Patriots Camp Report 07.26.24: Big crowd gets some big plays but more sluggish offense

FOXBOROUGH — Practice No. 3 of 2024 is in the books, let's run down all you need to know: all the stats, 3 up/down and odds and ends:

FOUR THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

We finally got a couple of highlight plays: Almost simultaneously on separate fields, a very large crowd got something to cheer about with the rookie QBs/WRs when Ja'Lynn Polk made an incredible leaping catch over the cornerback and ahead of the safety on about a 40-yard bomb from Drake Maye.

On the other field, Joe Milton launched a 60-yard bomb to Javon Baker.

Of course, not too long after, Maye should have been sacked, kept the play alive and tossed a lazy ball into the flat that Matthew Judon picked off for a pick-6. Nice editing by the Patriots' social media team here:

Patriots put the offensive tackles in a blender today: The team appears to be getting a look at several different line combinations as rookie Caeden Wallace and veteran Calvin Anderson got the starter reps at left tackle, and Chuks Okorafor and Vederian Lowe split them on the other side.

"I’ll just say this about the offensive line: the best five will play," Jerod Mayo said before practice. "Now, not going to get into who is playing guard and who is playing tackle, but as we continue to go throughout training camp and start to put on the pads, we’re going to put the best five out there."

Offense mostly struggled again: The Patriots had a negative play rate of 60 percent on Thursday and Friday was a slight improvement. In full team periods with Brissett and Maye, the Patriots had 14 positive plays out of 25. So the negative play rate was 44 percent today. An improvement, but still not great.

Among the miscues: 4 sacks, Maye interception and Maye fumbled snap. That's three straight with a QB/center issue.

"The offense, obviously they’re still gelling together, and we have a lot of guys on defense that already know the scheme," Mayo said at the top of his press conference, unprompted. "You know, it’s harder to jump to conclusions. Are these guys going to be good? Are they bad? Like, I don’t know, and I don’t think you guys know either. I don’t even think the coaches out there know. But one thing I will say is it’s about competition and it’s about getting better each and every day, not only on the field, but also off the field.

"I feel good about it. You know, obviously, Jacoby’s leading the way there at quarterback. He’s been in the scheme before, and he’s really displayed a lot of leadership. Not only in the quarterback room, but also just amongst the entire offense because he is familiar with the scheme. I’m happy where they are. They’re out here, they’re working hard, and that’s really all you can ask for. The progress will continue to go.

Jabrill Peppers latest to get an extension: Mayo confirmed that the veteran safety has reached agreement with the team. The reported terms: 3-year extension with a base value of $24 million and worth up to $30M.

TAKING ATTENDANCE

Physically unable to perform list: C Jake Andrews, WR Kendrick Bourne, LG Cole Strange, LB Sione Takitaki
Non-football injury list: RB Antonio Gibson.
Red non-contact jerseys: CB Shaun Wade.
Returned to practice: NT Davon Godchaux.
Full participants: None.
Out: DT Christian Barmore, 
Limited: WR Demario Douglas, RB Deshaun Fenwick, RB Terrell Jennings, S Marte Mapu.
New injuries: None.

DRESS CODE

Helmets.

LENGTH OF PRACTICE

1:45 under sunny skies.

QB STATS

Team periods

Jacoby Brissett: 4 of 6, 2 sacks total (1 of 3, sack; 3 of 3, sack)
Drake Maye: 7 of 10, 2 sacks, INT, fumble total (2 of 4; 2 of 3, INT, sack, fumbled snap; 3 of 3, sack in opportunity period with backups)
Joe Milton: 3 of 3 (opportunity period)

7 on 7

Jacoby Brissett: 4 of 6
Drake Maye: 4 of 6

Note: I do not have the number of reps that some other writers have because I do not count when the offense is "working off cards." Those are plays when an assistant coach literally brings out a play on a card and shows it to one side of the ball. They are not running their own plays so since there are so many x-factors — including the receiver running the right route, and blockers executing correctly — so I do not count those reps.

MAYE REPORT

Dialing down on the top draft pick in team periods.

This was Maye's series in the first team session:

Harris run (good)
Incomplete to Hunter Henry (boot left that was not close and in traffic)
Harris run
Incomplete to Juju Smith-Schuster, who fell against Isaiah Bolden
Complete bubble screen to KJ Osborn (high throw, better catch)
Complete slant to Rhamondre Stevenson, who was wide open.

Second series:

Playaction, pump fake deep completion to Ja'Lynn Polk
Sack by Deatrich Wise on a boot
Stevenson run
Dropped snap between Maye and Nick Leverett (Leverett pulled)
Playaction interception to Judon
Toss run to Harris (good)

HANDS TEAM

Fumbles: Maye/Leverett under center exchange.
Drops: None.
Pass breakups: Alex Austin, Azizi Hearn, Bentley, Dugger.
Interception: Judon (Maye).
Sacks: Deatrich Wise, Sam Roberts.

TOP PLAYS

The Maye and Milton plays that we said at the top.

THREE UP

WR Ja'Lynn Polk: Just a sensational catch and he continued to be active as the de facto No. 1 receiver.

DE Matthew Judon: Quite the acrobatic INT from the veteran.

QB Joe Milton: Didn't watch him a ton on the other field with Bailey Zappe but he had the big play and he was a crisp 3 of 3 - one a laser dig to JaQua Jackson - in his opportunity period. Man, he can throw the football.

THREE DOWN

C Nick Leverett: He's had a snap issue twice in three practices with Maye. Looked like the coaches blamed him today.

OT Caeden Wallace: This is a bit of guess because there's a lot going on, but it seemed like more pressure was coming from his left side today than when Okorafor was there.

S Jaylinn Hawkins: Got the first reps at FS and he didn't get there in time on Polk's catch.

QUICK HITS

• Patriots seemed pretty set at corner with Christian Gonzalez and Jonathan Jones, and then Marcus Jones as the nickel.
• Saw the kickers for the first time today and this is what I saw:

30 yards, left hash: Chad Ryland no good (it was very close, at least over the right up right); Joey Slye good.
34 yards, left hash: Both good.
38 yards, right hash: Both good.
40 yards, left hash: Both good.

Slye was most consistently down the middle.

• While the tackles moved around, Sidy Sow, David Andrews and Mike Onwenu have been entrenched on the interior.

SCHEDULE

Saturday: OFF
Sunday: 11 a.m. (shells)
Monday: 11 a.m. (pads)
Tuesday: 11 a.m.
Wednesday: OFF