Through four practices this offseason, the Patriots had settled into some fairly predictable roles in most spots, while the team obviously tested out some different looks and personnel groupings, especially at safety.
Among those:
- Mac Jones was entrenched at QB1, with Bailey Zappe getting a few reps with some starters, which could be explained away as rest for Jones;
- First-round pick Christian Gonzalez was definitely CB1 at left corner for just about every rep with Jonathan Jones on the other side, and Jack Jones if the veteran corner was not at an optional practice.
But in the fifth and final practice (after the Patriots canceled the last scheduled session Wednesday), Bill Belichick threw a bit of a curveball at those two spots.
Jack Jones got all the starter reps at CB1 with Jon Jones, which put Gonzalez with Marcus Jones on the second unit.
And after leading the backups in the 12th period, Zappe stayed on the field for the 13th period with the starting line and top weapons for the first time in a practice open to the media. Jones was relegated to working with the backup line but some top weapons, before finishing with developing players.
Why would Belichick make those moves at that point heading into the summer break and then camp?
I think the two situations are different, but related.
With Jack Jones, you're talking about a young player tabbed in the pre-draft process as having maturity issues. Those held during his rookie season when he flashed great playmaking ability at times, but he was inconsistent and then wound up being suspended by the team to finish the season. I'm sure there were some confidence issues associated with that, and he probably wasn't sure where he was in Belichick's eyes. And seeing Gonzalez get his reps almost immediately probably didn't help.
But Jones, to his credit, has worked hard, kept his nose down and clean, and done his job. By elevating Jones to CB1 for the last practice (where he had a nice interception of Mac Jones), that was Belichick's way of showing Jones that they've seen his hard work, and wanted to give him a little carrot before heading off into the summer. Belichick showed Jones he has confidence in him, but that he needs to make sure he continues to do the right things this summer.
Jones should depart this week feeling good about his place on the team, and that confidence should continue into training camp when he will have an opportunity to win a job. That could be anywhere from top cornerback to No. 2/3. I expect there to be a battle with Gonzalez, who is off to a good start. Elevating Jones also serves Belichick to keep Gonzalez in check and not to think he's been handed something. The rookie is going to have to battle all three Joneses this summer to earn his spot — nothing is given, even to first-round picks who looks the part of a top cornerback in shorts.
The quarterback thing is more complicated, and slightly different. I do think there's an element of rewarding Zappe, who has done everything the coaches have asked for since he arrived in Foxborough. He's also executed well. It was basically Belichick telling Zappe, "Mac may be getting most of the reps, but we haven't forgotten about you and you're still competing for the job."
But most of the aim for Belichick was at Jones, to keep him motivated, to remind them that nothing has been determined and that he needs to stay on the program because Zappe can step in at any point and execute just fine for this offense.
If Jones slips at any point come camp, I fully expect Zappe to get an opportunity to show what he can do, especially in the joint practices with the Packers and Titans. Remember, when Cam Newton was here and Jones was a rookie, Newton all the reps Jones is getting now, but Jones occasionally got starter snaps so the coaches could evaluate Jones accurately. When Newton missed time in joint practices, Jones jumped on the opportunity and ran with it to the point Newton was released.
While the chances of that scenario playing out again aren't great at this time, it can't be ruled out. And Zappe getting those reps on Tuesday was a not-so-subtle reminder of that to Jones, just as he enters summer break.
Belichick is just trying to push the right buttons.
