriers to the bottom. Gesicki was in apparent ache as he walked slowly off the sphere.
- Gesicki’s absence may power the Patriots to pivot towards extra 11 personnel (three broad receivers, one operating again, one tight finish), after they spent a lot of the spring enjoying from two-tight finish packages.
- In his place, veteran backups Matt Sokol and Anthony Firkser took extra reps with Mac Jones. They mixed for 2 catches on three targets in staff drills.
- Hunter Henry, in the meantime, snatched 4 of 5 passes, together with a landing go from Jones throughout a red-zone interval. No pass-catcher has had a stronger reference to Jones in coaching camp than Henry.
- As for undrafted rookie quarterback Malik Cunningham, he noticed 5 snaps in staff intervals for a second straight day. He handed the ball off twice, saved it on a pair possibility runs and fired incomplete on a go contained in the purple zone.
- Cunningham’s go was a uncommon sight in follow, the place his quarterback reps have been primarily restricted to run performs. In Thursday’s preseason opener, Cunningham was allowed to throw on a couple of run-pass possibility designs.
- The most notable facet of Cunningham’s reps, nonetheless, wasn’t run versus go. It was that he changed Jones in most staff intervals for one or two snaps and was surrounded by projected starters on either side of the ball. He interrupted a number of intervals led by Bailey Zappe on Sunday.
- The Patriots could possibly be rehearsing a Cunningham-centric package deal for the purple zone, getting ready their protection to face Jalen Hurt’s option-based run recreation in Week 1 versus the Eagles or seeing if Cunningham can play quarterback on the subsequent stage, regardless of initially planning to maneuver him to broad receiver.
- In the backfield, Rhamondre Stevenson led off all staff intervals as a rusher and receiver. Without Pierre Strong for a second straight day, the order of enjoying time went Stevenson, Kevin Harris, J.J. Taylor and newcomer C.J. Marable.
- Out broad, rookie receiver Demario Douglas led all go catchers with 5 targets. He caught 4 of them, two from Mac Jones and one other pair from Bailey Zappe.
- His lone incompletion was a Jones overthrow to the sideline throughout a 2-minute drill. Jones returned to him on two of the subsequent three snaps, an indication of accelerating belief between the 2 gamers.
- Rookie Kayshon Boutte mimicked Kendrick Bourne and JuJu Smith-Schuster by catching all 4 of his targets. All 4 of his receptions got here off of Zappe’s hand.
- Wide receiver Tyquan Thornton caught his first go from Jones throughout staff drills on a brief display.
- Along the offensive line, veteran Riley Reiff performed proper guard in entrance of Jones for a second straight follow, whereas fourth-round rookie Sidy Sow manned the precise sort out place.
- From left to proper, Jones’ offensive line went: Trent Brown, Atonio Mafi, David Andrews, Reiff and Sow.
- Top targets in staff drills: Demario Douglas 4/5, Hunter Henry 4/5, JuJu Smith-Schuster 4/4,Kendrick Bourne 4/4, Kayshon Boutte 4/4, Tyquan Thornton 3/4
- Drops: None
Defensive notes
- Starting and second-string personnel throughout staff intervals: defensive linemen Davon Godchaux, Christian Barmore, Lawrence Guy, Deatrich Wise, Keion White, Jermiah Pharms 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, Christian Gonzalez, Jonathan Jones, Myles Bryant, Jack Jones and Marcus Jones.
- Interceptions: Shaun Wade
- Pass breakups: None
- Would-be sacks: Josh Uche 3, Team 2, Lawrence Guy, Jahlani Tavai, Sam Roberts
- The defensive personnel for Mac Jones’ 2-minute drill: defensive linemen Deatrich Wise and Christian Barmore, linebackers Matt Judon, Josh Uche, Ja’Whaun Bentley and Mack Wilson, defensive backs Christian Gonzalez, Marcus Jones, Myles Bryant, Kyle Dugger, Adrian Phillips and Jabrill Peppers.
- The Patriots, over the previous three seasons, have most well-liked to play base protection out of three-safety personnel, and will once more this season. Relatedly, Jalen Mills rotated in with the projected beginning group early throughout 11-on-11s after spending a lot of the summer time operating with backups.
- Backup cornerback Shaun Wade delivered the defensive spotlight of follow, swooping in to nab Bailey Zappe’s ill-advised throw on a operating again display that had been blanketed. In a recreation setting, Wade would’ve run off with a pick-six.
- Wade, who additionally broke up a go on Sunday, continues to shine in opposition to fellow reserves. His place within the cornerback pecking order stays unclear, however the 2021 fifth-round choose could possibly be pushing for a roster spot.
- Among the starters, Christian Gonzalez and Marcus Jones manned the surface nook spots after Jack Jones noticed a number of snaps with the highest group Sunday. Marcus Jones’ top, at 5-foot-8, got here into play on DeVante Parker’s solely catch of the day, which he had wrestled away from him alongside the sideline.
- Bryant allowed two catches in staff drills: Bourne’s landing and a protracted ball to JuJu Smith-Schuster.
- Monday marked the primary time all summer time the Patriots defensive backs had failed to interrupt up a go with out intercepting it.
- Third-round rookie Marte Mapu ran with the protection that defended Bailey Zappe’s 2-minute drill on the finish of follow. He didn’t absolutely take part in tackling drills, as he recovers from offseason pectoral surgical procedure.
- With Carl Davis restricted and Lawrence Guy repping with the group that confronted Zappe’s offense, unheralded defensive lineman Jeremiah Pharms lined up with Matt Judon, Josh Uche and others. Pharms has performed either side of the road this summer time.
- On Mac Jones’ second dropback of the day, Judon swallowed a good finish display supposed for Hunter Henry and compelled a throwaway. Judon celebrated by dancing across the veteran tight finish.
- Early in follow, second-round rookie D-lineman Keion White flexed his energy by holding his floor within the “Texas drill,” a three-man train involving a blocker, defender and ball service. Deatrich Wise, Anfernee Jennings and Christian Barmore additionally scored main wins, with Barmore ripped veteran offensive lineman Riley Reiff to the bottom.
Special groups
- Rookie kicker Chad Ryland made most of his six makes an attempt, however the distances had been unclear from the viewing angle afforded to the media at follow. His longest make seemed to be within the neighborhood of fifty yards.
- Punt returners: Marcus Jones, Myles Bryant, Demario Douglas, Kayshon Boutte
- Punt staff: Bryce Baringer/Corliss Waitman, Joe Cardona, Chris Board, Adrian Phillips, Mack Wilson, Anfernee Jennings, Ameer Speed, Calvin Munson, Rodney Randle Jr. (gunners had been omitted for the beginning of this drill)
- Veterans Matthew Slater and Matt Judon joined the scout-team punt block staff and had been drawn offside on a tough depend. Slater would usually be a beginning gunner on the punt staff.
- Malik Cunningham took backup reps as a gunner.
Extra factors
- Rookies Sidy Sow, Antonio Mafi and Keion White all fielded punts on the finish of follow, an annual custom at coaching camp the place if rookies succeeded the whole staff is rewarded with extra time without work. After Sow whiffed on his punt, Mafi and White caught theirs, permitting gamers to jet out of conferences early Monday evening.
- Offensive lineman Riley Reiff was first on the sphere earlier than follow.
- The Patriots won’t follow in Foxboro once more for 2 weeks, with upcoming joint periods and preseason video games scheduled in Green Bay and Nashville.
Source: www.bostonherald.com