FOXBOROUGH - Practice No. 15 of 2024 is in the books; let's run down all you need to know:
THREE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
Drake Maye takes limited snaps with starting line: First off, this was a typical jog-through practice two days after a game. The kind where you're just getting the legs going again, and going over corrections. Getting back in the flow of things.
But, for the first time in camp, Drake Maye did take snaps with David Andrews and the rest of the starting offensive line. There is some needed context. It was a jog-through two-minute drill when the Patriots had action on both fields (Maye and Jacoby Brissett on one, Joe Milton and Bailey Zappe on the other) β a two-spot as Jerod Mayo announced to the players. There were some injuries on the offensive line (namely Nick Leverett and Calvin Anderson) that limited the depth. Previously when the Patriots did the two-spot, there would be a couple of select reserves (namely Leverett) waiting to spell Andrews, in particular. So it's tough judge exactly what this meant, and how significant it was.
But it wasn't nothing. For the first time in camp, Brissett had to watch Maye take snaps from Andrews. Could be a precursor of things to come. Maye certainly earned the snaps. We'll have to see if it continues when practice is more regular on Sunday.
TE Austin Hooper leaves with injury: The Patriots were already missing Hunter Henry for an extended stretch (he finally reappeared Saturday, watching practice and walking gingerly) and now it appears they'll be without Hooper at least for a short period of time as he limped off the field and down to the locker room. Mitchell Wilcox was TE1 the rest of practice.
Offensive line put into a blender, sort of: The regular starting offensive line was back intact for most of Saturday's sessions, but the Patriots also made some curious rotations - namely Onwenu took his first snaps at RT of camp. Here's what transpired:
LT Lowe, LG Sow, C Andrews, RG Onwenu, RT Okorafor
Robinson to LG for Sow, Wallace to RT for Okorafor
Okorafor to LT for Lowe, Jordan to RG for Onwenu
Okorafor, Sow, Fornadel, Jordan, Wallace
Lowe to LT for Okorafor, Onwenu to RT for Wallace.
Robinson to LG for Sow.
Starting line back out with Brissett
Maye line: Okorafor, Sow, Fordandel, Jordan, Wallace.
Milton: Diesch in for Okorafor.
TAKING ATTENDANCE
Physically unable to perform list: WR Kendrick Bourne, LG Cole Strange, LB Sione Takitaki
Non-football injury list: None.
Red non-contact jerseys: None.
Returned to practice: CB Marcus Jones, CB Jonathan Jones.
Out: DT Christian Barmore, S Marte Mapu, TE Hunter Henry, OT Calvin Anderson (left wrist), C Nick Leverett.
Limited: DE Keion White
New injuries: TE Austin Hooper (left foot). Left the field and did not return.
DRESS CODE
Shells.
LENGTH OF PRACTICE
90 minutes.
NO STATS FOR THIS PRACTICE
The only somewhat competitive period was 7 on 7.
Brissett
In cut to Douglas
Stick to Polk
Hits Gibson underneath the LBs
Overthrows Austin Hooper on a skinny post. Hooper didn't exactly accelerate. This could have been when he got hurt.
Maye
Rips a ball in the middle to Wilcox
Hits Kevin Harris perfectly in stride on a 40-yard wheel
Complete to Osborn
Complete to Pettway
I will say, Maye looked by far the most confident I have seen him in a practice to date. He seemed relaxed, in command and decisive. Of course, there was not a real pass rush and no pads, but again I don't think it's nothing. I think he definitely gained some confidence the other night (which is why they should have played him more in the opener).