NEFJ Nuggets from Patriots training camp: Day 9

Posted By on August 4, 2024

FOXBOROUGH- Condensed version of the nuggets from Saturday’s practice.

  • Another hot one today on the practice fields. The temperature was already in the low 80’s at 10:30 am.

  • Status report: (Group effort in the tent here. We have such a great media team covering the Patriots)

NP: OT Calvin Anderson, S Joshuah Bledsoe, TE Jaheim Bell

Non-participant: S Marte Mapu, DB Marcus Jones, WR Tyquan Thornton

Limited- participant: OT Chukwuma Okorafor

Non-contact participants: CB Shaun Wade

PUP: WR Kendrick Bourne, LB Sione Takitaki, OL Cole Strange, C/G Jake Andrews

Jerod Mayo met with the assembled media this morning prior to practice. Here is some of what he talked about.

Will Drake Maye play in next week’s preseason game?

JM: We’re still having those conversations. Once again, maybe all of the starters will play. I’m not sure at this present time. We’ll see how we do today and how the guys present the following next couple of days. We’ll have a lot of guys play.

What does Pop [DeMario Douglas] do on the practice field for you guys?

JM: First and foremost, it’s just the quickness and the speed. He is a smaller guy, but he’s very elusive. Just his ultimate competitive attitude, I think really helps the offense go as far as energy is concerned.

Do you have a tentative plan yet on how you want to attack the three preseason games in terms of who plays and when you’re going to incorporate starters and backups?

JM: We’ll have a coordinator meeting later on, I kind of got some of their thoughts so far. I would say it’s even difficult when you practice against, let’s say the Eagles, and then play in the game as well or how much you want those guys to play. Really, our last game is on the road, so that’s a dress rehearsal for our road trips. We’re still in conversation about that, I’ll probably know by the end of the day.

Was Matthew Judon not practicing with pads on yesterday?

JM: Judon had everything on and he participated in every single drill. Team drills, individual drills, he did everything he had to do. Sometimes when they put pants on, you can’t really tell. But I think the shoulder pads kind of give it away. No, we don’t do uppers. Either we’re full pads or we’re shells.

You said the other day that the defense will always be ahead of the offense in camp-

JM: I kind of spoke too soon. The offense is honestly- I challenge the defense on that. Not to cut you off, but the offense the last couple of days, they’ve done well whether it’s running the ball, the play action game, pushing the ball down the field, I think those guys are doing a good job.

Practice nuggets 

  • Drake Maye had a decent day throwing the ball, specifically in red zone periods. He did struggle in his last series which a two minute period. He especially struggled with throwing the ball outside the hashes. 

  • The secondary has been good all camp long but they did struggle at times in this practice. One highlight was an Azizi Hearn tipped pass that was intercepted by Jaylinn Hawkins in the corner of the end zone. It got the media and fans attention.

-Hunter Henry has had a great camp and he added a highlight reel one handed catch along the right sideline over Kyle Dugger. Henry ran a slot fade and made a sick 180 turnaround grab over Dugger. Jacoby Brissett threw a good ball and put it in the right spot. 

  • The running game was once again when zone running plays were called but they struggled in some of the man gap plays.

  • K.J Osborn is starting to get noticed. He’s making plays. He made a nice grab in the corner of the end zone on a corner route. 

-Antonio Gibson busted a long touchdown run of over 50 yards. He continues to impress and looks like he will an ideal complement to Rhamondre Stevenson.

  • Safety Dell Pettus continues to impress and is a player worth watching this preseason. He can play at all three levels as a safety and has special teams value as well. 

  • Matthew Judon practiced and was a full participant. Brought it off the edge several times in team period.

  • Several players joined the run and stretch portion late. Might have been due to treatment or getting taped. It has not been an issue in the practices I have been at.