Patriots training camp notebook: Deep ball driven Day 13

Sunday morning, the Patriots held their first practice since Thursday night’s preseason opener, and their only practice of the week in Foxborough. Following the session the team left for Philadelphia, where they’ll have joint practices with the Eagles Monday and Tuesday leading into Thursday’s preseason game.

Before practice, Bill Belichick told the media the purpose of Sunday’s practice was to “clean up some things on our end and then be ready to go tomorrow morning.” Most of the morning was spent in team drills, with a seemingly heavy focus on the passing game.

Although the tempo wasn’t as high as it has been in other practices, there were still a few noticeable deep ball connections. The play of the day came late in practice, when Mac Jones lofted a fade to Isaiah Zuber in the front corner of the end zone. Zuber was able to turn all the way around and grab the ball over Justin Bethel for the touchdown.

Jones also hit a pair of deep throws up the seam to Kristian Wilkerson. It was a bounce-back day for Wilkerson with a couple of catches, after an up-and-down preseason debut.

Cam Newton, who worked mostly with the first team offense, got in on the action as well. His throw of the day came during a two-minute drill, hitting Nelson Agholor on a deep crosser on the second play of the drive.

Here’s more observations from Day 13 of Patriots training camp…

• KVN grabs an INT

  Share

  Kyle Van Noy grabbed the lone interception of practice on Sunday. During an 11-on-11 period, Brian Hoyer tried firing a line drive over the middle of the field, but Van Noy read him well and jumped in front to pick it off.
  
  This is hardy the first time Patriots linebackers have showed up in coverage this summer. They've been active in the passing game since Day 1, highlighted by Ja'Whaun Bentley's two interceptions. It even carried over into the game, with Matthew Judon recording a PBU. It's a development that bears watching as the preseason continues.

• Bethel continues working on the boundary

  Share

  During the first half of Thursday's preseason game, Justin Bethel saw a handful of snaps at boundary corner. He continued working at that position on Sunday.
  
  Bethel hasn't played significant defensive reps since 2017 when he was with the Arizona Cardinals. Yet with a lack of depth at the position - especially with Stephon Gilmore still on PUP - the Patriots appear to be getting him ready incase he's needed on defense this year.

• Jonnu Smith leaves early

  Share

  Jonnu Smith appeared to suffer an ankle injury early in practice. He walked to the medical shed behind the practice fields with trainers, and after a short time there went back to the locker room.
  
  ESPN's Mike Reiss has since reported Smith suffered a low left ankle sprain. He added there's no timetable for Smith to return, but the injury 'isn't considered serious.'
• Multiple players return

  Share

  There was good news on the health front as well for the Patriots on Sunday. A number of players who had been dealing with injuries returned to practice. Hunter Henry (shoulder), David Andrews (hand), Nelson Agholor (unknown), and Christian Barmore were all present after missing Thursday's game.
  
  In addition, Chase Winovich made his training camp debut. The 2019 third-round pick had missed the first few weeks of camp while on PUP with an undisclosed issue.
  
  New absences on Day 13 included Tre Nixon and Myles Bryant. Meanwhile, Lawrence Guy, Anfernee Jennings, and Nick Folk continue to miss time.
  
  Rashod Berry, Marvin Hall, and David Wells also didn't take part in the practice. PFF's Doug Kyed and The Boston Globe's Jim McBride reported after the session that they had been released. The first of three roster cutdown days is on Tuesday, when the limit moved from 90 players to 85.

• Notable Quotables

  Share

  David Andrews on being a dad: "It's good. My wife, she's really killing it. She's done an amazing job, with practices and camp. It's definitely kind of changed your life perspective, so it's been really amazing...I think watching her and him is pretty awesome to me. It seems like I kind of hold him and he wants to eat again, but I'm excited to go on this trip and see what changes when I get back. So yeah, it's been awesome."
  
  Dont'a Hightower on the versatility in the linebacker room: "Just the fact, you don’t really know - I mean, everybody says you’re a linebacker, but if you’re a D-End or outside linebacker, and you’re able to do both in different situations and not just one situation, it’s kind of hard to put tabs on what you are and what you do in this defense. Because we’re all so versatile, we can play one thing one week, and do another thing the next week. It might inside, it might be outside, it might be a D-End, it might be a 3-technique, you never really know. That’s what so great about this defense. Whether it’s in the front seven, or in the back end, I mean you see it with Dug (Kyle Dugger), you’ve seen it in the past with Chung, you see it with Jalen Mills, there’s a lot of guys, and obviously Bill values guys who can do more than one thing.”
  
  Kendrick Bourne on playing his first game in New England: "Honestly, I didn’t like how I played, man. Definitely a couple plays I want to take back, the third down, I just ran a bad route. Just was kind of rushing everything, overthinking. I’m definitely appreciative of preseason and taking it for what it is. It easily could have been another COVID year and I wouldn’t have had that, so just grateful for that. And not being so much of a pressure game. It was just a getting-the-jitters out and stuff like that. I appreciate preseason just because of that."
  
  Ronnie Perkins on why he chose No. 51: "Coach Mayo played in it. One of my older vets Bent [Ja'Whaun Bentley] played in it. So it's kind of like me just carrying on their tradition and balling out in that number...Before I told Bent like, 'if I could get 51 I want it' because he just switched out of it. I was like, 'if I could get that, like I'd be happy.' And then it's just coach Mayo, and he's like, 'you've got to carry on that legacy. That's a big number to wear.'"

MORE: How many Patriots roster spots are truly up for grabs?

Alex Barth is a writer and 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. Thoughts? Comments? Questions? Looking for a podcast guest? Let him know on Twitter @RealAlexBarth or via email at abarth@985TheSportsHub.com.