FOXBOROUGH — This will be a muted version of our comprehensive mini-camp/training camp practice reports. It's only the second week of full-squad workouts, and they're not close to having pads on. It's hard to draw too many judgments from the Underwear Olympics.
HEADLINES
Flowers, Edelman, and Hightower back in the mix: Three of the best players on the Patriots (not named Brady or Gronkowski) took part in practice and looked good. Trey Flowers was not at last week's practice for an unknown reason. He was at left end, which is a flip from last season (Adrian Clayborn can really only play the right side due to his Erb's palsy). That will be a transition but not a huge one. Julian Edelman took part in more drills this week and is obviously slowly being worked back. He's cutting well. Dont'a Hightower looks much more trim to me. He seems to have lost some body fat and, as a result, looks quicker. He was lined up at strong-side linebacker with Elandon Roberts in the middle. Hightower was only featured as a standup linebacker in this practice.
QBs were much better this week, but not a high degree of difficulty: In the competitive periods, Brian Hoyer was a combined 18-for-25 with 3.5 touchdowns (Chris Hogan bobbled one and looked to be out of bounds) and one interception on a deflection. Danny Etling was 8-for-11. Hoyer's TD came in the red-zone period where he was 5-for-9. But, largely for the session, there were a lot of checkdowns to the backs, including a series of passes to James White.
It appears we have a punting competition: It's still very early, so we don't know if both punters will even make it to camp, but it looks like Ryan Allen has competition from undrafted rookie Corey Bojorquez. I know most don't care about this, but I do (mostly because it gives me something to do during special-teams periods. Bojorquez definitely made an impression last week, and it continued in Week 2. Allen got twice as many reps (six punts), but Bojorquez had the edge today. Allen's average hangtime: 4.15 (high of 4.4, low of 3.84). Bojorquez: 4.37 (high 4.45, low 4.32). Bojorquez also served as Stephen Gostkowski's holder on field goals. This either signaled this could go on a while, or the Patriots wanted more data before cutting bait.
ATTENDANCE
Marcus Cannon, Trent Brown, Braxton Berrios, Keion Crossen, Malcom Brown and Jonathan Jones left to rehab on the lower fields at one point.
RANDOM OBSERVATIONS
I'm not going to go off the deep end about anything, so don't overreact to the stuff you read here. It's like the second week of school. At the same time, you can't completely ignore it (plus, we're not entirely sure who is who thanks to the great number switching of 2018).
- Starting offensive line was (left to right) LaAdrian Waddle, Jason King, David Andrews, Shaq Mason and Ulrick John. Second line: Matt Tobin, Luke Bowanko, James Ferentz, Ted Karras, Cole Croston.
- Starting d-line was: Flowers, Lawrence Guy, Danny Shelton, Clayborn. Derek Rivers and Deatrich Wise came on in next at end.
- Edelman had a fumble on a reverse; Dwayne Allen had one later on.
- De-factor DC Brian Flores is not shy about making sure things are being done right. He was heard barking throughout practice.
- Undrafted RB Ralph Webb is a big-time arm-catcher.
- CB Ryan Lewis is very competitive on the outside.
- Marquis Flowers had an issue with his left shoulder at one point. Roberts limped off but returned.
- Sorry to inform you, but I saw a lot of Jordan Richards at safety.
- Undrafted CB JC Jackson got a lot of run with the starters. At one point he blew a coverage to give up a TD. It was supposed to be Cover 3 but he played man.
- Hoyer continues to have the same issue -- he will hold the ball and throw a beat late.
- Jacob Hollister had a drop, but also a nice catch on a contested catch against Richards. Phillip Dorsett was fighting the ball in drills. Jeremy Hill dropped a pass and largely had Ivan Fears all over his rear end. Mike Gillislee had slow feet through the running backs pad drill and Fears got on him.
- The Cordarrelle Patterson watch will continue all summer. He ran a couple of wrong routes, and then ran such a poor pattern into the end zone that he nearly injured Lewis.
- Damarius Travis is playing corner, and looks like Brandon Browner in the No. 39 jersey.
- Edelman, Hogan Riley McCarron, Jomal Wiltz and Pat Chung all fielded punts. We saw bobbles from Wiltz and McCarron.
- On the first play of red zone, Chung and Richards were burned by Rex Burkhead on a nice pass from Hoyer.
- Chung held Hollister on another red zone pass.
- Not sure if he's a fit for the offense, but Kenny Britt looks to be in phenomenal shape. Just an Adonis.
