FOXBORO — Judging by Wednesday’s padded observe, the final of Patriots coaching camp, Mac Jones’ preseason is likely to be over earlier than Friday’s recreation even kicks off.
Jones stored busy over an 18-of-23 day, hitting DeVante Parker and Kayshon Boutte in the long run zone along with his last passes throughout a simulated 2-minute drill. Jones’ workload indicated he’ll be restricted to a few drives, if any, through the Pats’ preseason finale at Tennessee. He lived as much as the “way better quarterback” customary Patriots security Adrian Phillips set whereas talking about Jones’ progress after Tuesday’s observe.
Phillips shared his confidence is “through the roof.” Jones made that loads evident Wednesday by connecting on two lengthy balls to Kendrick Bourne early in crew drills, then firing RPO throws into tight home windows and whipping landing passes to complete observe. Jones’ spraying the sphere with completions wasn’t the one welcome sight for the Patriots.
Starting proper guard Mike Onwenu made his observe debut after spending all summer season on the Physically Unable to Perform record. Onwenu participated in positional drills and preliminary stretching, however was held out of crew durations. So was tight finish Mike Gesicki, who returned to observe Tuesday after lacking eight days with a recent shoulder harm.
Another tight finish, Hunter Henry, acquired banged up throughout Jones’ 2-minute drill and was held out of the remainder of observe. Moments later, rookie cornerback Christian Gonzalez handled an obvious left leg harm alongside the sideline and was held out. Both gamers remained on the sphere, indicating their accidents aren’t critical.
But like Jones, Henry and Gonzalez might have had their respective preseasons come to an early finish after a noteworthy last observe.
Elsewhere, Boutte continued his push for a roster spot, Ezekiel Elliott matched Rhamondre Stevenson’s output and Bill Belichick’s cross rush turned up the warmth.
Here are the Herald’s full observe observations.
Attendance
Returned: OL Mike Onwenu
Absent: DB Jonathan Jones, OL Cole Strange, WR Tyquan Thornton, OL Kody Russey, CB Isaiah Bolden
Limited: TE Mike Gesicki, RB/WR Ty Montgomery, WR Demario Douglas, DL Carl Davis
PUP: S Cody Davis, DL Trey Flowers
Non-Football Illness: OT Calvin Anderson
Notes: For the primary time in weeks, Jones was noticed conditioning on a separate discipline. Douglas joined him there with the specialists early in observe, his second straight day being restricted. Davis later walked off the principle observe discipline to do the identical.
Montgomery was largely held out of crew drills after collaborating in some 7-on-7 work. Gesicki wore a crimson, non-contact jersey. Strange visited observe late, not carrying his helmet or pads. No signal of Thornton, Bolden or Russey.
Play of the Day
Kendrick Bourne goes lengthy — twice
Mac Jones’ first two passes in 11-on-11 work adopted an analogous trajectory and located the identical goal.
Jones launched two bombs on his solely makes an attempt through the first crew interval, his first down the correct sideline for Bourne and one other on a deep crosser. Bourne pulled away from rookie cornerback Christian Gonzalez on the primary catch, then backup defensive again Quandre Moseley on the second. Bourne saved his finest for final in camp.
Player of the Day
OLB Matt Judon
Judon’s days of restricted participation and sitting out observe really feel like they have been ages in the past. He’s again, he’s been again, and on Wednesday, seemed by no means higher.
Judon tallied three “sacks” of Mac Jones in crew durations, racing by his quarterback after beating the Patriots’ high offensive line. He labored on each edges and led all defenders in would-be sacks. So lengthy as Judon is on the sphere, he’s a drive.
QB Corner
Note: The passing stats under have been tallied throughout aggressive 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 durations solely. The stats in parentheses signify the quarterbacks’ camp-long efficiency.
Mac Jones: 17/23 (166/251, 5 INTs)
Bailey Zappe: (152/234, 6 INTs)
Trace McSorley: N/A (50/82, 4 INTs)
Studs
WR Kayshon Boutte
Like Bourne, Boutte has performed his finest soccer down the stretch of camp, catching a team-high 4 passes on as many targets Wednesday. He scored alongside the again line of the top zone to cap Jones’ 2-minute drill and caught an earlier landing cross from Bailey Zappe. Boutte has maximized his snaps with Demario Douglas sitting out crew durations the final two days.
DB Marcus Jones
Jones didn’t register a cross breakup, however he did cease a landing cross along with his tight protection of Kendrick Bourne alongside the again of the top zone in an 11-on-11. Bourne fell out of bounds with the catch, unable to maintain his ft in. Later, Jones blew up a bubble display by driving his would-be blocker into JuJu Smith-Schuster, who would’ve gone down for a loss in a recreation setting.
Duds
CB Christian Gonzalez
The rookie allowed catches on 4 of 5 targets throughout crew durations, together with one lengthy ball to Bourne and Parker’s landing that helped punctuate a 2-minute drill. In Zappe’s 2-minute drill, backup receiver Thyrick Pitts, who signed halfway by means of camp, beat Gonzalez for an additional seize.
QB Bailey Zappe
For a backup quarterback, Zappe’s efficiency met the mark. But his errors have been the identical which have ailed him all through camp: batted balls and holding onto the ball too lengthy within the pocket. Zappe had three passes knocked down on the line and took two would-be sacks.
Offensive notes
- The largest information out of camp was all injury-related. Onwenu’s return from the Physically Unable to Perform record at this stage ought to open the door to his potential return for Week 1.
- The identical might be mentioned for operating again/extensive receiver Ty Montgomery and tight finish Mike Gesicki. The crew was reportedly “hopeful” Gesicki might be cleared in time for the season opener, which is 2 and a half weeks away.
