Patriots Training Camp 10: Big Day for Young Pass Catchers

Attendance

Absent/Did Not Participate: CB Christian Gonzalez, ED K’Lavon Chaisson, LB Jahlani Tavai, G Sidy Sow, G Caedan Wallace, WR Kendrick Bourne

Left Early: RT Morgan Moses, NT Jaquelin Roy, CB Marcellas Dial, DC Terrell Williams

Tweet of the Day

Mike Vrabel’s Top Quotes of Note

On his thoughts regarding five combined turnovers during the team’s in-stadium scrimmage: “Yeah, the turnovers – I thought we did some really good things, tried to show them that. The turnovers are certainly going to get us beat. We had some passes that should have been caught. We had some – I would say, decisions, right? I think. And hopefully when we ask a receiver to run a play like that, that if it’s not there, there’s other ways to get out of the play. If you continue to run, you’ve got a pocket, you can throw it away. So, those are great things to teach on in those specific instances. And Rhamondre, when you make a great cut and you break through, know that every team in the league, and hopefully ours is one of those teams, that the guys are coming to the ball and they’re going to come and hammer it and they’re going to play full tilt to the tackle. And so, cut, great cut, good job in the open field and, unfortunately we’ll have to continue to rep that and take care of football. But that’s something that – those things that you mentioned, I think, overshadow a lot of the good stuff that we did in a team setting that had the team split up and different guys working with different guys next to them.”

On Rhamondre Stevenson’s fumble during the in-stadium scrimmage: “Well, everybody has a fresh, clean slate. We like to go through those things, and some of that is technique, some of that is the second guy in. A lot of times on fumbles, if you want to talk fumbles and ball security, I’m happy to do that, but one person’s got to have the ball in their hand every play offensively, and the rest of those 10 players are going to be responsible for protecting the guy with the ball. And so, yep, there were some instances where he put it on the ground, and there were some instances where the second guy came in, and we need to eliminate the second guy from coming in by the way that we play and our play demeanor and the way that we finish. So a clean slate, everybody has a clean slate, but also, there’s things that have to change and be better at every position as we move toward the season.”

On Alex Austin’s game-sealing interception of Drake Maye during the in-stadium scrimmage: “Well, I mean, we would need to make it – if the corner is flat-footed, we probably would throw it over his head and live to fight another day. Credit to Double-A [Alex Austin]. And I like sometimes when these things come up, because now we can coach the quarterbacks to say, if the guy’s not bailing, he’s just sitting there standing flat-footed, and you go over there, it’s a yes-no, and you’re going to have to just decide. You can’t progress back and come over here to the field, you’re going to get sacked or strip-sacked. So, throw it over his head. And being able to catch that ball, Double-A, and end it and then explain to him, ‘Go down, go down, go down, we have the lead.’ These are all great things that come up and allow us to coach. And just like the drive before, we throw one in to Kayshon [Boutte], and Kayshon does a nice job to get us into field goal range, Thomas [Brown] chose to call timeout. He was the head coach, that was his decision. I told the team, ‘Hey, listen, we have a couple options. We can now go to the ball. We can clock the ball and be second down. We can center it wherever we want to center it. We can slow-clock it. We can take a knee. I can call timeout with three seconds.’ And we kicked the winner. So, those are all things that come up, and they come up organically, and it allows us to teach it and coach it. And I know that this happens. Having done this for however many years, I can show them, but until they actually are in that position – which, they’re going to come up with more than we do in two-minute – just like today, we’re going to have end of game situations, ball is going to be on the 25-yard line, there’s going to be 45 seconds, you’re going to see what the last plays are from the 5-yard line or the 10-yard line because that’s just where the ball is going to be, I would imagine. So, then we can coach those up and see what it does.

Sorry, that’s a long-winded answer. But there’s a lot of different situations that come up just by record. And I can show them, but then when they actually are in it, I say, ‘OK, now we can coach from our example.”

On the kicker competition: “Well, they both have done very well. I’m sure 19-of-21 or whatever they both are, I think they’ve gotten better and it’s a good competition and I’m glad they both got to kick in the stadium and try to get the extra points and get the end of game kicks and everything that we did. So, just trying to get the volume and try to – every day Jeremy [Springer] and Tom [Quinn] have a plan for them on how they’re going to kick.”

On Mack Hollins: “Spent a lot of time here in the offseason, locked in, engaged. Rare for a player to be able to get that much information and not practice. That’s hard. That’s hard just even thinking back when I was in those opportunities to be able to do that and still understand the details and not practicing. So, locked in, ready to go, excited to see him get out there and practice.”

On moments where Drake Maye has shown command: “Well, there’s protections, there’s – when you see something that he can help, he sees it a lot better, I think, than some other players or alignment, or if you see something, say something and don’t assume that everybody is seeing it the way that you’re seeing it. He’s got – that’s why they’re quarterbacks, they have a pretty good sense of what’s going on, they’ve got a good view. Maybe it’s rotation, maybe it’s an eyes or a step or alignment. And so, just being able for him to communicate that. I see him get guys in the right formations or tell guys, ‘Hey, you’re off the ball, you’re on the ball.’ Or, ‘Hey, you’re over here.’ Doing that quickly, as before, sometimes young quarterbacks, they’re just focused on the play, they’re focused on the cadence and not focused on sideline-to-sideline, and I think that’s starting to improve.”

