6 rings: Monday gave us a glimpse of just how fun Bill O'Brien's offense could be
There was a weird aura in Foxborough on Monday when Bill Belichick and his team showed up fashionably late to their morning session.
“Apologize for the delay,” said the head coach to start his presser, explaining that they pushed their schedule back this morning to make sure they were “ready”.
Phew. Business as usual. Here’s everything that happened at New England’s first fully-padded practice:
First on the field, player arrivals
After the long delay, Bailey Zappe was the first on the field at today’s practice.
Zappe was followed by Trace McSorley, and then Mac Jones.
Notes and Storylines: Offense
- Rookie Kayshon Boutte was back on the practice field after an absence on Sunday. He was also first in line to start wide receiver drills. Is he feeling the pressure from Demario Douglas’ dominant Sunday?
- Trent Brown, who Belichick said is “in good shape. He’s lighter than he’s been,” arrived at practice before leaving to focus on conditioning for the rest of the session.
- Like Brown, Rhamondre Stevenson arrived at practice before leaving for the lower field. New England’s need at running back seems to be growing by the day. With Stevenson out, Kevin Harris took first reps at running back, followed by Pierre Strong Jr. and JJ Taylor.
- Cole Strange looked to have injured his left lef in a tie-up with Lawrence Guy. He limped off the field and entered the athletic training room. He didn’t return. Rookie IOL Atonio Mafi took his place at guard.
- We’re not allowed to report on why, (rules state we can talk about formations, groupings, etc.), but this offense is going to be unrecognizable compared to last season. The play designs are intricate, and the units discipline as a whole is noteworthy.
- Malik Cunningham got some QB work today.
- Wide receiver Jalen Hurd was looked at by trainers, who were stretching out his left leg. Hurd as been known to not be able to stay healthy in the past.
- Kendrick Bourne finally caught a pass in 11-on-11’s. A touchdown from Bailey Zappe in the red zone.
- Demario Douglas continued to impress once the pads came on. He had a couple of key blocks, which Bill Belichick enjoyed watching, and also got open against Marcus Jones on a crossing route but Bailey Zappe overthrew him.
Notes and Storylines: Defense
- Linebacker Marte Mapu remains in a red non-contact jersey, but is getting plenty of reps with New England’s starting unit.
- Matthew Judon arrived at practice, not in pads, and then left shortly after. He returned to watch the team’s competitive periods, but did not participate.
- Defensive back Brad Hawkins was helped off of the field with a leg injury, but returned later in the session.
- Jonathan Jones seems pretty cemented at boundary cornerback opposite Christian Gonzalez. Myles Bryant and Marcus Jones rotated in the slot.
- The front seven as a whole got after the Patriots offensive line today. Injuries certainly played a part.
Notes and Storylines: Special teams
- Bryce Baringer has a boot. I’ve said that I’d be shocked if he lost the punter competition strictly due to the draft capital the Patriots spent on him. He may have won it today.
- Marcus Jones, Demario Douglas, Ed Lee, and Myles Bryant all returned punts today.
- Jourdan Heilig remains in the Matthew Slater program, working with Cam Achord what seems like all practice.
Player of the Day
Mac Jones and Bryce Baringer.
On a rather uneventful day, the Patriots quarterback looked poised, which is exactly what New England is looking for in their offense. He and O’Brien continue to be on the same page, and the limited mistakes from the unit stems from the quarterback.
The rookie punter also looked the part. He was booming the ball left and right and looked to have a stranglehold on the competition.
Media availability
We spoke to Kevin Harris, Pierre Strong Jr., Jabrill Peppers, and Deatrich Wise Jr. following Monday's practice. Here's what stood out:
Harris, who got plenty of reps with Stevenson out said he worked on “catching the ball and running faster” this offseason.
He also spoke on the potential addition of Ezekiel Elliott to the running back room, saying that “It’s not my focus but it would be good to learn from a vet.”
Strong Jr. was also asked about Zeke, but was a bit more mum: “I don’t really focus on that.” He also said that he’s “trying to make a leap and perfect his role on the team.”
Jabrill Peppers was asked about rookie WR Demario Douglas: “He’s out there making plays. We saw it early on out in OTAs.”
Deatrich Wise Jr. was asked about rookie DE Keion White, saying that he's a “very strong, intelligent kid. Loves to work, which is wonderful here.”
Wrap-Up and Takeaways
Main takeaway from Monday: Injuries and load management. Judon, Brown, Stevenson, Strange, Hawkins, Hurd, and Hines all received some sort of medical attention.
The Patriots are back at tomorrow for what will likely be another padded practice. We’ll have you covered here at WEEI.com as training camp rolls on. Gresh and Fauria will be live from the stadium as well.
Make sure to follow Mike on Twitter @mikekadlick, and follow @WEEI for the latest up-to-date Patriots and Boston sports news!
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