FOXBOROUGH — A comprehensive recap of the Patriots’ fourth training camp practice Sunday, the team’s second full-pads session of the summer dedicated to run game installation.
Attendance
Absent: WR Dontrelle Inman, DL Byron Cowart
PUP: WR Demaryius Thomas, S Nate Ebner, CB Ken Webster, OL Cole Croston
NFI: WR Julian Edelman, OT Yodny Cajuste
Non-contact jersey: S Patrick Chung
Limited: C David Andrews, OL Isaiah Wynn, DE Deatrich Wise Jr.
Returned: DE Michael Bennett
Play of the Day
Christian Sam lays the wood to close goal line
Little-known linebacker Christian Sam, a 2018 sixth-round pick, punctuated New England’s goal-line period with a literal bang Sunday.
One snap after rookie running back Damien Harris scored the offense’s first and only touchdown, he was laid flat on his back after Sam had zipped around the left end to meet him in the backfield. The defense celebrated appropriately, having stonewalled the Patriots’ offense four out of five times. Sam may have even forced a fumble (indiscernible from the faraway media tent).
What was clear, though, was he’d just made the play of the day.
Player of the Day
DT Mike Pennel
New England, meet Mike Pennel.
The former Jet announced his presence in a big way Sunday, bigger than even his 6-foot-4, 330-pound frame. The Patriots’ newest nose tackle was at the center of two stands the first-team defense made to kick off the goal-line period. On the second stop, Pennel obliterated an outside handoff to Brandon Bolden almost all by himself.
Earlier, Pennel tied James Ferentz during his one rep of 1-on-1 pass rush. He projects as a clear upgrade over predecessor Malcom Brown and should form one of the toughest run-defending defensive tackle tandems in the league with Lawrence Guy.
Quarterback corner
Note: The passing stats below were tallied during full-speed 11-on-11 periods only.
Tom Brady: 10-13 (17-28 for camp)
Brian Hoyer: 7-11, INT (23-32, INT for camp)
Jarrett Stidham: 1-2 (13-18 for camp)
Studs
DL Michael Bennett
Earlier in the day, he’d stepped off a 10-hour flight, then sat out long portions of key periods and practiced on little sleep under relentless heat. But when it came time for Bennett to take a few reps during team periods, none of it mattered.
The three-time Pro Bowler destroyed fourth-round rookie guard Hjalte Frohodlt on one of his initial reps and wrought carnage across New England’s (depleted) offensive line. Bennett was New England’s best acquisition of the offseason and looked like it Sunday.
TE Ben Watson
Tom Brady targeted Watson more than any other pass catcher during team drills. He caught a terrific touchdown over Patrick Chung and continues to inspire confidence he’ll be able to contribute once his four-game suspension is up in October.
EDGE Chase Winovich
Winovich quietly improved throughout the day, a performance that culminated in his perfectly set edge that crushed one of the final runs in a team period. He consistently pushed the pocket during team drills and beat Tyree St. Louis in 1-on-1 pass rush. Winovich isn’t likely to be promoted from the scout team/rookie defense anytime soon, but Sunday was promising.
S Patrick Chung
Yes, he gave up the touchdown to Watson. But this dude — who’s still recovering from a broken arm — played scout-team quarterback and running back, then ran with the starting defense during team drills. No wonder Belichick calls him one of New England’s best practice players.
Duds
OT Dan Skipper
The Patriots coaching staff handed Skipper most of the first-team reps at left tackle in team periods, and the 6-foot-9 tackle did little with them. With Joe Thuney back home at left guard, Skipper struggled to create push in the run game. He also went 1-1 in individual pass rush, his second rep a roasting courtesy of Shilique Calhoun.
QB Brian Hoyer
Thanks to another Checkdown Charlie performance early in 11-on-11s, Hoyer finished with a respectable 7-of-11 passing line. But he also threw a red-zone interception and botched a snap, which earned him a lap up and down the field. Can’t have those mistakes.
1-on-1 pass rush results
OFFENSIVE LINE
Joe Thuney 1-0-1 (3-0-1)
Ted Karras 1-0-1 (2-1-1)
Dan Skipper 1-1 (2-1)
J.J. Dielman 1-1 (3-1)
Tyree St. Louis 1-1 (1-2)
James Ferentz 0-1-1 (2-1-1)
Shaq Mason 0-1 (2-1)
Marcus Cannon 0-1 (1-2)
Cedrick Lang 0-1 (0-1-1)
Hjalte Froholdt 0-1 (0-2)
Tyler Gauthier 0-1* (0-2*)
DEFENSIVE LINE
Michael Bennett 1-0 (1-0)
Keionta Davis 1-0 (2-1)
Trent Harris 1-0 (1-0-1)
Chase Winovich 1-0 (1-1)
David Parry 0-0-1 (0-1-1)
Mike Pennel 0-0-1 (1-0-1)
Ufomba Kamalu 0-0-1 (0-2-1)
Adam Butler 1-1 (1-3)
Kyle Van Noy 1-1 (1-1)
Shilique Calhoun 1-1 (1-2)
Nick Thurman 1-1 (2-2)
Danny Shelton 0-1 (1-1)
Derek Rivers 0-1 (2-1)
Lawrence Guy 0-0 (0-1)
NOTES: Nick Thurman again scored the most decisive win of the day, this time by besting J.J. Dielman ... Michael Bennett out-maneuvered Shaq Mason ... Kyle Van Noy beat Marcus Cannon ... Trent Harris and Shilique Calhoun had the most impressive rushes after Thurman ... Undrafted rookie Tyler Gauthier false-started his rep and was forced to take a lap. Hard to see him making the roster at this stage.
