8 Players that stood out on day 17 of Patriots training camp
Patriots training camp continued with the 17th practice open to the media on Monday. Here are eight players that stood out on the field.
FOXBORO — Monday was a good day, but a lighter one, at Patriots training camp.
Although the team did practice in full pads and run 37 plays in team drills, the intensity level was noticeably lower than a lot of prior days, certainly the fully-padded ones. With five days to go until the preseason finale, head coach Jerod Mayo seems content to walk his players through these next few practices and preserve those who are available for Sunday’s road game against the Washington Commanders.
“Everyone that’s healthy is going to play in the game,” Mayo said before practice. “Not sure what Washington is going to do, but it really doesn’t matter. It’s what we need to do. It’s what we need as a team.”
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Despite practice being on the lighter side, there were still some notable details to pull from it. Here are eight players that stood out on the practice field during Monday’s Patriots training camp practice, for various reasons…
QB Jacoby Brissett
Brissett finally had a solid practice, after it felt like the veteran incumbent starting quarterback was continually backsliding, while rookie Drake Maye continued to improve. But Brissett is still repping with the projected starting offense, and did well with that group on Tuesday, finishing a combined 5-of-8 with two pressures/possible sacks in team drills.
The best ball from Brissett was about 40-45 yards down the left sideline, during a late 2-minute simulation in 11-on-11. Brissett hit receiver Tyquan Thornton (more on him below) in stride on a deep go route. It was a welcome sight for a quarterback whose accuracy has been all over the place, certainly on his deep throws.
Though the tide has felt to be turning toward Maye in recent practices, and even Mayo is changing his tune a little bit about the competition and the possibility of Maye starting Week 1, Brissett had a good-enough practice on Monday to remind the rookie that he’s still in the lead to begin the season as the starter. Even if his days may be numbered in that spot.
“I still treat myself as if I’m the starter,” Brissett blunted at reporters after practice.
WR Tyquan Thornton
Thornton made one of his best, most promising plays of the whole summer to reel in that deep ball. He beat cornerback Christian Gonzalez by a step down the field, tracked the ball over his shoulder, and took it into his hands smoothly.
It certainly helps that Brissett dropped it in there perfectly for Thornton, but it was nice to see, because the Pats have a question mark as far as who’s going to be their biggest deep threat. Thornton should be a candidate for that because of his speed. So, it’s promising to see him do the other things that NFL receivers need to do at a high level, beyond just running fast.
WR Javon Baker
Baker stood out in a bad way on Monday. He was targeted three times without making a catch, and it looked like all three were his fault. Bailey Zappe hit him on the hands on the first target, and the rookie couldn’t hold on.
As for the other two, the first looked like a miscommunication between him and Maye, as he ran toward the middle of the field while the quarterback tried to hit him deep down the sideline. The third target, another deep ball, got broken up by Brenden Schooler, as Baker appeared to struggle tracking the throw.
Baker has flashed at times, but it’s been up-and-down for him all summer. He’ll need to show more consistency in order to earn starter-level playing time as a rookie.
OG Layden Robinson
Robinson stood out because he got some time at left guard with the starting offense during a late 1-minute drill in 11-on-11, along with fellow rookie Caedan Wallace at right tackle. This is the first notable playing time for Robinson with the projected starters. It felt like getting the rookies’ feet wet with situational work, more than anything. But it’s notable that Robinson, and Wallace for that matter, have made enough progress to get looks with the 1’s.
C Liam Fornadel
Fornadel was the backup center for the second straight practice, with Nick Leverett absent. Maye took snaps exclusively from Fornadel, and the operation looked clean. It feels like, just by removing Atonio Mafi from the equation, that the snapping issues have mostly subsided. We’ll see about Leverett’s health situation heading into the season, but if he doesn’t stick around, Fornadel looks to be in the lead as the No. 2 center.
DT Trysten Hill
Hill generated one pressure during 11-on-11, slipping through the A gap untouched toward Maye. Some reporters at practice might have charted that play as a sack for Hill, a 2019 second-round pick who could breathe new life into his career in New England. He continues to be a player to watch along the defensive line, with final roster cuts looming.
S Joshuah Bledsoe
Bledsoe had a notable practice on Monday, just by when and where he lined up. Bledsoe took early snaps at deep safety with the projected starting defense in 7-on-7. The fourth-year pro may yet hang onto a roster spot, despite good depth and competition among his position group.
S Dell Pettus
About that safety competition … Pettus had a solid day, despite mainly repping as a backup on defense. He made one run-stuff, but it came against running back Terrell Jennings on a handoff from rookie sixth-rounder Joe Milton III. Pettus did, however, line up as a deep safety against Maye and the 2’s. Even if Pettus doesn’t ultimately make the initial 53-man roster, he’s shown enough to be a lock for the practice squad.
Matt Dolloff is a writer and digital content producer for 98.5 The Sports Hub. Read all of his articles here.
