10 takeaways from the first day of Patriots training camp
Early impressions of Mac Jones, Jack Jones, and Juju Smith-Schuster, among others.
The beginning of what could be a career-altering year for Mac Jones got off to an uninspiring start.
Granted, it was the first day of training camp and the Patriots weren’t wearing pads yet. There’s still plenty of time to grow and improve.
Jones’s first pass during camp scrimmages was picked off by Kyle Dugger. He went 5-for-10 in red zone drills. He had some good throws, but overall it was a so-so performance.
Perhaps the fact that none of New England’s quarterbacks, Bailey Zappe and Trace McSorely included, performed very well is an early sign that the defense is ready to live up to the hype.
Or maybe, it’s an indication that the offense, even under new coordinator Bill O’Brien has a long way to go before it can help New England contend.
Either way, here are 10 takeaways from the first day of camp.
Mac Jones reacts to DeAndre Hopkins’s decision to sign elsewhere.
One of the biggest storylines of New England’s offseason was its pursuit of five-time Pro Bowl receiver DeAndre Hopkins. Hopkins was billed the kind of No. 1 receiver that could boost New England’s offense to new heights.
But, Hopkins chose to sign with the Tennessee Titans instead.
“I think DeAndre’s a great player, and I know he’s going to do great down there,” Jones said of Hopkins’s decision. ” So, for us, I think we have a great group and that’s what we’re trying to do is mold together. I think we have great tight ends, receivers and backs, so we definitely have great depth and we’re going to work together to talk about the routes, what we like and what we don’t like.”
“We got some guys who have played a lot of snaps in the NFL in the receiver room, and so I’m just trying to learn from them, really, and talk,” Jones continued. “Tell them how I see it, but also, at the end of the day, how they see it because that’s important, too. So, yeah, that comes through film and just talking in the locker room and watching it out here on the practice field.”
Jack Jones returns to practice as legal case plays out.
As he awaits his probable cause hearing that stemmed from a June arrest at Logan Airport, Jack Jones continues to practice with the Patriots. He was an active participant, taking reps on the outside at cornerback.
TSA officials said a pair of guns were found in Jones’s luggage. He’s due back in court on Aug. 18, and unless something changes it appears he’ll be practicing until then.
“You have to ask him about that,” Patriots safety Kyle Dugger said. “I’m just happy I get to share the field with him. That’s all I can say about that.”
Juju Smith-Schuster makes an early impression on fans.
Wednesday marked Juju Smith-Schuster’s first practice with the Patriots after missing OTAs and minicamp. He bounced around the field energetically during warmups, pumping up the crowd. He later caught a slant from Jones during redzone drills.
“JuJu loves football and you can see the juice that he brings,” Jones said. “He’s definitely really embraced everything; he’s working really hard, always doing the right thing, so we just got to be consistent. I know that he can bring that veteran leadership.”
Kyle Dugger stays mum on contract talks.
Patriots director of player personnel Matt Groh told reporters that the team is constantly having conversations with players whose contracts are expiring.
Dugger is one of those players, but declined to give many details on the talks.
“I would love to play ball here,” Dugger said. “As far as everything else, I kind of leave that to my agent.”
Marte Mapu is hurt, but still practiced.
Rookie linebacker Marte Mapu practiced in a red non-contact jersey on Wednesday.
He suffered a torn pectoral muscle in February, but was able to participate in OTAs and minicamp where he was an early standout.
Heavy emphasis on improving red zone offense.
The Patriots stayed in the redzone during the scrimmaging portion of practice. They focused on throwing the ball during both 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 drills.
“Day one is all about watching the tape and seeing what you can adjust, right?” Jones said. “So, getting everybody back together, the vets, the rooks, everybody. So, I feel like the red zone is a great area and we definitely need to improve. I need to improve down there. Things happen quick and it all comes from practice.”
Ty Montgomery finally looks like he’s at full strength.
After being limited to one game during an injury-riddled 2022 season, Ty Montgomery played well in his 2023 training camp opener. He caught a pair of touchdown passes from Jones, showing the skill set that allows him to compete at both receiver and running back.
Rough day for Bailey Zappe
Jones looked like the Patriots’ best quarterback on Wednesday, not because he played particularly well, but because Bailey Zappe went 2-8 during 11-on-11 drills and had a pass swatted at the line of scrimmage by Mack Wilson.
Zappe did fare slightly better than Jones during the 7-on-7 portion of red zone drills, completing two of his three passes while Jones threw an interception.
Overall, Zappe went 4-for-11 in the red zone on Wednesday, making it a rough day for the backup QB.
Matthew Judon sticks with long red sleeves, even during summer heat.
Pro Bowl linebacker Matthew Judon wore a red long-sleeve shirt that said “Go Pats” underneath his jersey. It was nearly 90 degrees in Foxborough during practice, but Judon stuck with his signature look.
Fans sang “Happy Birthday” to Deatrich Wise
Deatrich Wise, who posted a career-best 59 tackles and 7.5 sacks last year, turned 29 on Wednesday. He beamed as fans sang happy birthday to him as he walked off the field at the end of practice.
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