FOXBOROUGH - As the Patriots returned to training camp practice Sunday morning, it became readily apparent that Craig Woodson's rise up the depth chart is no joke. In fact, the rookie took first-team reps over Kyle Dugger for the length of the two-hour session during 7-on-7 and team drills. That's the first time Woodson has gone wire-to-wire with the ones this summer.
Obviously, Dugger's contract comes into immediate focus. I can't imagine a scenario in which this new regime (Vrabel/Streicher/Cowden) wants to pay a backup $11 million in real cash this season (per OTC). Then again, the money is all guaranteed ($14.3 million in dead cap), so if the Pats can't find a taker, do they sit on Dugger and break glass in case of emergency? I would go with the latter if a trade partner can't be found.
Dugger is having trouble with a scheme that's going to ask its safeties to play more 1-on-1 coverage than he's ever done before. As we know, that's never been a strength of his. Dugger is a downhill player who does his best work lined up close to the line of scrimmage and beating the dog out of tight ends and lead blockers, including pulling guards.
Meanwhile, Woodson's fit has been relatively seamless. He's looked every bit the part of a rising player since we got our first glimpse of the University of California product in the spring. That's carried over into full pads when, let's face it, the game becomes more difficult.
"Really just the competitiveness of everything," Woodson said when asked what's stood out so far. "Like every drill that you do, you're competing and you're trying to earn a role in the team. So, I think just the intensity of that is just on a whole other level (from) college."
Woodson has lined up as a deep safety, split safety, and close to the line of scrimmage, even tallying a quarterback pressure in Friday night's preseason opener. That's not to say he was flawless - he missed a tackle - but he has generally been in the right place at the right time.
"Yeah, I'm used to doing it at Cal," he said of playing different spots. "We kind of did everything. So for me to be in different positions, whether that's free or in the box, whatever it is, I'm just ready for the challenge. And whatever position the coaches want to put me in, I have to be ready."
Woodson had a near interception of Drake Maye in Sunday's practice. Most of us thought he had secured the football. There was some dispute on the field, and considering the nature of the period, Mike Vrabel was going to have them put the ball where Mike Vrabel wanted. But Woodson confessed that the ball did hit the ground.
"I should have played it off," he opined after practice. "I should have made it look like I had it and run the other way. I definitely learned from that, from those types of situations. Gotta play it off if the refs don't know."
CAMPBELL CHECKS IN
After his preseason debut Friday night, Will Campbell answered three questions in the locker room and then headed for the door. He wasn't as lucky following Sunday's session, speaking to reporters for a little over five minutes (although it's not as if the first-round pick was facing a firing squad). Some takeaways:
On Vrabel jumping into the scrum during the joint practice with the Commanders (Campbell was in there as well): "Yeah, protect your teammates. That's all I've got to say about it."
On the play that led to Maye's fumble Friday night: "I mean, we just got to pick up the stunt. We practiced it. Just got to take it to the game. It's very fixable. That's something we'll work on. We obviously know that's something that can happen. We'll get it fixed."
On finishing blocks, even down the field: "I think it's very important, not just for me, but that's something that we preach for a whole team. We want to set the tone the way that we play. So, you know, I wasn't the only guy doing that. Everybody was out there finishing flying around, and I feel like that showed so, we're going to keep building - a good block to start on. Just keep progressing."
Overall impressions of his game: "Got to get better. We have to get better as a team. ... still a lot of meat left on the bone, no matter what really happened on the scoreboard. I feel like we have a lot more than we can do."
I would love to see Campbell get more reps in true pass sets this week in Minnesota, but after that opening series mistake against Washington, his second drive was all that you'd want from a young and explosive tackle.
