FOXBORO – After Friday’s practice, when the Patriots were without Jarrett Stidham during team drills, there was a chance that the second – year quarterback would return on Sunday after a day off on horseback. Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels thought Stidham would be “ready to roll.”
Stidham, however, did not roll on Sunday. He only threw during drills and did not take a single snap during periods of offensive-versus-defensive defense. That left the majority of the day’s work to the player who looks like – three weeks before the first regular game of the season – he’s going to be Tom Brady’s replacement for 2020: Cam Newton.
Here’s everything we saw from Sunday’s session …
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WHAT THEY WILL BE
Shells and shorts. The pace was lifted from Friday’s practice, but it was still not a full exercise. Wouldn’t come as a surprise to see the Patriots soon in full pads. The last time they were fully padded was Thursday.
WHO IS LOOKING FORWARD
According to Albert Breer of The MMQB, the Patriots had processed false-positive COVID results at a lab in New Jersey. They were not the only club to experience false positives, but the test results may have helped to explain some of the absences during Sunday’s training session.
Running back James White, running back JJ Taylor, cornerback Michael Jackson and tight end Jake Burt were all new deviations. Stephon Gilmore misses practice for the third straight session. Adrian Phillips had a hard time on the waterlogged pitch – his trademark technique was nowhere in sight today.
Defensive lineman Beau Allen and linebacker Tashawn Bower were also out. Receiver Jeff Thomas, who appeared to move his leg on Friday, was not tracked down. Running backs Sony Michel and Lamar Miller – both still physically unable to perform list – were also missing.
Rookies Kyle Dugger and Will Hastings as well as second-year husband Jakobi Meyers appeared to be restricted during practice.
WE ARE IN
Recipient N’Keal Harry returned to work after missing three practices last week. Offensive lineman Yodny Cajuste and outfielder Derek Rivers were also back on it after missing time last week.
WHAT SAYS THAT
The emphasis today was on no-huddle work for both offense and defense. Before going into that, however, the Patriots did their standard warm-up routine. During their dynamic stretch period, Future’s Life is Good ‘blew across the public address system in the fields behind Gillette Stadium. the song begins, “Work on the weekend, as usual.”
While springs, with receivers and tight ends working routes against air, both rookie-tight ends caught with eye-opening. Devin Asiasi then had a third chance at scoring, but a last ditch challenge made sure that he didnt. Dalton Keene lay out for a pass throwing down the seam where he rode with his fingertips.
When go-routes were the focus, Newton started by throwing a few at Damiere Byrd and Devin Ross. He later dropped dimes to Julian Edelman, Gunner Olszewski (clearly fighting the sun) and Mohamed Sanu. N’Keal Harry dropped one well-placed pass from Newton during the period. Isaiah Zuber also fell one who sent his way.
Fullback Jakob Johnson also made a nice back-shoulder catch in the period of non-defense. He is a larger body, but his hands are not necessarily made of stone.
After drills, the Patriots went to work in a period of 7 to 7. That was immediately followed by an 11-on-11 session. The team alternated between hurried 11-on-11 work and the rest of the way. The practice ended in a fun finish in the back of the end zone from Newton to Sanu.
QUARTERLY JOURNAL REPORT
Jarrett Stidham did not participate in team periods, and only threw in drills. That left a lot of work to be shared between Newton and Hoyer. Here’s how it shook.
7-on-7 work …
Newton saw 12 snaps in 7-on-7 periods, going 8-for-12. Asiasi had the catch of the period, with a leaping grip secured with Devin McCourty nearby in cover. Back after that, Damien Harris took three passes, including one where he flashed nice hands that went along the sideline on a wheelbase from the backfield. Close end Paul Butler dropped one of Newton’s right throws.
Brian Hoyer went 3-for-6 on his 7-on-7 reps. One was picked up again by Harry, but secured against his chest, and one of Hoyer’s imperfections came as a result of a drip from Harry.
Asiasi caught one of Hoyer’s passes, but the ball was cleared by Cassh Maluia’s. Asiasi had to run a round as a result.
Devin Ross seems to be picking things up in his second season in the Patriots offense and received praise for one route that runs well.
11-on-11 work …
Cam Newton saw 30 reps in the 11-on-11 period for the lone field goal period of practice. Hoyer saw 12 reps in the same span. Clearly, the Patriots are doing everything they can to get the former MVP comfortable with his new offense and new teammates. After the field goal period late in practice, Hoyer saw seven more snaps, while Newton saw nine.
