5 things we learned from Patriots training camp Day 2
Jason McCourty could be a strong addition in 2018.
Though the team wasn’t wearing full pads yet (an event scheduled for Saturday), there was still plenty to watch on the second day of Patriots training camp.
Here are a few observations from Friday’s practice in humid Foxborough:
Julian Edelman doesn’t look limited: The 32-year-old receiver, who will sit out the first four games of the season with a suspension for violating the league’s policy on performance enhancing substances, didn’t appear limited in his movement. This is especially impressive considering Edelman is still less than a year removed from tearing his ACL in a 2017 preseason game.
A Malcolm Mitchell sighting: Another Patriots receiver returning from injury, Mitchell was absent on Day 1. Yet on Friday, he was on the field, albeit in a limited capacity on the lower field. This is clearly progress for a player who hasn’t factored in a Patriots game since Super Bowl LI.
Jason McCourty had a good day: The 30-year-old cornerback is reportedly competing with Eric Rowe for a starting job. On Friday, he looked to be in midseason form, breaking up multiple passes. His highlight moment came from a step-for-step coverage of Chris Hogan, breaking up a deep ball from Brian Hoyer with textbook technique.
Marcus Cannon is reportedly hurt: While several Patriots appear to be on their way back from injury, an unfortunate piece of news could be an apparent injury to right tackle Marcus Cannon. He was spotted leaving the field with trainer Jim Whelan, though there didn’t seem to be a limp in Cannon’s step.
Punter competition update: With two punters in camp, the Patriots are apparently giving incumbent Ryan Allen some competition. But Cory Bojoquez, the rookie challenger, struggled at times on Friday. A few of his punts failed to achieve distance, with some quickly hurdling out of bounds.
