FOXBOROUGH — Well, I'll say one thing for the first voluntary offseason practice under Jerod Mayo: the team put in a full day of work.
The session started at Noon and went past 2 p.m. The first half of practice was mostly positional drills. The second half of practice featured three lengthy team periods that were not overly competitive. It ended with some serious on-field conditioning work.
I have some gripes about the practice script, but we'll get into that in a minute. Here are some observations from practice:
• Matthew Judon, Davon Godchaux, Josh Uche and Anfernee Jennings were not at practice. Cole Strange, Jahlani Tavai and Kendrick Bourne were there rehabbing injuries. Bourne did some things but appears to be fairly far away. Perhaps some time in camp. Strange just watched. He could be a while, hence drafting more interior linemen.
I did not see QB coach TC McCartney on the field.
• The quarterbacks went in expected order: Jacoby Brissett, Bailey Zappe, Drake Maye and Joe Milton. The rookies took decidedly fewer team reps. They all had their moments. Brissett and Zappe were efficient. Yes, Maye is still throwing with a slight hitch but it does appear to have improved slightly. It's still annoying. Giardi will have more on the QBs.
Alex Van Pelt and Ben McAdoo worked with the QBs with Evan Rothstein watching.
A lot of checkdowns/short passes in team. Lots of outside zone and boot action off it.
Zappe had a nice throw in traffic after getting his arm hit that was somehow completed to Pop Douglas.
Kyle Dugger had a nice pass breakup of Brissett to Austin Hooper that was thrown too flat.
Milton and Kayshon Boutte had a nice hook up to the sideline.
• The offensive line was fascinating and will continue to be moving forward. Lines shifts:
LT: Chuk Okorafor/Vederian Lowe/Caeden Wallace
LG: Sidy Sow/Michael Jordan/Andrew Stueber
C: David Andrews/Jake Andrews/Charles Turner-Atonio Mafi
RG: Nick Leverett/Atonio Mafi/Layden Robinson
RT: Mike Onwenu/Calvin Anderson/Tyrone Wheatley Jr.
Mafi played all three interior spots. He did not appear to be in good shape.
Anderson, who is coming back from malaria, appeared skinny. Of course, we didn't see him much last year so it's hard to tell if that's a difference.
Onwenu doesn't appear to have trimmed to play tackle.
• Good to see LB Raekwon McMillan back on the field.
• Marte Mapu worked with the safeties but lined up a lot at sub linebacker.
• Free agent Jaylinn Hawkins got a lot of run at free safety.
• Christian Gonzalez and Jonathan Jones were the starting outside corners. Marcus Jones worked some at safety and the slot.
• Keion White and Deatrich Wise played a lot in a two-point stance today. White said after it wasn't different, it was just passing day so they stand up more. Looked like a change or tweak to me.
• DT Trysten Hill got reamed out by DL coach Jerry Montgomery at one point. The former Green Bay assistant is known to be very intense and not one who easily praises. Will be interesting to see how Montgomery's style meshes with Mayo's softer, gentler approach.
• Antonio Gibson was very active in the passing game.
• KJ Osborn dropped two passes. Tyquan Thornton caught a nice over route from Brissett. Juju Smith-Schuster said he feels great this year, only was at about 60 percent at this time last year coming off knee surgery.
• I thought the second half of practice was not efficient. The last three periods were over 12 minutes each and there was a lot of standing around. The last team period appeared pretty pointless with the QBs not throwing any passes - they just faked a throw in the jogthrough (Zappe at one point took snaps without his helmet on; could have been an equipment issue). One thing you have to keep in mind, West Coast offense coaches LOVE their reps and can get out of control with them. I wonder who is responsible for the practice script. It could be McAdoo, the senior offensive assistant, who comes from the same background as Van Pelt. Mayo's going to need to keep tabs on all that.
