Observations from Day 9 of Patriots Training Camp

☀️ Weather: Hot and humid, occasional cloud coverage

👔 Dress Code: Pads

📋 Practice Script: Kickoff, Punt, 11-on-11, 7-on-7 (Red Zone), Two-Minute, One-Minute, Field Goals

☑️ ATTENDANCE

Matthew Judon was present, padded, and participating for the second day in a row. Despite once again entering through the back and not playing catch with fans, he seemed to be in better spirits.

Tyquan Thornton, Calvin Anderson, and Chukwuma Okorafor did not participate for the first time this summer.

According to The Boston Herald’s Andrew Callahan, Thornton’s situation is not considered long-term or serious, which is significant given the receiver’s injury history.

Anderson appeared to suffer a lower-body injury late yesterday but still practiced, and Jerod Mayo told reporters it wasn’t anything serious.

Okorafor swapped out for Anderson at one point on Friday and didn’t participate for the rest of practice.

Like yesterday, David Andrews participated in most of today’s practice before swapping out for Nick Leverett late.

⛑️ Physically Unable to Perform

• WR Kendrick Bourne
• LG Cole Strange
• LB Sione Takitaki
• IOL Jake Andrews

🫥 Absent

• IDL Christian Barmore

🛑 Red Non-Contact

• CB Shaun Wade
• WR DeMario Douglas

🙅‍♂️ Limited / Did Not Participate

• SAF Marte Mapu
• TE Jaheim Bell
• SAF Jabrill Peppers
• CB Marcus Jones
• SAF Joshuah Bledsoe
• WR Tyquan Thornton
• OT Chukwuma Okorafor
• OT Calvin Anderson
• ED Joshua Uche

🤕 Injuries

• None

📰 STORY OF THE DAY

Veteran Pass-Catchers Make Big Plays

I’ve hyped the Patriots’ young receivers a lot this summer, but two veterans seized the spotlight on Saturday with camp-best performances.

Hunter Henry was the player of the day, with multiple downfield catches in critical situations. The tight end told reporters his comfort with Jacoby Brissett is growing, and that was on full display during end-of-half situations. Brissett kicked off a two-minute drive by targeting Henry on back-to-back plays. After the two hooked up down the seam for a big gain, Henry made a one-handed twisting catch down the sideline with Kyle Dugger tight in coverage. The play was blown dead because of a would-be Trysten Hill sack, but Henry’s effort was one of the best this offseason.

Brissett also showed trust in his tight end to cap a one-minute drive, lofting up a pass over the middle well before his receiver was looking for the ball. Henry ran under the pass and dove to secure a score, continuing his streak of dominance in scoring territory.

Since Henry’s incredible catch against Dugger didn’t count, K.J. Osborn technically had the day’s best catch for a second straight practice. After beating Christian Gonzalez for a score on Friday, Osborn went up to attack an underthrown go ball, then finished through contact against Alex Austin. It was one of a team-leading five catches for the former Viking, who’s quietly flashed downfield and in one-on-one situations over several past practices. Osborn dropped a pass after extending for an out route, but given his reliability, it was a blip on the radar.

DeMario Douglas, Ja’Lynn Polk, and Javon Baker may be the future of New England’s passing attack, but Henry and Osborn’s growing rapport with Brissett can’t be overlooked. Don’t be surprised if, at least in the early part of the season, the veterans rank toward the top of the receiving corps in targets.

📈 STOCK UP

Jacoby Brissett

Through nine training camp sessions, Brissett continues to show why he’s the Patriots’ unquestioned starting quarterback. He’s poised and decisive and brings an aggressiveness the offense has lacked in recent seasons.

The journeyman’s deep ball may hang or sail on him sometimes, but he isn’t afraid to challenge tight coverage or test downfield windows. Outside of an underthrown shot to Jalen Reagor that was tipped and intercepted, Brissett was excellent in end-of-half situations. His pick was preceded by two well-placed, downfield throws to Henry and a completion to Austin Hooper after sliding up in the pocket. Brissett bounced back from his drive-ending turnover during a one-minute drill later in practice, connecting with Osborn deep before hitting Henry in the end zone. Other highlights included a corner to Mitchell Wilcox between two defenders and an out thrown on a rope to Osborn.

