Welcome to first and 10, a roundup of all the (mostly) Patriots-related news you need to start your Tuesday. Grab your coffee and let’s get to it.
Tuesday marks the last day of open camp practices. We're scheduled to hear from Bill Belichick at 12:30 p.m., with practice set to kick off at 1 p.m. and wrap up around 2:45 p.m. As always, if there’s a question about practice, you can verify times by calling 508-549-0001 or by visiting visiting www.patriots.com/trainingcamp.
A few quick notes before we get int the Tuesday links...
--You're going to want to check this out -- the first-ever BSJ/Bud Light Patriots Watch Party, set for Thursday night at the Scoreboard Sports Bar and Grill in Woburn. Go meet Greg, BRobb and Miguel and talk some Patriots, Celtics and BSJ.
--I'll be honest -- it's hard not to root for Cyrus Jones a little bit. I was with a few reporters who spoke with him after practice on Monday -- it was the first time all summer he talked with us in the media -- and he kept hitting optimistic notes, saying all the right things. Between the injury and his struggles, I think he’s been humbled a bit. We'll see how all that manifests itself come this season, but he's off to a good start. Now, the goal is to stack success going forward.
--Eric Decker had himself an up-and-down day on Monday. He struggled with drops in the early going, but finished strong. Afterward, when he spoke with us, he seemed a little taken aback by all the reporters. He's still a work in progress, and he still has a lot of work to do until he gets on the same page with Tom Brady. It'll be interesting to see how much work he gets on Tuesday, as well as Thursday's second preseason game.
--This quote from Dont'a Hightower talking about Ja'Whaun Bentley after Monday's practice was a good one. He called Bentley a "nice kid. ... Eager to learn, he’s really become a sponge. First dude in the classroom, last one out, always asking questions. Nice-sized kid, good on his feet. He’s going to be a good ballplayer." Lot of similarities there, in my opinion.
Now, on with the links...
1. Greg's practice report has a look at what was an occasionally sloppy session for the offense, one that was punctuated by Brady punting a ball into the stands in (apparent) frustration. For what its worth, it looks like Ryan Allen has regained the punting edge on rookie Corey Bojorquez. Anyway, Greg has all the updates.
2. I was one of a few reporters who spoke with Cyrus Jones for the first time all summer, and like I said, he seemed to say all the right things as he pointed to a fresh start in 2018. “I’m not trying to focus on frustration,” he said after Monday’s practice session. “I’m still blessed to be able to play this game. (I) have an opportunity to still put on a Patriots’ jersey. I’m just blessed to be able to come out here and run around on a football field. Get the work in, try to get back out here to be the best I can be. I’m looking forward to the opportunity to go back out there and have the opportunity to showcase the work I’ve put in.”
3. My Live Coverage updates from Monday's practice kept you up-to-date all morning long.
4. We have video of Decker and Jason McCourty. For added fun, watch the Decker video and see him have to deal with a pesky bee.
5. I spent some quality time talking Patriots with TSN 1260 in Edmonton.
6. Miguel has a cap recap that looks at the impact of Brady's restructured deal on the Patriots' finances.
7. I had an absolutely epic Q&A that went for more than an hour and covered a bunch of stuff, including Cyrus Jones, the secondary, and what the Patriots might do when it comes to personnel moves between now and the start of the regular season. Good stuff.
8. Our buddy Mike Reiss has a good look at Trent Brown's upbringing -- Mike spoke with his parents, including his mother, Tiffany, who says the Patriots left tackle has a big heart. “He does, and it’s almost to his detriment. I have to remind him often times that he can’t save people who don’t want to be saved,” Tiffany Brown said from Albany, Georgia, where she and husband Reginald raised the NFL player who wears a size 18 cleat. “I tell him, ‘You have to be careful of people taking advantage of you.’ He’s a sweetheart.”
9. Phil Perry has Bill Belichick refusing to make a big deal out of the new kickoff rules. "I mean, you still can block who you can block," he said. "They took out the wedge and they changed a couple of alignments, but that’s not really -- I mean, there’s a lot of teams that lined up five by five to kick the ball off. I mean, in the history of football, there’s like probably at least a billion examples of that."
10. Philly's Lane Johnson is ready to face the Patriots on Thursday night. "I'm ready," said Johnson. "I've been waiting on this ever since the Super Bowl was over with. It's time."
Extra Points: This is a dynamite story.
The Patriots Foundation & Bob’s Discount Furniture teamed up with A Bed for Every Child to donate 200 beds to 200 kids who’ve never had one of their own.
And there’s only one way to test it out. pic.twitter.com/GD6ogfsvWK
— Angelique Fiske (@angeliquefiske) August 13, 2018