FOXBOROUGH — Practice No 5 is in the books; let's run down all you need to know, including stats, 1-on-1s, play-by-play, lineup adjustments and observations:
THREE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
Carlton Davis out, Gabe Jacas getting closer, Harold Landry is not: The last time the team was on the practice field, Tuesday, starting left cornerback Carlton Davis exited early with a hamstring injury. Apparently it's a little more serious than minor because he was not on the field on Thursday. He was replaced by Kindle Vildor.
Mike Vrabel said before practice that second-round pick Gabe Jacas is getting close to practicing. But he also added that Harold Landry is not as close as Jacas. The Patriots were already thin at edge before Landry and Jacas were sidelined. That led to a distinct lack of firepower on the edge in 1-on-1s, as Dre'Mont Jones is the only proven NFL talent (Elijah Ponder, a UDFA last year, is second).
Offensive line wins first day of 1-on-1s easily but struggles in team periods: The offensive line was an impressive 14-3-6 in the first padded session of 1-on-1 pass rush drills. Morgan Moses didn't take part, but Will Campbell, Jared Wilson and Mike Onwenu were each 2-0, while Alijah Vera-Tucker was 1-1 (loss to Christian Barmore). Caleb Lomu went 1-0-1 in place of Moses at RT.
Things did not go as well for the first two offensive line units in the first team session in pads, as the interior line struggled. Drake Maye and Jared Wilson had a fumbled snap (second of camp) in the wet conditions that Rhamondre Stevenson picked up. This was the sequencing during a very run-focused period: Maye-stuff, scramble, stuff, completion, stuff, sack. DeVito: sack, sack, stuff, stuff, TD pass.
The good news is that the final team period, which was more balanced and had more passes, was more successful. Maye threw a short slant for a TD to AJ Brown, and DeVito had TD passes to Kyle Williams and Efton Chism, who both made leaping grabs. TreVeyon Henderson and Stevenson also had big runs.
Brown, Williams get more involved: The gumflappers who don't bother to come to practice or really watch that closely have been making a big deal about the slow starts for A.J. Brown and Kyle Williams. Well, that was resolved today as Brown had four catches on five targets, including two short touchdowns. We will point out that Brown hasn't done anything down the field in team periods; it's all been of the short variety. Williams got some more snaps with Maye, and caught two touchdowns from Tommy DeVito. Romeo Doubs was just 1 of 1 on a quick RPO pass, and got blown up for a stuffed run.
(Adam Richins for BSJ)
TAKING ATTENDANCE
Physically unable to perform list: DE Harold Landry, TE CJ Dippre, DE Gabe Jacas.
Non-football injury list: RB Terrell Jennings, S Brendan Schooler
Red non-contact jerseys: QBs.
Returned to practice: CB Charles Woods.
Full participants: None.
Out: CB Carlton Davis (hamstring), CB Brandon Crossley (unknown).
Limited: OT Morgan Moses.
New injuries: None.
DRESS CODE
Full pads (1st day).
LENGTH OF PRACTICE
1:45
QB STATS
Drake Maye: 6 of 7, 2 TDs, sack, fumble, scramble (2 of 3, TD, fumble; 1 of 1, scramble, sack; 3 of 3, TD)
Tommy DeVito: 4 of 6, 4 TDs (1 of 2, TD; 1 of 2, sack, TD; 2 of 2, 2 TDs)
Behren Morton: 2 of 2, 2 TDs, 2 scrambles (1 of 1, TD; 1 of 1, scramble TD; scramble)
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 — I do not count those reps.
(Adam Richins for BSJ)
IMPACT PLAYS IN TEAM PERIODS
Fumbles: Maye and Wilson snap.
Drops: None.
Pass breakups: None.
Interceptions: None.
Run stuffs (11): Dre'Mont Jones (Tanner Arkin), Dell Pettus, Robert Spillane (Mike Onwenu), Christian Elliss, Cory Durden (Wilson), Khalil Jacobs 2, Leonard Taylor (Ben Brown), Team 2, Amari Gainer (Jack Westover).
Pressures/sacks (4): Eric Gregory (Wilson), Milton Williams unblocked sack (Wilson/Vera-Tucker mix-up), Xavier Holmes sack (Marcus Bryant), Namdi Obiazor.
PASS RUSH ONE-ON-ONES
RECEIVER/DB ONE-ON-ONES FROM GIARDI
Red Zone (all Maye reps)
- Slant to A.J. Brown broken up by Christian Gonzalez.
- Rhamondre Stevenson shakes Robert Spillane at the top of the route.
