6 rings: 'Malik Mania' continues to takeover Foxborough
The Patriots have spent the last two and a half weeks in Foxborough, making their way to Gillette Stadium to trudge through the grind of training camp.
This week, however, they’re hitting the road for the first time all season.
New England is headed to Green Bay, Wisconsin on Tuesday for two joint practices with the Packers on Wednesday and Thursday before their preseason game on Saturday.
The Patriots signed wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster in March and despite having played in the NFL for seven seasons, the veteran has never participated in a joint practice:
“It’s actually fun it’s my first time doing this, practice with another team during training camp” Smith-Schuster told reporters following New England’s practice on Sunday. “I’m excited to go out there, you know new guys, since we’ve been going against each other for the past months.”
Smith-Schuster is slotted to be one of the Patriots leading pass catchers this season, and he’ll have his first true rest of the preseason this week when he goes against one of the best in the NFL in Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander:
“Jaire, he’s a really good player man. I’ll give that to him,” Smith-Schuster said when asked about Alexander. “He’s probably, what he would say is, a lockdown corner. All I can say, I mean, he’s a good player. I can’t wait to go against him this week.”
While the two will likely go against eachother during practice, it remains to be determined if they’ll face off in Saturday night's game. Neither Smith-Schuster or Alexander took a snap in their teams first preseason game last week, and may be held out once again in order to keep them healthy.
JuJu was asked if he would like to get some preseason snaps before week one:
“Most definitely. I think it’s always important to get, you know, to have all the guys out there and to get plays in to build that against another team. And I think it’s great what we’re doing this week, going to Green Bay and getting live reps against another team, which is nice."
The Patriots will practice on Monday at 12:30 p.m. before traveling to Green Bay on Tuesday. Monday’s session is open to the media but closed to the public.
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