FOXBOROUGH – Trash talking, big plays and a brief scare for like, 30 seconds.
By design, the final day of minicamp in June isn’t supposed to be as exciting and entertaining as it was in Foxborough on Thursday. In fact, more often than not over the last 25 years, the organization frequently cancels the final day.
Instead, the Patriots used it as an opportunity to ramp up the competition and end on a good note before heading into a six-week break.
The team strictly worked in the red zone, which naturally breeds competition in a tight space anyway. Throw in some high-paid, top-of-their-position type guys battling to make plays and it was a fun couple of hours.
Here’s everything that went down:
-Morgan Moses was present, but didn’t participate. It’s the first time we’ve seen him since he was injured in a voluntary practice a couple of weeks ago. Both Christian Gonzalez and Kayshon Boutte were back again, but neither participated in any team periods.
-First series for Maye: Quick completion to Rhamondre Stevenson, incompletion out of bounds for TreVeyon Henderson, PBU over the middle for safety Mike Brown, sick toe-tap in the back of the end zone for Romeo Doubs, but coaches standing at the back line ruled he was out of bounds… Incompletion high and out of bounds for A. J. Brown (vs. Kobee Minor), Ridiculous TD catch in the back left corner for Brown, where he turned his head mid-route like a centerfielder (he noted after practice that playing CF growing up helps him track the ball) and hauled it in against Craig Woodson. The offense sprinted over to celebrate while the defense (standing on the back line) chirped to get back in the huddle.
-Tommy DeVito’s first series included completions to Henderson, Efton Chism and Jeremiah Webb. Webb’s was a TD in the back of the end zone. Chism’s was a TD near the left pylon where he had to fight through a hold. Charles Woods also had phenomenal PBU, leaping up to swat a ball away.
-Maye’s second series: Christian Elliss blows up a screen to Stevenson, completion on a little out to Brown just shy of the goal line, incompletion to the back left corner on a fade for Hunter Henry, Maye scrambles for a TD with a little pump fake to hold off a rushing Elijah Ponder near the goal line before running in at the front left pylon. Maye then hit Eli Raridon for a TD too.
-Devitto’s second series had touchdowns to wide receiver Tanner Arkin and a sick little back shoulder throw to Kyle Williams vs. Brandon Crossley. Linebacker Kahlil Jacobs got beat on the Arkin touchdown, but had a nice PBU over the middle against Chism on a crosser.
-In a bit of a surprise, rookie Behren Morton got 10 consecutive snaps. After a TD run for rookie running back Jam Miller, he had touchdown passes to wide receiver Jimmy Kibble (bullet on a slant), wide receiver Kyle Dixon (great toe-tap on the back line) and wide receiver Nick DeGennaro. on the DeGennaro TD, former BC linebacker and seventh-round draft pick Quintayvious Hutchins so some explosiveness off the right edge. Crossley also had a great one-handed PBU and cornerback Kenneth Harris also had a PBU against Dixon.
-Maye’s third series: PBU over the middle for linebacker Chad Muma on a crosser to Pop, nice wheel TD for Henderson, short little completion to Pop, incompletion to the back left corner intended for Hollins (Kindle Vildor in coverage and he let Hollins know about it), TD pass to Henry (wide open left side of the end zone). There was also an incompletion on the final throw on a little trickery too (that’s all I can say).
-DeVito’s final series went incompletion, incompletion, incompletion, ball batted at the line of scrimmage by Leonard Taylor III.
-Maye’s final series: Incompletion to Brown (high), incompletion in the end zone (really just a throw away due to coverage), incompletion to Doubs (coverage by Byard III, TD to Brown in the back left corner. As Brown and others celebrated, attention in the media corner of the field quickly turned to Maye as he was on the ground. He stayed down for 15-30 seconds, got up, shook his head once or twice and then Mike Vrabel called the team up, talked for about five minutes, and just like that, the spring was done. Maye appeared to be fine, staying after practice to throw to the receivers, working on the chemistry that seems to be well on its way to developing.
All in all, it’s hard not to be excited about this offense. Brown is the definition of a game changer and given Josh McDaniels’ history, it’s going to allow other guys to produce as well when Brown dictates coverage. Maye already appears to be playing faster and as Brown noted after practice, is demanding the best out of everyone. The defense (particularly Milton Williams and Christian Barmore) had a solid day, with Williams noticeably getting good push (albeit with no pads on).
Training camp is poised to be as entertaining as its been since the Tom Brady days.
Only 44 days until Day 1.
