11 Players that stood out on day 13 of Patriots training camp
Patriots training camp continued on Monday in Foxboro. Here are 11 players that stood out on the practice field, for various reasons.
FOXBORO — One day before the Philadelphia Eagles land at Gillette Stadium for a joint practice, the New England Patriots scaled things back with a non-padded session on Monday. It was a benefit for rookie quarterback Drake Maye.
One thing that’s increasingly stood out about Maye in team drills during Patriots training camp is that he looks better in 7-on-7 than in 11-on-11, a sign that he still has work to do getting comfortable working in and out of the huddle, leading the offensive line, and dealing with pressure.
But give Maye the ball and a chance to hit his receivers more freely, and he’s looked every bit like the third overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. He’s especially been strong in red zone drills, and on Monday, he outshined incumbent starter Jacoby Brissett in that particular area.
In light of that, let’s get into Maye and 10 other players that stood out on the practice field on Monday, for various reasons…
QB Drake Maye
Maye finished 8-of-13 with two touchdowns in team drills, with both scores coming in a red zone 7-on-7 period. He went 3-of-5 in that span, with only one questionable play, a short attempt for Jalen Reagor that was ill-timed and nearly picked off by cornerback Christian Gonzalez.
His next for attempts, however, were money. First he hit Reagor in the hands in the back-right corner of the end zone, but the receiver couldn’t finish the would-be touchdown. He then connected with DeMario “Pop” Douglas for a quick out to the left sideline, then threw consecutive touchdown passes, both in tight windows in the back-middle of the end zone, to rookie receiver Javon Baker and rookie tight end Jaheim Bell.
The pass to Bell was particularly impressive, because he appeared to look off the safety to the right to open up a passing lane for a single-covered Bell in the end zone. Maye showed good anticipation on his final four pass attempts in 7-on-7, an indication that his processing is improving.
Maye also threw a touchdown to rookie wideout Ja’Lynn Polk (more on him below) during an 11-on-11 red zone period, in which he rolled right and hit Polk with a strike at the front pylon. Maye sometimes looks sped up in 11-on-11, as evidenced by one throw that was batted at the line and another overthrow that came with the pocket collapsing all around him.
But the improvements are encouraging for the rookie. Now, we’re just waiting to see if he ever gets a look with the starters in practice…
WR DeMario Douglas
“Pop” is out of his red non-contact jersey, but he still can’t be touched, anyway, because he’s always getting open. Douglas has consistently gotten separation with his quickness and route-running, and did it again today, with 5-of-6 targets caught in team drills (the sixth was batted down).
Much like his impressive rookie season, Douglas has impressed throughout training camp. Assuming he’s healthy, and that he gets more consistent opportunities to actually play (he will), he has a chance to be a legitimate playmaker for the Patriots offense. It’ll be interesting to see if any of the Eagles’ defensive backs can cover him.
WR Ja’Lynn Polk
Polk caught the aforementioned touchdown pass from Maye in 11-on-11, a sure sign that the two rookies are building a strong rapport. But Polk also made the catch of the day earlier in practice, as he went deep down the right sideline and leaped to haul in a pass from fellow rookie QB Joe Milton III in the first 11-on-11 period of the day.
The rookie has consistently shown strong hands, whether it’s a short or long pass. He should be able to rack up catches at an efficient rate, provided the throws are on target. He’s looked like a reliable receiver no matter who the quarterback is.
TE La’Michael Pettway
With Hunter Henry out after suffering an apparent injury during practice on Sunday, Pettway appeared to be the “Next Man Up” in the tight end pecking order, popping up more often in team drills. It would be a devastating blow to the offense if Henry has to miss extended time, but if he does, for now it looks like Pettway will have more of a shot at increased playing time.
OL Layden Robinson
Robinson stood out in a bad way on Monday. With referees on hand for team drills, the flags came out fairly often, and Robinson was one of the unfortunate ones to get called for a false start. Robinson has flashed in padded practices, particularly in 1-on-1 blocking drills, so he has some upside. But he’s likely to serve as a backup for his rookie season, and penalties certainly won’t do him any favors, either.
DE Deatrich Wise Jr.
Wise also committed a penalty on Monday, an offsides call. And in his case, he made it hurt for the entire defense, because literally everyone had to run a penalty lap around the field. There was a second lap for the D later in practice, but that appeared to be a substitution error. Wise will be key to the Patriots’ ability to get pressure on the quarterback this season, so he can’t afford to give opposing offenses free yardage.
DE Oshane Ximines
Ximines had a strong preseason opener, and continued to pop up with plays in practice. He got a hand on a Maye pass attempt during 11-on-11, overpowering left tackle Calvin Anderson up front in the process. The former Giants defensive end is fast-tracking himself to the 53-man roster with the way he’s made the most of his opportunities this summer.
LB Matthew Judon
Judon stood out on Monday not because of anything he did in a football play, but what he did on the first penalty lap. The veteran Pro Bowler basically went into a full-on sprint, leading the way for the whole defense and setting a fine example. Judon has been highly engaged in practice ever since his blowup two weeks ago, and looks like he’ll be ready to make an impact in real games come September. We’re just waiting on any possible contract news…
LB Joe Giles-Harris
Giles-Harris broke up two pass attempts in the preseason opener, and continued that trend on Monday, when he tipped a Milton pass attempt into the air. Safety Dell Pettus (more on him below) came down with the interception on the play. With Sione Takitaki out all camp, the Patriots have a void to fill for an off-ball linebacker. Giles-Harris feels like the beneficiary.
CB Isaiah Bolden
The Patriots were significantly undermanned at slot corner on Monday, with Jonathan Jones, Marcus Jones, and Shaun Wade all out. It was Bolden’s turn to man the slot in team drills, a notable development for the second-year pro out of Jackson State. Bolden has size and speed, and has been surprisingly solid in coverage throughout his first two NFL seasons when given the opportunity. Monday’s usage may be a sign that he has the inside track at a spot at the end of the roster.
S Dell Pettus
We’re becoming a broken record putting Pettus on the list of standouts. But the safety made both the aforementioned interception and also a run-stuff in 11-on-11 on Monday. Pettus has shown versatility and physicality, two sure hallmarks of a Jerod Mayo/DeMarcus Covington-led Patriots defense. He should at least be a valuable reserve safety in the event that Kyle Dugger or Jabrill Peppers aren’t available, and at this point deserves a defensive roster spot over Joshuah Bledsoe or Brenden Schooler.
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Matt Dolloff is a writer and digital content producer for 98.5 The Sports Hub. Read all of his articles here.