Big Day for Young Pass Catchers

The Patriots’ receiving corps had an impressive outing in today’s Red Zone-focused padded practice after a shaky in-stadium scrimmage.

Ja’Lynn Polk went 4-0 during low Red Zone 1-on-1s. His first two wins came against Brandon Crossley, with Polk fighting through contact and shaking the corner on an in-breaker, then high-pointing and snatching a fade against tight coverage. Polk also beat Isaiah Bolden and Marcellas Dial handily on slants.

Kayshon Boutte and Kyle Williams also looked dominant in 1-on-1s. Boutte beat Marcus Jones twice, getting wide open on an out-breaker and catching a contested slant target. Williams looked unguardable against depth corners and shook Alex Austin on a corner route.

Javon Baker kept the ball rolling during 7-on-7s, hauling in three straight touchdowns from Joshua Dobbs. The talented sophomore also mossed Marcellas Dial for a touchdown during 11-on-11s, a play he’s made multiple times this summer, but later had a touchdown punched out by Crossley.

TreVeyon Henderson had two of today’s offensive highlights, catching a pair of deep scores from Drake Maye early in team drills. Henderson got wide open for his first touchdown, burning Robert Spillane on a wheel from the backfield. On the next drive, Henderson motioned out wide, beat Christian Elliss on a double-move, and tracked a rainbow to the back of the end zone. The rookie back projects as crucial part of the downfield passing game and offense overall.

Efton Chism made the catch of the day on a score later in practice score. The receiver won on a wheel against Craig Woodson, who he also shook during 1-on-1s, then sold out to make a diving catch on a shot from Joshua Dobbs. Chism also had incompletions on a pair of higher-difficulty targets he’d probably like back. Marcus Jones dislodged what looked like a touchdown in the back of the end zone (though Dobbs could’ve helped his receiver with a wider throw), and Chism failed to get both feet in along the sideline after finding space against zone coverage.

Red Zone periods were up-and-down offensively, but Boutte ended the day on a high-note for the starters. The receiver secured a desperate heave from Maye on 4th down, dragging his toes along the sideline with D.J. James on his back. This came a few plays after James locked him up on an end zone fade. Boutte’s been one of this summer’s most pleasant surprises and one of the receiver room’s most consistent performers.

Notebook

Drake Maye had at least one overthrow today on a crosser to Hunter Henry (two high end zone throws may have been throwaways), but it was a solid bounce back from his two-interception scrimmage. There was a concentrated effort to keep his eyes downfield against the rush, with his score to Boutte being a prime example. Maye only scrambled when absolutely necessary, like on an off-platform sideline pass to Rhamondre Stevenson that may or may not have been caught.
DeMario Douglas wasn’t very active downfield, but he was consistently open on underneath targets regardless of who lined up against him.
Hunter Henry caught a pair of passes over the middle from Maye, including a win against Kyle Dugger and a short touchdown against zone.
Will Campbell lost to Bradyn Swinson on an inside move during 1-on-1s last week, but stoned his longtime teammate when Swinson tried it again today. Campbell did have his hands knocked down by Keion White on his first solo rep, but looked more competitive in their next matchup.
The Patriots’ run defense was dominant in the Red Zone, making multiple plays at or behind the line.
Ben Brown was the top backup at left guard with Garrett Bradbury returning and Caedan Wallace out. Brown appeared to rotate with Bradbury at times during team drills, and Cole Strange was the top backup at center.
Top tackle backups Demontrey Jacobs and Marcus Bryant flipped sides today, with Jacobs manning the blindside and Bryant to the right. Tyrese Robinson backed up Mike Onwenu at right guard.
Vederian Lowe was the third-string left tackle after being activated off PUP.
Elijah Ponder continues to dominate 1-on-1s. He and Swinson are buried behind veterans, but Ponder has a real shot at making the 53-man roster.
D.J. James got his hands on multiple passes as a starter opposite Alex Austin. He was in coverage on incompletions to Stefon Diggs (corner), Kyle Williams (comeback, PBU), and Kayshon Boutte (fade), and was all over Boutte on the receiver’s toe-drag touchdown.
Austin smothered Mack Hollins on an incomplete fade from Maye. Hollins rebounded with a contested touchdown grab during low Red Zone work.
Mr.Irrelevant, Kobee Minor undercut and intercepted a slant to Jeremiah Webb during 1-on-1s. Joshua Dobbs on the throw.
Khyiris Tonga batted a target for DeMario Douglas. The defender’s made the most of his opportunities and impressed as a rotational nose tackle.
Jaheim Bell made a sliding touchdown grab at the goal line on a throw from Dobbs with with Craig Woodson contesting.
Marcellas Dial was carted off the field during an early team period after being do. Trainers appeared to be working on his left leg.
Defensive coordinator Terrell Williams left practice late as a precaution due to dehydration and is expected to be okay, per the Patriots. Inside linebackers coach Zak Kuhr, who was interim coordinator when Williams wasn’t with the team, led the defense in his absence.
Parker Romo and Andres Borregales went 4-4 on field goal attempts with longs of about 54, extending what’s been a scalding hot streak between the two kickers.
Hollins lined up at Y in a four-receiver grouping during a hurry-up walkthrough, essentially serving as a tight end.
Julian Edelman, former Titans left tackle Taylor Lewan, and former linebacker Will Compton were special guests at today’s practice. Edelman and Stefon Diggs appeared to talk route-running during a late kickoff session.