12 Players that stood out on day 9 of Patriots training camp
Patriots training camp continued on Saturday in Foxboro with day 9 of open practices, and the fourth in full pads. Here are 12 players that stood out on the practice field, for various reasons.
FOXBORO — After a good few days for the Patriots offense, Saturday was the defense’s turn to make plays up and down the field.
To cap a busy, physical week for the Patriots, who practiced in full pads for the fourth time in five days, they ran a whopping 66 plays in team drills, with all four quarterbacks getting involved. The starting offense was hit-or-miss, but finished strong in a late 11-on-11 period that simulated the final minute of a real game.
The defense, however, was consistently productive. The secondary made two interceptions, while the group logged three pressures, four run-stuffs, and four pass breakups. Their strong day came after head coach Jerod Mayo called them out to have a big day of their own against an offense that’s been gaining traction.
MORE: How Drake Maye has handled his first up-and-down week in the NFL
“The offense is honestly- I challenge the defense on that,” Mayo said before practice Saturday. “The offense the last couple of days, they’ve done well whether it’s running the ball, the play action game, pushing the ball down the field, I think those guys are doing a good job.”
We’ll highlight the top performers for the defense below, but the offense wasn’t completely shut down in practice, either, with a few key names popping. Here are 12 players that stood out in the latest Patriots training camp practice, for various reasons…
WR K.J. Osborn
Osborn is stacking days. He caught 6-of-7 targets in team drills on Saturday, including a touchdown in a 7-on-7 red zone period, running a quick strike from Brissett around the pylon against cornerback Azizi Hearn.
However, Osborn saved his best play for the end. Sparking the starting offense’s touchdown drive to close out a one-minute drill, Osborn reeled in a deep ball from Brissett that looked to be at least 40 yards down the field. Alex Austin was in coverage on the play, as Osborn adjusted to the ball and went up and snatched it.
Notably, Osborn was also the lone receiver in a 3-tight end set the Patriots ran at times during 11-on-11. Osborn has been trending upward all week, and appears close to nailing down a roster spot, if there was any question to begin with.
QB Jacoby Brissett
Brissett finished 11-of-18 with two touchdowns and two interceptions in team drills on the day, and his completion rate belies his targets letting him down. Of his seven incompletions, three were mistakes by the pass-catcher, two were broken up, and one was a throwaway with nobody open.
Otherwise, Brissett generally put his receivers in position to succeed. Rookie receiver Ja’Lynn Polk had a touchdown within his grasp on one play, but couldn’t get both of his feet in bounds. One of Brissett’s interceptions was a deflection off a ball that went off Jalen Reagor’s hands. The other came after a miscommunication between Brissett and tight end Austin Hooper, who stopped running as Brissett tried to thread a pass into the middle of the end zone. Austin was the only one running, and made an easy pick.
Brissett finished about as strong as one can expect, when the Patriots simulated a game with 56 seconds on the clock. He went 4-of-4 in the final 11-on-11 period, hitting Osborn with the deep ball and capping the drive with a touchdown pass to Hunter Henry.
Through two weeks of Patriots training camp, Brissett remains firmly in the lead to be the starting quarterback to begin the season.
TE Hunter Henry
Henry finished off practice with a nice catch as he dove backward through the end zone, but his best play of the day – and arguably the best play of camp so far – came in an earlier two-minute drill in 11-on-11.
Streaking down the left sideline, Henry went up and snagged a deep ball from Brissett with just one hand, and controlled it through the process. Coaches called the play a “sack,” nullifying the catch, but it was a stellar play by Henry, regardless. He’s started to round into form since the pads went on and the Patriots started working in the red zone.
OT Caedan Wallace
Wallace gets a nod today because he repped as the starting right tackle, as Chukwuma Okorafor did not participate in team drills. He stood out on one 11-on-11 red zone play, in which he held his own against star edge rusher Matthew Judon. Brissett ultimately threw the ball away due to tough coverage.
The rookie third-round pick has been losing starter snaps at left tackle to Vederian Lowe in recent practices. But it’s interesting to see him be the next man up on the right side, which is where he played his entire college career.
DE Keion White
We credited White with a pressure, which happened to come on the late 11-on-11 deep ball to Osborn. He’s lined up on both the left and right edges of the Patriots defensive line, and has often been tough to contain, regardless of which side he’s on.
The Patriots are hoping they have a legitimate difference-maker in White, especially since Matthew Judon’s future with the team remains up in the air and Christian Barmore is out indefinitely.
DT Trysten Hill
In the quest to replace Christian Barmore’s snaps, the Patriots may have stumbled upon something with the addition of Hill, a 2019 second-round pick of the Dallas Cowboys. Hill made a pass breakup on Saturday, tipping a Drake Maye pass attempt at the line of scrimmage into the air. Linebacker Joe Giles-Harris nearly came down with the interception. Hill has a real opportunity in front of him to play regularly for the 2024 Patriots, so he’s becoming more of a player to watch.
DT Armon Watts
Watts made one run-stuff in 11-on-11, stonewalling running back Terrell Jennings at the point of attack. The Patriots are also going to need to replace Barmore’s snaps against the run, and Watts, an under-the-radar off-season signing, is in that conversation.
LB Anfernee Jennings
One of Jennings’ most productive practices as a Patriot. He made one pressure and two run-stuffs in 11-on-11, and wasn’t shy about celebrating his plays, either. Jennings is a fiery competitor, and clearly took Mayo’s message to heart. He’s in line to play a lot on defense this season, as one of the Patriots’ most unheralded players.
CB Azizi Hearn
Hearn made a pass breakup in the end zone against Jalen Reagor, which was tipped into the hands of safety Jaylinn Hawkins for an interception during 11-on-11. He got some looks with the starting defense in team drills, and also looks like a top gunner candidate on special teams. Good day for Hearn, who is trying to separate himself in a wide-open battle for the cornerback depth chart.
S Jaylinn Hawkins
Hawkins made the aforementioned interception, and also broke up a Joe Milton pass intended for tight end Mitchell Wilcox during 7-on-7. The veteran seems to be making progress toward a regular role as a free safety.
S Dell Pettus
Pettus got a few opportunities with the starting defense in team drills, and made his presence felt. He broke up a potential touchdown intended for Hunter Henry during an 11-on-11 red zone period. He also delivered a hard hit to push running back JaMycal Hasty out of bounds after a catch, which drew an excited reaction from his teammates on the sideline. Pettus was another one who looked motivated by Mayo’s challenge, and ended up having his best day of camp so far.
K Joey Slye
Is there a possible kicker competition in Foxboro? Slye drilled a 57-yard field goal at the end of the final 11-on-11 period of the day, and went 4-for-4 total. Chad Ryland was 3-for-4. Slye will, at the very least, push Ryland to play his best football through the preseason.
Matt Dolloff is a writer and digital content producer for 98.5 The Sports Hub. Read all of his articles here.