In 39’s snaps at Newton in the 11-on-11 periods, he started 7-for-7 before breaking a pass by rookie Myles Bryant. In all, he went 19-for-27 on his 11-on-11 passing reps. Some of his best looks came from Julian Edelman, who was on a series of rapid strikes by Newton – including one in which Newton identified high pressure and took the ball out of his hand.
Two of Newton’s first three completions in 11-on-11 work, and seven compliments in total, went to Edelman on Sunday. The two worked at one point on a side field to create conversation routes, the latest of several powwows from the side session between this couple this summer.
“Teach each other like people on the field, off the field,” Edelman of Newton said after the practice. “Try to build a rapport. I do the same with Hoy and Stid, but those guys have been there. I have to pick up Cam.”
Newton also hit Ryan Izzo on a controversy pass in the end zone that only Izzo could reach. He later hit Sanu with a well-placed high pass on the back end line for a touchdown to end the practice. Newton put football just out of Harry’s reach on a route and shot Damien Harris too much on a screen visit, but otherwise it was a relatively clean day for him.
Hoyer went 12-for-15 in 19 snaps from 11-on-11 periods, with one pass falling through corner Justin Bethel deep into the field. Hoyer had one pass dropped by Asiasi, and another that had broken up across the middle when he aimed Harry.
It’s clear which of the two veteran quarterbacks is more fluent in the language of the Patriots offense, as Hoyer’s orders stopped almost non-stop during rush hours. Newton even made calls on the line, but Hoyer seemed to do so more often and confidently.
WHO POPPED?
Damien Harris: The more that running rain misses the practice, the more Harris seems to take advantage. Michel and Miller have been out of the camp so far, and White and Taylor missed Sunday.
That means tons of reps for Harris and Rex Burkhead. Harris looked great to take Newton’s substitutions, and he caught the ball clean in terms. The third round of 2019 fishes for a bigger offensive role in year 2.
Deatrich Wise: Wise flashes in team periods despite contact not allowed. On two different occasions, he found himself in the backfield for sacks. The four-year veteran recently admitted that he was gaining weight this offseason, which could have made him a more logical fit in what has been a 3-4-style defense for Bill Belichick lately.
Lighter last year, Wise was a bit of a ‘tweener between the burlier 3-4 defensive ends and lighter, more athletic outside linebackers. He now looks like he could be in the 3-4 final rotation as a defender of interior line with Lawrence Guy, Adam Butler and Byron Cowart.
Patriots linebackers: Jerod Mayo could be heard throughout the practice, often after positive plays from the Patriots linebacker corps. Ja’Whaun Bentley blew a draft quarterback run at one point. Terez Hall broke a pass and would have blown up a screen to Burkhead if contact was allowed. Maluia forced a fumble. Shilique Calhoun forced a tight end back by identifying it and quickly becoming wide.
The Patriots defense’s strength is in the secondary, but it was a good day for Belichick’s forwards.
WHO DROPPED?
N’Keal Harry: He returned to work after missing three practices and did not appear to be fully engaged. At the end of the exercise, with haste focus, it seemed as if the attacking huddle was waiting for him to take the field after he had taken several consecutive reps with the group beforehand. Damiere Byrd, who was also with the previous group, jumped up to take the job.
Harry talked to a coach and ran to the sideline while the game went on. He had drops in teamwork and in drills. His development could have been crucial to the Patriots’ passing game, but after missing three days, he did not have his best day on Sunday.
Devin Asia: Although the rookie-tight end shows impressive body control and hands during points from just about every practice of the Patriots, he had a few miscues on Sunday, including a fumble (which led to a round) and a drip.
Physically, he still seems to be the most talented tight end in the group. But Sunday might be a wake-up call when it comes to the focus the Patriots’ coaching staff requires.
Justin Rohrwasser: Last seen kicking off on Monday, reporters watched the fifth-round rookie for the first time in nearly a week Sunday. Late in practice, he stepped onto a field with Joe Cardona pinched and Jake Bailey holding, and two of his first three kicks wide left.
When he worked in a period of 11 to 11, he made two of four steps focused on the narrower-than-normal steps. A third step would certainly have been in normal uprisings. Still, it was a bit of an adventure one day for Rohrwasser.
