FOXBOROUGH — This will be a muted version of our comprehensive mini-camp/training camp practice reports. It's only the third 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
Brady, Gronk back and didn't miss a beat: Chris covered a lot of this already, but it's like the two of them didn't miss any of the previous practices. Brady was spinning the ball well and largely accurate (deep passing looks to be suffering a little from the layoff and lack of practice targets in Brookline). Gronk had fresh legs and continues to look TB12 svelte. Will be interesting to see how he does with blocking once the pads get put on. He struggled in that area last year, and reportedly drew the ire of Bill Belichick as a result.
Kenny Britt leaves with a leg injury: One of the standouts of the three practices open to the media so far — he was No. 3 on our stock watch entering practice — has been the well-traveled, big-bodied veteran. He's been in great shape, has caught the ball well and revealed himself to be an ideal red-zone target. But during red zone work, as Brady threw a pass to the other side of the field, Britt came up lame working a route on the other side of the field. He limped off with what appeared to be a right leg injury, likely the hamstring. Not sure if he pulled it or if it was cramps because he wouldn't bend the leg. This would be a setback. Britt could use all the time with Brady as he can get.
Trent Brown (LT), Isaiah Wynn (LG) get in the starting mix: Again, it's very early and there was some mixing and matching, but the former 49er saw his first public reps at left tackle, and the first-round pick is apparently healthy enough (shoulder) to up his reps. With Joe Thuney (foot) out, there's an opening for some action at left guard. LaAdrian Waddle was mostly at right tackle. Impossible to gauge effectiveness with no pads, but let's just say that Dante Scarnecchia was yelling a lot today.
ATTENDANCE
Not seen: RB Brandon Bolden, TE Jacob Hollister, G Joe Thuney, S David Jones, WR Malcolm Mitchell.
Rehab group: CB Jonathan Jones, WR Braxton Berrios, WR Cody Hollister, CB Keion Crossen, RT Marcus Cannon, CB Cyrus Jones, DT Malcom Brown, S Nate Ebner.
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 third 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).
- It's really not a good sign that Malcolm Mitchell still hasn't been seen very much. He needs to be on the field with such a crowded receiving group. Hopefully, they're playing it safe to give it a good go for training camp.
- Julian Edelman got into team drills — sort of. It happened in the final two-minute period, when the defense was going at half speed and it was more about the offense executing the situation. Edelman has been doing a little bit more each day. Indicates he'll be a full go for training camp.
- Had the QBs, during the 11-on-11 stuff, a combined 24 of 30. Brady was 10 of 12, Brian Hoyer was 11 of 13, and Danny Etling was 3 of 5.
- Brady's two misses came on a flat deep throw to Britt. Brady wasn't happy with himself after it. And also was a little off in the end zone to Phillip Dorsett.
- Hoyer was very sharp. Continue to be impressed with how Etling slings it. His motion is compact and quick — he's been coached very well (like a taller Jimmy Garoppolo) — and he throws a very tight spiral. Yeah, he gets a little loose now and again, but you can see what the Patriots saw in him. They probably think they can tweak his bouts of inaccuracy. (To his credit, he was one of the last guys on the field working with receivers on what appeared to be some deep-ball stuff, something he had issues with in college.)
- Adrian Clayborn flashed in the pass rush today. Was disruptive.
- Dorsett probably had the best day out of all the receivers. He looks more and more comfortable with every rep. The game's starting slow down for him.
- Jordan Matthews showed a nice early rapport with Brady.
- JC Jackson is still starting at RCB opposite Stephon Gilmore. I don't get it. But a team source said Belichick just wants to see how some things look, and he knows what he has in other guys.
- Duke Dawson, at least to me, doesn't get on the field very much. Not sure if there's an injury thing going on. He had a rough time in 7-on-7s.
- On Sony Michel ... he's looked average to this point. Nothing stands out as special right now (things can change and will change). One thought I had: with a lot of these top draft picks at skill positions, there is a dead leg situation. Suddenly, they go from playing just the college season (Aug.-Jan.), to adding workouts for the combine, then private workouts for the draft into May. Their legs can get tired. They're not used to this schedule. I'll be more worried if this continues in camp. His film speaks for itself.
- LBs were still Elandon Roberts at the Mike, Dont'a Hightower at SLB and Kyle Van Noy at WLB.
- Jordan Richards: Still on the team.
- Rex Burkhead is still the best back and it's not close. Jeremy Hill popped a bit today.
- I don't know why Jason McCourty is getting no playing time.
- Cordarrelle Patterson showed more in the pass game than he has to this point and got an shout of approval from Brady. Good sign. And he was used on at least one deceptive play.
- Kick return duties fell to Riley McCarron, Jomal Wiltz, Patterson and Michel.