One Patriots rookie is already acting like an NFL veteran
One common storyline that often comes up during NFL training camp is which veterans are taking rookies ‘under their wing.’ As camp moves on, it can be a way to tell which players are establishing themselves as leaders on the roster.
What’s rarer is hearing that said about a rookie. However, that seems to be taking place in New England.
READ MORE:
— What makes Ezekiel Elliott a fit for the Patriots
— Mac Jones speaks about ‘following’ Tom Brady in New England
— Patriots come away from chippy joint practice with Packers with multiple injuries
On Friday morning, Patriots wide receiver coach Ross Douglas spoke with the media. He was asked about how rookie UDFA Malik Cunningham has handled picking up the playbook as both a quarterback and wide receiver. As it turns out, Cunningham is doing more than learning the playbook himself.
“Malik, he’s very mature. He’s a professional already, as a rookie. And he takes his craft very seriously,” Douglas said. “He’s even taken [rookie wide receivers] Demario [Douglas] and Kayshon [Boutte] under his wing. They’ll walk through the plays. They’ll go in our virtual room back in Foxborough and just really try and get a beat on the next day’s install and try to perfect their craft.”
Douglas continued to praise Cunningham’s work ethic. “The good think about Malik is he loves football and he really cares about being good,” he said. “So everything from there will really take care of itself.”
Patriots training camp podcast w/Evan Lazar
(Click here to subscribe to Patriots Audio on 98.5 The Sports Hub.)
It wasn’t just Douglas speaking highly of Cunningham during Friday’s media availability with assistant coaches. Cunningham has also worked as a gunner on punt units, and special teams coordinator Cam Achord praised his work in that phase.
“Malik’s like a sponge,” Achord said. “He’s trying to take in as much football information as he can.”
This praise comes as Cunningham continues to make a push for a spot on the Patriots’ initial roster. He’ll have another chance to help himself on Saturday night, when the Patriots take on the Packers in their second preseason game of the summer. Cunningham will try to replicate the performance he had in the preseason opener, when he was one of our standout players.
Read more…
Patriots Ups & Downs: Who made the most of their opportunities in the preseason opener
UP: DL Daniel Ekuale
Aug 10, 2023; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots defensive tackle Daniel Ekuale (95) sacks Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) during the first half at Gillette Stadium. Credit: Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports
Ekuale, competing for a backup defensive tackle role, was one of the first players to pop in this game. He had an early sack, would have had another if not for a penalty called against Anfernee Jennings, and added another run stuff. For now it looks like Ekuale is picking up where he left off last year when he filled in for Christian Barmore.
DOWN: OT Conor McDermott
Jul 27, 2023; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots offensive tackle Conor McDermott (75) works with a weight bag during training camp at Gillette Stadium. Credit: Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports
Look, the entire offensive line collectively could get its own down spot. That being said, we’ll focus on individual players who stood out as particularly having bad games.
The first such player is McDermott, who is believed to be competing with Riley Reiff (who did not play in this game) for the starting right tackle job. McDermott got beat multiple times around the edge, and was called for a false start in this game. He started the game at left tackle – a spot he hadn’t played all of camp – before moving to right tackle for some time in the second half.
DOWN: RB Pierre Strong
Aug 10, 2023; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots running back Pierre Strong Jr. (35) ru8ns after the catch with Houston Texans linebacker Christian Harris (48) in tow during the first half at Gillette Stadium. Credit: Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports
Like the offensive line, the Patriots’ running backs could be a collective ‘down’ on Thursday night. Again though, we’ll focus on specifics.
With the offensive line struggling, the lack of production from the running backs should come with a grain of salt. Still, there were a couple of moments in the passing game where Strong tried to do too much, lost his footing, and ended up limiting himself on the play. That includes a designed third-down swing pass that would have set Strong up with room to run had he not stumbled going into his route and caused Bailey Zappe to hold the ball a beat too long.
DOWN: OL Sidy Sow
New England Patriots tackle Sidy Sow (54) works with the tackling sled during 2023 training camp in Foxboro. (Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports)
The next rookie on our list, Sow got run around multiple times as a pass blocker on Thursday night. There’s still a way to go for Sow, who is working on making the change from guard to tackle.
UP: LB Anfernee Jennings
New England Patriots linebacker Anfernee Jennings (33) walks onto the field for practice at 2023 training camp in Foxboro. (Katie Bennert/98.5 The Sports Hub)
Take away a ticky-tack roughing the passer call, and Jennings played a really solid game while he was in during the first half. He had multiple QB pressures playing as the strong-side edge rusher, a job that could be up for grabs right now.
DOWN: CB Rodney Randle
Jun 12, 2023; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots cornerback Rodney Randle Jr. (39) works out at the Patriots minicamp at Gillette Stadium. Credit: Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports
Numerous times, Randle’s coverage assignments were left wide open in the middle of the field. The big, physical corner had trouble keeping up with some of the Texans’ smaller, shiftier wide receivers.
UP: WR Kayshon Boutte
New England Patriots wide receiver Kayshon Boutte (58) makes a catch during 2023 training camp in Foxboro. (Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports)
Look, it was a tough night to evaluate wide receiver play. Quarterbacks rarely had enough time to lets receivers finish their route patterns, never mind find them downfield.
That being said, Kayshon Boutte did get himself open somewhat regularly. Often Bailey Zappe was already running away from pressure by the time he did, but it’s still a good individual sign for Boutte.
DOWN: OL Chasen Hines
Aug 11, 2022; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots guard Chasen Hines (63) warms up before a preseason game against the New York Giants at Gillette Stadium. Credit: Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports
Hines was another Patriots offensive lineman that had a rough night. He got bowled over at times run blocking, which in part led to the Patriots’ issues on the ground.
DOWN: LB Diego Fagot
Diego Fagot takes the field for the New England Patriots before practice during 2023 training camp in Foxboro. (98.5 The Sports Hub)
Fagot is already facing an uphill battle for a roster spot, and didn’t help his case on Thursday night when he got called for a neutral zone infraction on a 4th & 1 that turned a would-be Texans punt into a first down. Those kinds of miscues aren’t going to help his standing with Bill Belichick.