Offensive notes
- Tom Brady rebounded nicely from a rare 0-for-4 showing on Saturday. He spread the ball around effectively and hit receivers at all levels. Brady’s touchdown to Watson, which covered at least 15 yards in the air and sizzled over Chung’s shoulder, was his finest throw of the day.
- Brady, Hoyer and Stidham spent one of their longest passing periods on seam passes and out routes with both wide receivers and tight ends. New England is counting on its new tight ends and taller wideouts to take over the seam area, which formerly belonged to Rob Gronkowski.
- While Brady didn’t target Maurice Harris in the pseudo-2-minute drill that closed practice, he did find Harris twice during initial team periods. Buy Harris stock while you still can.
- Hoyer, meanwhile, repeatedly looked to Gunner Olszewski over his two-minute drill, including for a touchdown at the end. The converted Division II cornerback has made steady progress.
- Hoyer hit N’Keal Harry on a well-timed back-shoulder throw for the second straight practice. Harry took the field in team drills primarily when New England went to 11 personnel (3 WR-1 RB-1 TE).
- Sony Michel was sidelined for team drills again. Rex Burkhead, James White and Brandon Bolden divided up the first-team carries in his absence, with Bolden eating first and often on a .
- In team periods, Harris and Phillip Dorsett are taking the first snaps virtually regardless of the personnel grouping. Harry and Braxton Berrios have generally been next in line.
- Speaking of Berrios, he caught his first-ever pass from Brady during 11-on-11 action. He shook Jonathan Jones to spring himself free downfield.
- During an ensuing tackling drill, however, where ball carriers were wrapped up but not thrown to the ground, Berrios went down easier than most of his offensive teammates. Something to monitor given playing strength was a concern last summer.
- No circle of trust today. When New England sounded the horn for kickoff work, the tight ends all worked with Brady, while Hoyer threw to Michel, Harry and James White.
- When Skipper stepped aside at left tackle, Cedrick Lang stepped in for a few first-team reps. The 27-year-old journeyman/converted college basketball player and tight end bounced around New York, Denver and Minnesota before landing with the Patriots. Lang also took snaps at right tackle.
- David Andrews and Isaiah Wynn were at their same participation levels as Saturday. Andrews dressed but was fully removed from any individual drill or team period. Wynn hovered around the initial O-line drills, then departed and returned in street clothes.
Defensive notes
- How decisively New England’s defensive front owned the opening reps of goal-line work can’t be understated. Pennel and Guy reset the line of scrimmage, the linebackers swarmed and it was over.
- Jamie Collins continues to take first-team reps, as does Derek Rivers in more limited action.
- Stephon Gilmore saw his fourth target of camp in 11-on-11 action. It went much like the first three: hopeless and incomplete. Brady targeted Dorsett on a deep ball, but Gilmore had the speedster pinned to the sideline so the ball fell harmlessly in the middle of the field.
- Obi Melifonwu was responsible for Hoyer’s interception intended for Watson. It was Melifonwu’s third of camp. Not all have come during 11-on-11s, and he’s behind Terrence Brooks on the depth chart, but it’s obviously still notable.
- Jason McCourty has surrendered more completions in man-to-man than any defensive back in camp, and I’m not sure it’s close.
- Two dark horses to make the 53-man roster who are gaining steam: DE Trent Harris and LB Calvin Munson.
- Still no team-period reps for Wise Jr., who stayed after practice for extra work longer than any other Patriot.
- Michael Bennett, as expected, will bounce between inside and edge alignments on New England’s defensive line.
- Winovich mentioned post-practice he’s working on entirely new techniques from his time at Michigan. Part of his learning process Sunday included hands-on instruction from Belichick during a run-game drill that pitted defensive ends/outside linebackers versus tight ends in a fight over control over the edge of the line of scrimmage. Winovich lost leverage on one rep, then received a first-class lesson from Belichick, which he put to good use in team drills.
Special teams notes
- The kick return crew shuffled personnel again, this time adding Damoun Patterson to the mix. Sunday’s group included Patterson, Dorsett, Berrios and UDFA Ryan Davis.
- Matthew Slater has often worked alone with a staffer during practices, eschewing any wide receiver drills for full-time special teams focus. That was not the case Sunday. He often drilled in duos or trios, with Bolden, Munson and others stopping by to get reps with Slater and one or two coaches.
- At the start of practice, Melifonwu ran drills with Slater and the other core special-teamers (Brooks, Bolden and Brandon King) instead of the safeties.
- Fifth-round rookie punter Jake Bailey and Stephen Gostkowski split kickoff duties during those periods.
Odds and ends
- Celtics star Jayson Tatum was in attendance with coach Brad Stevens and Raptors headman Nick Nurse. Nurse won the NBA title with Toronto last June in his first year as coach.
- Sunday’s practice surpassed 90 degrees, making it the hottest of training camp thus far.
- Bennett spoke at length after practice about what it meant to him that Belichick allowed him to miss the start of training camp to handle a family matter. Some of the best quotes of the summer.
What’s next?
New England will hold its next practice Monday inside Gillette Stadium at 7 p.m. The practice is open only to season-ticket holders.