Top of the news and then some of our thoughts from an interesting third OTA practice open to the media on Thursday at Gillette Stadium:
HEADLINES
Mac Jones checked by Bill Belichick: If first-round pick Mac Jones thought he was he was on his way to claiming the QB1 spot with Cam Newton (hand) likely out until training camp, the HC of the NEP predictably had other thoughts on Friday. Jones very much was given rookie reps behind Jarrett Stidham and Brian Hoyer throughout the session. On a normal team, this was somewhat of a surprise given that Jones was the No. 2 for the first practice, and then was the first one up after Newton went down in the last practice. But the Patriots aren't your normal team. Bill Belichick is going to Belichick and we'll have some thoughts down below about why the order was what it was.
The Defensive Boyz were back: What a sight it was to see Dont'a Hightower, Matthew Judon, Devin McCourty, JC Jackson and Adrian Phillips on the field for the first time together, along with a host of others. Hightower looked about the same as he did from his last camp, when he noticeably shed bulk and appeared more agile. Might be even more cut now. Judon looks the part, strong and physical. McCourty was McCourty and while Hightower was eased in, No. 32 was back in his usual spot.
Still missing some people: N'Keal Harry and Trent Brown were on the field, but Nelson Agholor and Rashod Berry were new absences. Not seen: Cam Newton, Stephon Gilmore, Isaiah Wynn, Jonnu Smith, Lawrence Guy, Byron Cowart, Nick Folk, Brandon Bolden, Terez Hall, Devin Smith. Korey Cunningham and Yodny Cajuste were there but didn't appear to be doing much.
Hunter Henry slowed, sits out balance of practice: At one point during 11-on-11s, the free-agent TE appeared to slip or get tangled up with a defender away from the ball. He took a minute to get to his feet, came off and had his left ankle taped. He did not re-enter, but stayed on the field and watched the rest of practice. The injury did not appear serious. Stidham also banged his throwing hand on a helmet but didn't miss a rep.
BEDARD'S THOUGHTS
- So, on the QB reps, I wouldn't read too much into them. As we've said with every OTA practice open to the media, we don't know how the reps were handled in the closed practices. We do know Belichick put Jones front and center for the media in the previous two sessions. With no Newton and we know Hoyer has no chance other than being a distant backup, it's down to Stidham or Hoyer. Look, Stidham looked good the other day. He's been working hard. Would not surprise me if Belichick wanted to give him a little confidence boost.
- There is one other factor: I wouldn't put it past Belichick to humble Jones a little bit — or at least want to see how he reacts — on the same day he was due to talk to the media for the first time. If Jones got all the reps in front of the media and then was on Zoom with us, then he would have faced some unfair questions.
- Really, it doesn't matter. Jones got some reps with the ones, and the only real reps come in training camp. I would not read too much into it.
- With Wynn out again, Brown was the LT, Ted Karras was the LG and Mike Onwenu was the RT.
- I did not keep QB stats in this practice because the reps weren't all that competitive. I would say overall all the QBs were good — this was an all-passing practice — because the ball barely hit the ground. If I had an overall comment, I would say everyone looked comfortable and better without Newton in the mix.
- Hoyer appears to be in, "I know I'm not going to be here for long so I'm just going to air it out." He's the only QB who airs it out consistently down the field. Hoyer had a beauty to Zuber over D'Angelo Ross, and Devin Asiasi got deep against Kyle Dugger.
- Stidham was tentative on some throws and held it a beat too long.
- Jones showed some really nice touch on a little throw over the shoulder of Tyler Gaffney toward the sideline ... perfectly thrown to where Gaffney could quickly turn up field. Jones had another throw where he really fired one between defenders.
- Some nice catches by Kendrick Bourne (late hands on the sideline), Isaiah Zuber (deep) and Marvin Hall.
- Kristian Wilkerson dropped a Jones pass. Bourne appeared to drop a Stidham pass. Stidham slipped trying to go deep to Hall and overthrew him.
- Rhamondre Stevenson has some big legs. Looks good. Needs to work on his pass routes a little bit.
- Thought the line did much better in this practice holding up against the pressure and the pass rush wasn't nearly as effective.