After two days off, the Patriots were back out behind Gillette Stadium on Monday morning for another padded practice to kick off a big week.
Washington comes to town on Wednesday for a joint practice that will tell us a lot while Friday’s preseason game will be a good opportunity for a lot of young players to get some live NFL experience for the first time.
Here’s what stood out during Monday’s two hour session:
Busy day on the media side
The guys from the ‘Bussin with the Boys’ podcast Taylor Lewan and Will Compton were in the house, as was soon-to-be Patriots Hall of Famer and ‘Games with Names’ podcaster Julian Edelman, who always draws roars from the fans in Foxborough.
O-line vs. D-line (and LBs) 1-v-1’s
Charted it out with the helpful eyes of Taylor Kyles and Brian Hines of CLNS & Pats Pulpit…
Mike Onwenu over Christian Barmore
Garrett Bradbury over Jaquelin Roy
Milton Williams over Jared Wilson
Keion White over Will Campbell
Morgan Moses over Anfernee Jennings
Onwenu over Joshua Farmer
Ben Brown over Jahvaree Ritzie
Cole Strange over Roy
Demontrey Jacobs Christian Elliss
David Olajiga over Layden Robinson
Jeremiah Pharms Jr. smokes Bradbury
Elijah Ponder over Vederian Lowe
Onwenu over Williams
Wilson over Barmore
Ponder over Marcus Bryant
Bradbury over Khyris Tonga
Wilson over Pharms Jr.
Campbell over Bradyn Swinson
Bryant over Truman Jones
Stalemate between Farmer and Tyreese Robinson
Strange over Isaiah Iton
Jacobs over Ritzie
Brown over Farmer
Ponder over Jack Conley
Alec Lindstrom over Farmer
Lowe over Jones
White beats Bryant easily
Tonga over Bradbury
Campbell stands up White
Lowe over Swinson
Onwenu over Iton
Bradbury over Ritzie
Injury concerns
Before practice, Mike Vrabel said that Christian Gonzalez and Carlton Davis III would probably not practice this week. Later on, Marcellas Dial had to be carted off with a left leg/knee injury. Even defensive coordinator Terrell Williams had to leave practice with what the team called dehydration. Morgan Moses also didn’t finish up again.
TreVeyon Henderson shines (especially in the passing game)
The speed and burst has been there since OTAs, but Henderson’s ability to torch linebackers was on full display in team periods a couple different times on Monday. Drake Maye found him for touchdowns down the left sideline twice on wheels, with no one within five yards of him. There’s a chance Henderson is one of the most athletic players the Pats have ever drafted when it’s all said and done. During some kick off return work that speed and quickness popped as well.
Efton Chism’s big play
Chism had one of the highlights of the day during a red zone period (the day was mostly red one work) as he made a diving/leaping adjustment on a fade to the back right corner from Joshua Dobbs, reeling in a TD against rookie safety Craig Woodson. Chism has been fairly quiet after turning into the talk of the town in OTAs, but plays like that one will make it hard for the Pats to cut him if there isn’t more separation among the receivers in this camp battle.
Good day for the kickers
In the one live field goal period, both Andy Borregales and Parker Romo went 4-4 from about 50-54 yards out. That battle might go on for a while.
Red zone period with the ball at the 10 wasn’t great
Rhamondre Stevenson had a TD run and it appeared Maye hit Mack Hollins along the back line for a nice TD, but the staff deemed he was out of bounds. Maye also tried to hit Diggs in the back of the end zone. Tonga batted a ball down at the line and there were a handful of run stuffs.
With Dobbs in it wasn’t a whole lot better, although on the flip side it was a great period for the secondary. DJ James and Brandon Crossley did an excellent job playing through would-be TD catches by Diggs and Javon Baker. Marcus Jones also had a diving PBU and JayLinn Hawkins had a great stick against Antonio Gibson. The last play of this period was a little option TD for Henderson who walked in easily.
End of game situation down in the red zone with 45 seconds left
Here’s how Maye’s series went: Incompletion to Hunter Henry on an out, scramble, quick out to Diggs (27 seconds now on the clock), PBU in the end zone for Crossley against Kyle Williams (again playing through the ball), short pass in the flat to Stevenson. He was short of a first down, bringing up 4th-&-3 from about the eight-yard line. With 12 seconds left, Maye was pressed and had to quickly throw a ball to the right corner, where Kayshon Boutte made a ridiculous toe-tap catch for one of the highlights of camp.
Dobbs’ series was a quick turnover on downs.
Tuesday’s practice should be a light one before all eyes turn to Wednesday and Commanders. This week’s practices are still open to the public through Sunday starting at 10 a.m.
