Patriots training camp, day 8: Gearing down before joint practices and the preseason
By Matt Dolloff, 985TheSportsHub.com
With just one day of training camp to go before heading to Detroit for joint practices with the Lions, the Patriots took it relatively easy in their eighth session of the summer.
Working in shells, the Pats did run some competitive team drills that were obviously lighter on contact than the previous two days. The offense had a better day than Wednesday and Thursday, but it’s hard to compare practices between pads and no pads.
There wasn’t a whole lot to glean from this short, light practice. But here’s what we jotted down on Friday.
Injury Report
— Absent/PUP/NFI: OT Yodny Cajuste, S Nate Ebner, WR Julian Edelman, TE Lance Kendricks, WR Demaryius Thomas, CB Ken Webster
— Limited: RB Rex Burkhead
— Red non-contact jersey: S Patrick Chung
11-on-11 Highlights
— Brady completed passes to Phillip Dorsett, N’Keal Harry, and Jakobi Meyers. There was also a high snap from David Andrews on one rep, but the offense didn’t need to run a lap.
— Brian Hoyer completed a pass to James White with incompletions to Braxton Berrios and James White. J.C. Jackson nearly intercepted the pass intended for White.
— Lawrence Guy, Danny Shelton, and Adam Butler started on the defensive line. Dont’a Hightower, Jamie Collins, and Elandon Roberts were the starting linebackers.
7-on-7 Highlights
— Brady went 5-for-8 in this session. He completed passes to Meyers, White (2), Dontrelle Inman, and Sony Michel.
— Hoyer went 4-for-6, completing passes to Berrios, White, Dorsett, Inman, and Brandon Bolden.
— Jarrett Stidham completed his only rep in this session to Damoun Patterson.
— CB Jonathan Jones broke up a pass intended for Berrios in this session. He’s been one of the best players on the field in camp. The way he’s playing, he easily looks like the starting slot corner.
Leftover Notes
— This was the Patriots’ fourth non-padded practice. There’s been an even split between pads and shells.
— Meyers got first-team reps with Brady in the initial walkthrough, along with Dorsett, White, Berrios, and TE Matt LaCosse.
— Dan Skipper continued to get first reps at left tackle, but Isaiah Wynn continues to be mixed in bit by bit. It looks like it could just be a slower build than we’re used to seeing with the development of Wynn on the blind side.
— Brady held a side session with the running backs while the receivers and tight ends worked with the backup QBs. Michel is getting more and more reps in the passing game, which is a positive development after he was a non-factor as a pass-catcher in his rookie season.
— Hightower, Collins, Roberts, Ja’Whaun Bentley, Calvin Munson, and Brandon King worked with inside linebackers coach Jerod Mayo for one session. So you can see who the Patriots view as the guys that they will use inside, which wasn’t too surprising. But Hightower and Collins could definitely be used on the edge as well.
Matt Dolloff is a digital producer for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Have a news tip, question, or comment for Matt? Follow him on Twitter @mattdolloff or email him at [email protected].