- Hunter Henry reels in a perfectly thrown ball over Kevin Byard for a touchdown.
- Charles Woods holds up on a Romeo Doubs fade and comes away with a PBU.
- Marcus Jones with a PBU on a quick slant to Pop Douglas.
- TreVeyon Henderson makes a diving catch at the goal line after creating some space against Christian Elliss.
- Eli Raridon may have gotten away with a push-off on Craig Woodson for a TD in the flat.
- Mack Hollins beats Kobee Minor on a slant.
- Gonzalez with a PBU on a poorly thrown back shoulder to Kayshon Boutte.
- Stevenson loses K.J. Britt late for an easy pitch and catch.
- Henry beats Craig Woodson with an inside release and then an in-cut, but ball is high.
- Woods with a PBU on another poorly thrown ball, this time a slant to Williams.
- Brown beats Gonzalez on a fade.
- Henderson wins easily against LB Chad Muma.
- Eli Raridon angles to the back corner and may/may not have had full possession before going out of bounds. Byard was in coverage.
- Doubs with a sharp out to beat Minor in the end zone.
- Douglas with an excellent release to beat Jones for an easy one.
- Stevenson wins against Spillane (man coverage is not his specialty).
- Hollins stacks Woods on a fade.
- Gonzalez with a PBU on another so-so throw from Maye to Boutte (also back shoulder).
TOP PLAY
Kyle Williams' second touchdown reception from DeVito. Not only did he elevate to get it, but it was a semi-back-shoulder throw, so he really had to contort his body and survive the ground.
FOUR UP
DT Eric Gregory: Had two of the defense's three wins (Barmore was the other) in 1-on-1s, and he also got a pressure in team against Jared Wilson.
WR Kyle Williams: Went from being MIA to two touchdown catches.
LT Will Campbell: Easily won his two 1-on-1 reps against Dre'Mont Jones and Jesse Luketa (hey, I told you they were thin on the edge), and didn't appear to give up anything in team periods. Campbell looked a lot more confident and his technique was much tighter.
LB Khalil Jacobs: Flew around in team period with two stuffed runs, and at one point he got reps with the second team next to Chad Muma in place of veteran KJ Britt (who did sub for Spillane with the first team at one point).
FOUR DOWN
Interior offensive line starters: While Jared Wilson and Mike Onwenu were 2-0 in 1-on-1s (Vera-Tucker had a loss to Barmore), they each had some issues in the team periods. Onwenu gave up a pressure at one point. Wilson had a couple of rough blocks, and Wilson and Vera-Tucker weren't on the same page as Milton Williams went on unblocked for sack. They got better in the final team period, but that was a rough one.
WR Romeo Doubs: His only target was a quick game, and he got tossed on a run block.
RB TreVeyon Henderson: He did well in 1-on-1s and had a touchdown in team against linebacker types like edge Amari Gainer (expected), but his running still isn't consistently productive. He's either got the worst luck in terms of his blocking, or he's kind of in the same place as a year ago. Here are his touches in team: stuff, 2 yards, 3 yards, stuff, stuff, stuff, stuff, good run/possible TD on quick-hitting trap, stuff, stuff.
C Ben Brown: The backup got beat twice by Eric Gregory in 1-on-1s, and he was dusted for a decisive loss on the second rep. Barely got a hand on him.
QUICK HITS
• UDFA TE Tanner Arkin continues to see time with the first team. Dre'Mont Jones got him once in team, but he was definitely throwing his weight around.
• The two lines warmed up for contact with half-line run drills. Onwenu had a good block on Milton Williams. JonDarius Morgan had a good pull block. TE Mitch Van Vooren had good block on the edge against Quintayvious Hutchins, who didn't set it well. Christian Ellis beat James Hudson. LB Riley Wilson beat Hudson as well and they scrapped a bit.
• Christian Gonzalez participated in everything.
• Rookie TE Eli Raridon is definitely being productive, but a lot of it is coming off boot action where the scheme gets him open. Want to see him work more down the field.
• Williams beat Kobee Minor for his first touchdown.
• Jam Miller continues to set up his blocks and cut well. But one time, Dell Pettus stuck him and stood him up. Pettus always stands out when the hitting starts. He loves to hit.
• Cameron Dorner had a touchdown against Karon Prunty from Behren Morton.
• Jack Westover had a TD in the flat from Morton. Westover also allowed a stuff to Gainer.
• Chism had a nice leaping TD over Peter Manuma from DeVito.
SCHEDULE
Friday: 10:15-12:15
Saturday: 10:15-12:15
Sunday: OFF
Monday: 10:15-12:15