Patriots Training Camp 2: Drake Maye, Top Offense Focus on Taking a Profit

Attendance

Absent/Did Not Participate: WR Ja’Lynn Polk, CB Carlton Davis III, DL Jahvaree Ritzie

Limited: DT Christian Barmore

Physically Unable to Perform: WR Mack Hollins, TE Austin Hooper, LT Vederian Lowe

Non-Football Injury: S Josh Minkins

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Drake Maye, Top Offense Focus on Taking a Profit

It was another conservative, but productive day for Drake Maye and the top offense. According to Rhamondre Stevenson, that efficient approach may have been the point.

“Just be good on first down,” Stevenson said of today’s practice goal. “Positives plays on first down, don’t go backwards, no pre-snap penalties, things like that. We did alright, but we [still have] work to do.”

Maye didn’t attempt a downfield throw on Thursday, even with some play fakes sprinkled into the script, but he consistently took a profit, avoided bad windows, and put targets in position for YAC. Maye’s only incompletion, and his first of camp, came on a Kendrick Bourne target that was batted by Jeremiah Pharms.

On one rep, Maye quickly identified slot pressure before finding DeMario Douglas in the flat for a big gain. The quarterback also took off against what appeared to be a trap coverage that he was intercepted on in OTAs.

For the second day of pad-less practices, offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels‘ group is progressing well against a stout veteran defense. Moving forward, someone in New England’s receiver group must emerge as a reliable downfield target when opportunities present themselves.

Notebook

• DeMario Douglas made the catch of the day, going up for an out thrown behind him and completing the process with Marcellas Dial attempting a breakup.
• Rookie Jared Wilson repped at both center and left guard with the top offense. He and Maye fumbled an exchange late in practice.
• Christian Barmore was off to the side conditioning during today’s team drills. Per The Boston Herald’s Doug Kyed, the Patriots are working the defender back from last season’s blood clots issue, but there have been no setbacks.
• Barmore and Carlton Davis absences meant more of defensive tackles Khyiris Tonga and Jeremiah Pharms, as well as cornerbacks Alex Austin and Dial.
• Per ESPN’s Mike Reiss, Ja’Lynn Polk is dealing with a “minor muscle tightness,” which is being handled with caution. Polk passed his initial physical following offseason shoulder surgery.
• Gee Scott Jr. and Efton Chism made the only downfield catches of the day, both on middle-of-the-field throws from Joshua Dobbs. Scott made an impressive grab with Jack Gibbens contesting, while Chism found a soft spot in zone coverage.
• Dobbs dropped a go ball in the bucket to Javon Baker, but the receiver bobbled it and the pass was broken up by Austin. Dobbs overthrew Baker on the same route one play later, but recovered with an anticipatory slant to DeMeer Blankumsee.
• Third-stringer Ben Wooldridge was the Patriots’ most aggressive passer today. He had a go ball to Jeremiah Webb fall incomplete, but completed four of five total attempts.
• Parker Romo came out on top in the first field goal drills of training camp. Romo made all four attempts, while rookie Andres Borregales went 3-4 with a miss from around 50 yards out.