Drake Maye

Maye is a ways off from challenging Brisset for the top job, but he’s progressed in the second round of padded practices. The rookie’s been at his best in the Red Zone, which is where most quarterbacks struggle the most. He threw a seed to Wilcox in the back of the end zone between two defenders, but the pass was dropped, and he showed anticipation hitting Baker early on a corner that led to a score. Other highlights included two perfectly placed out routes, which he’s struggled with at other points in camp, and a blitz-beating connection with Wilcox in the flat.

Maye wasn’t perfect, as he overthrew Baker on his only downfield attempt of full-field drills. The two also seemed to be on different pages during a throw over the middle that went to no one. Still, Maye has looked much more poised and accurate in the past two than in his first padded practices.

Joey Slye

After missing a field goal in each of his last four practices, Joey Slye went 5-5 on attempts today. These included makes from 32 to 42 yards and an extra try from about 55.

Chad Ryland, who’s been perfect in his last three practices, missed a 39-yarder wide right. He still has a clear leg up (pun intended), but this session makes things more interesting.

📉 STOCK DOWN

JuJu Smith-Schuster

It’s been genuinely difficult to watch JuJu Smith-Schuster during training camp. His ability to separate is gone, and he seems incapable of finishing through contact on contested targets. This trend continued today when a perfect seam pass from Joe Milton glanced off his hands.

I don’t say this to be rude or disrespectful, but I wonder if the veteran receiver finishes the offseason program.

Run Game

Missing two of their best tackles didn’t help, but the Patriots run game was stymied for a second straight practice on Saturday. Besides long runs from Antonio Gibson and Rhamondre Stevenson, New England’s defense built a wall up front.

I had Armon Watts, Trysten Hill, and Anfernee Jennings with run stuffs, and Matthew Judon was setting a hard edge on anything that came his way. The Patriots’ defense also loaded up the interior on some plays, putting recent signing Mike Purcell at nose tackle with Davon Godchaux and Daniel Ekuale as odd defensive ends.

“For us, when we have those three big guys in the front, we have pride in ourselves to stop the run and try to not let anything in the end zone,” Ekuale said when asked about the look. “So, all of us, we just gotta try to make that wall and make plays and try to stop the run.”

The run game’s struggles could be a positive or a negative, depending on your perspective. But for an offense that will rely on its ground game, you’d like to see more competitiveness from New England in the trenches.

🗣️ QUOTES OF NOTE

• Jerod Mayo on Jaylinn Hawkins, who had an interception today: “He’s going to be a big piece of the group. And honestly, as you go throughout the preseason, he’ll play a lot. There’s one for you, he’ll play a lot in the preseason to see what he really has to offer.”
• DeMario Douglas on how he sets up routes: “He think I’m doing something when I’m doing something else … [the defender is] guessing and I’m going off his leverage.”

📓 LEFTOVERS

• With Okorafor and Anderson out, Caedan Wallace repped as the top right tackle for the first time since spring. Kellen Diesch was at left tackle in the second group with Zuri Henry on the right.
• Bailey Zappe and Joe Milton continue trading off team periods as the third quarterback. Zappe recorded his first reps since Thursday, participating in a run-oriented team period. Milton has looked good, but his lack of touch was glaring during a Red Zone period.
• During 7-on-7 in the Red Zone, Milton did a backflip after hitting Kayshon Boutte with a laser on the backline of the end zone. Looked like a miscommunication from the defense.
• Undrafted free agent Dell Pettus capitalized on shallow safety depth with some standout plays today. He had lockdown coverage against Henry on a breakup Red Zone and later popped JaMycal Hasty on a bounced run to prevent a goal-line score.
• Trysten Hill hasn’t lived up to his 2nd-round draft stock, but he made several plays today, including a batted pass, a run stuff, and a would-be sack. Don’t sleep on the former Cowboy, who’s gotten some run with the top defense.
• Alex Austin intercepted Brissett on a play where the corner likely got away with a grab, but Austin Hooper stopped running.