FOXBORO, Mass. — After consecutive days in pads, the New England Patriots dialed back the intensity on Thursday for a two-hour non-padded session under sunny skies.
There were highs and lows, with an improved Drake Maye as one of the standouts. However, the rookie quarterback wasn’t quite good enough to rank among our top performers from Day 7 of Patriots training camp.
Best Players From Day 7 of Patriots Training Camp
RB Antonio Gibson | STUD
After missing the first few practices of camp due to an undisclosed injury, Antonio Gibson has steadily improved each day and emerged as a key contributor to the offense. He’s the clear top option as a pass-catching back, and he brings more elusiveness and short-area quickness than Rhamondre Stevenson.
If Gibson can stay healthy, he could be the Patriots’ most productive receiving back since James White.
WR Tyquan Thornton | STUD
Tyquan Thornton deserves a ton of credit for turning in a solid camp, which continued Thursday with another solid performance.
Thornton beat Christian Gonzalez twice in 1-on-1s, caught a touchdown from Jacoby Brissett in 7-on-7s, and was on the field for the Patriots’ first snap of 11-on-11s. Thornton also caught a ball from Brissett on a quick slant, the kind of chains-moving play he’s rarely delivered since entering the NFL.
Thornton is on the roster bubble, but he’s trending in the right direction.
Tyquan Thornton wins again vs Christian Gonzalez in 1v1s 👀
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WR Kayshon Boutte | STUD
Another decent day for Kayshon Boutte, who registered a TD on a fantastic finger-tip catch in the back of the end zone and scored another touchdown on a dart from Joe Milton III.
It’s been a while since Boutte has turned in a bad practice, and he’s making a strong case for earning a roster spot.
Honorable mentions: Jacoby Brissett, Drake Maye, DeMario Douglas, Keion White
Players Who Struggled on Day 7 of Patriots Training Camp
Defensive Secondary | DUD
It wasn’t a horrible day for the secondary, but it was the group’s worst performance of camp. It got so bad that the entire Patriots defense ran a lap after the Milton-led offense converted touchdowns on three of four plays during goal-line 7-on-7s.
The secondary showed out during 1-on-1s, but team drills weren’t great, as Brissett, Maye, and Milton all took turns carving up Patriots defensive backs.
Offensive Line | DUD
There were more stuffed runs and quarterback pressure than in previous practices, perhaps because the Patriots shuffled their line combinations for the first time since last week. Calvin Anderson had an especially tough day and even had to run a lap after being flagged for a false start. Overall, the O-line gave up six sacks, with Maye taking three.
The offensive line had been on an upward trajectory, so this was a setback.
K Joey Slye | DUD
We struggled to come up with a third “dud,” but the pick here is Joey Slye, who went 3 for 4 on field goals, while his competition, Chad Ryland, went 4 for 4. Both kickers went 3 of 4 in a practice last week, so Ryland might currently have the edge in the kicker battle.
At this point, we don’t feel great about either kicker, but Slye’s been a tick worse.
Honorable mentions: JuJu Smith-Schuster, Christian Gonzalez