FOXBOROUGH — Observations from today's Patriots practice, the final OTA open to the media before next week's mandatory minicamp:
• Attendance: WR Javon Baker, CB Marcellas Dial, WR Tyquan Thornton were limited. CB Shaun Wade left with an injury. LB Jahlani Tavai and OT Zuri Henry were rehabbing.
Not present: DEs Matthew Judon and Josh Uche, LB Sione Takitaki, CBs Marcus Jones and Jonathan Jones, OL Jake Andrews, Cole Strange, Mike Onwenu, and Chuk Okorafor, WRs TJ Luther, Kendrick Bourne; DTs Davon Godchaux and Daniel Ekuale.
• The most significant development was that third-overall pick Drake Maye seemed to pass Bailey Zappe in getting second-team reps. Joe Milton barely got any team reps.
• Without Onwenu and Okorafor, the offensive lines were again juggled and they were not good. The offense looked decent in 7 on 7. As soon as the lines got involved, the offense stunk up the joint. That led Jacoby Brissett to show a little frustration.
• The lines:
LT: Calvin Anderson/Tyrone Wheatley
LG: Sidy Sow/Nick Leverett
C: David Andrews/Atonio Mafi
RG: Michael Jordan/Layden Robinson
RT: Caeden Wallace/Vederian Lowe
Interesting that they moved Wallace from left to right. Mayo kind of foreshadowed that before practice:
"Those guys (Okorafor and Wallace) are out there competing, and I would say the one where we look at those guys is versatility. Obviously, we look at Big Mike [Mike Onwenu], saying he has the right side locked down, but these guys are all competing. They're able to slide to different spots. They're working out of a sense of abundance where those guys are working together, trying to get better. Once training camp gets here, we'll see what happens."
• In the first team period — and this practice was heavy on red zone — Brissett was 1 for 4 with a TD.
Maye was 1 for 3 with a scramble. His only completion was a screen.
Zappe was 1 for 2 with a TD and a fumble as the ball came loose as he faked a pass.
• Red zone 7 on 7 was better for the offense.
Brissett was 6 of 9 with 4 TDs. Maye was 3 for 4 with a TD. Zappe was 2 of 4 with 2 TDs. Milton was 1 for 4, TD.
Offense was having a grand old time.
• Then the offensive line came on the field for a regular team period (no red zone) and the fun stopped.
Brissett handoff, sack, sack.
Maye short completion, handoff after a high snap from Mafi, interception to CB Kaleb Ford-Dement who was camped out after Maye sailed it over Juju Smith-Schuster.
• Back to red zone for team period.
Brissett: Stevenson run for -5, Brissett incomplete to Stevenson as he had to throw it early under pressure, incomplete to Hunter Henry, complete to Kayshon Boutte for a TD, incomplete to KJ Osborn.
Maye: Sack by LB Christian Elliss unblocked, Jordan false start, checkdown to JaMychal Hasty, scramble after a high snap from Mafi, interception to a diving Kyle Dugger. Nice play by Pop Douglas to pop the ball out.
Zappe: Antonio Gibson run, touchdown to Jaheim Bell, touchdown to Kawaan Baker.
• Third down competition to end practice with Brissett at QB.
Complete to Baker for TD, incomplete to Jalen Reagor hight out of end zone, incomplete to Osborn on a possible drop.
Offense had to do pushups after losing 2 of 3 downs.
• Yeah, it was pretty rough. Basically, Zappe's reps made it look better than it was in reality.
• Christian Barmore was very strong on the pass rush. CB Alex Austin continues to open eyes.
• Stevenson looks like he's shed a lot of weight. He looks like a different back. Sometimes I have to check the roster to make sure it's him.
• The more I see Ja'Lynn Polk, the more I like him. His route running in individual is crisp. He will, at the very least, be a better.
• Through three OTA practices, Osborn's ability to consistently catch the ball has been an issue. It was an issue for him last year in Minnesota but it appeared to be an outlier. Maybe not.