- The Patriots additionally padded their depth within the backfield, with Ezekiel Elliott growing his workload but once more and Pierre Strong shedding his non-contact jersey. Strong didn’t take any reps in crew durations nevertheless, yielding all of them to Rhamondre Stevenson, Elliott, Kevin Harris and J.J. Taylor in that order.
- Elliott noticed a number of reps alongside the purpose line and labored with Mac Jones throughout an early interval the place the quarterbacks break up as much as lead numerous drills: scout-team performs, 7-on-7 and Jones’ goal-line session.
- Elliott and Stevenson each completed with eight whole touches in reside crew durations. Elliott had one catch to Stevenson’s three.
- In his second observe since coming back from a left leg harm, Montgomery noticed transient motion in 11-on-11 drills.
- Sixth-round rookie Kayshon Boutte once more labored with Jones and Bailey Zappe in crew durations. He changed Demario Douglas’ regular place within the slot and labored outdoors.
- Before he was dinged up, tight finish Hunter Henry caught passes on a wheel route and out route earlier than including one other beneath. His reference to Jones has been probably the most constant in camp.
- Malik Cunningham took two quarterback snaps in reside crew drills. He repped at his listed place earlier in observe when the scout-team offense confronted the beginning protection.
- The Patriots employed the identical current lineups and rotations alongside their offensive line, which included second-year guard Chasen Hines often blocking for Mac Jones rather than rookie Atonio Mafi at left guard.
- Top targets in crew drills: Kayshon Boutte 4/4, DeVante Parker 3/4, Rhamondre Stevenson 3/4, JuJu Smith-Schuster 3/3, Kendrick Bourne 2/3
- Drops: Rhamondre Stevenson
Defensive notes
- Starting and second-string personnel throughout crew durations: defensive linemen Davon Godchaux, Christian Barmore, Lawrence Guy, Deatrich Wise, Keion White, Sam Roberts and Daniel Ekuale; linebackers Matt Judon, Ja’Whaun Bentley, Calvin Munson, Mack Wilson, Jahlani Tavai, Josh Uche, Marte Mapu, and Anfernee Jennings, and defensive backs Kyle Dugger, Adrian Phillips, Jalen Mills, Jabrill Peppers, Christian Gonzalez, Myles Bryant, Jack Jones, Marcus Jones and Shaun Wade.
- Interceptions: None
- Pass breakups: Marte Mapu, Shaun Wade, Mack Wilson, Lawrence Guy
- Would-be sacks: Matt Judon 3, Keion White, Davon Godchaux, Daniel Ekuale, Jabrill Peppers Jalen Mills
Patriots’ Jack Jones hopes to be out there Week 1 amid gun expenses
- During Mac Jones’ preliminary 11-on-11 durations, the protection introduced endless waves of blitz stress. This led to a few run stuffs, and Davon Godchaux, Keion White and Jabrill Peppers reaching Jones for possible sacks on his earliest cross makes an attempt. In the subsequent interval, Matt Judon earned a “sack” and Jalen Mills reached Jones untouched.
- Judon later earned a run stuff by himself, blowing by rookie offensive lineman Sidy Sow on the protection’s left edge.
- In a lineup wrinkle, outdoors linebacker Anfernee Jennings performed in the midst of the protection for a stretch towards Mac Jones. Jennings has performed on the sting most of his profession.
- During that very same interval, defensive linemen White and Sam Roberts rotated in for a couple of snaps, an instance of what Judon later referenced after observe: the teaching workers mixing up their pass-rush personnel extra typically this summer season.
- The workers additionally returned Marcus Jones to the nickelback spot, after enjoying him at outdoors nook for many of camp. Jack Jones and Christian Gonzalez manned these spots for the preliminary 11-on-11 durations.
- Myles Bryant additionally performed over the slot in crew drills and allowed only one catch. JuJu Smith-Schuster beat him for a seize beneath.
- Elsewhere within the secondary, Shaun Wade draped himself over Malik Cunningham for a cross breakup. Rookie Marte Mapu, who performed linebacker subsequent to Judon and Ja’Whaun Bentley for stretches and security with non-starters, broke up an end-zone throw for tight finish Anthony Firkser.
- Mapu was additionally overwhelmed for a catch by Hunter Henry on the opening snap of Mac Jones’ 2-minute drill. Five snaps later, Mapu deflected Jones’ cross for Firkser.
- The protection was “flagged” for a 15-yard penalty throughout Zappe’s 2-minute drill when linebacker Mack Wilson celebrated his batted cross by punting the ball. The offense then superior previous midfield.
Special groups
- Veteran kicker Nick Folk went 6-of-9 on discipline purpose makes an attempt between 33 and 50 yards. His efficiency adopted a 1-of-4 outing from fourth-round rookie Chad Ryland on Tuesday.
- Punt returners: Marcus Jones, Kayshon Boutte, Myles Bryant
- Boutte dropped one punt, however took the subsequent reps after Jones within the preliminary interval.
- Rookie Bryce Baringer and veteran Corliss Waitman alternated punting duties.
- Punt crew: Bryce Baringer/Corliss Waitman, Joe Cardona, Brenden Schooler, Chris Board, Ameer Speed, Raleigh Webb, Adrian Phillips, Kyle Dugger, Ja’Whaun Bentley, Jahlani Tavai, Mack Wilson
Extra factors
- On the eve of Bruce Springsteen’s first scheduled live performance at Gillette Stadium, the Patriots blared “Born in the USA” and “Rosalita” firstly of a crimson zone interval.
- With coaching camp closing, reporters are anticipated to be shut out of the crew’s practices by means of the remainder of the season, save for a league-mandated interval when media can view stretching and/or positional drills.
Source: www.bostonherald.com