FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The New England Patriots’ ninth training camp practice is in the books, and it saw a bounce-back outing from the defense.
The offense had the upper hand on Friday, but Saturday was a different story, with the Patriots’ defense registering two interceptions and a handful of sacks. Still, there were impressive performances on both sides of the ball, including a standout day for Hunter Henry.
Best Players on Day 9 of Patriots Training Camp
TE Hunter Henry | STUD
The veteran tight end was excellent, finishing with four catches, including a “touchdown”, on five targets while delivering the play of the day.
In an early 11-on-11 period, Jacoby Brissett fired a 40-yard bomb to Henry, who made a ridiculous one-handed grab with Kyle Dugger in coverage. Jerod Mayo called back the play due to a sack — a questionable ruling — but we’re still giving Henry credit for the catch.
One-hand Hunt ✋@JBrissett12 | @Hunter_Henry84 pic.twitter.com/kyQO6TyXGi
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) August 3, 2024
With all the talk about New England’s receiver group, it’s easy to forget it has an above-average pass-catching tight end in Henry, who’s been one of the offense’s most consistent performers throughout camp.
DT Trysten Hill | STUD
I gave Trysten Hill one run-stuff and one batted pass, which came against Maye.
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The 26-year-old defensive tackle doesn’t get talked about much, but he’s respected in the locker room and has turned in a solid camp. Honestly, you could argue he deserves a roster spot over Armon Watts, who was the Patriots’ top D-line addition during the offseason.
Either way, with Christian Barmore potentially facing a lengthy absence, Hill could be in line for a roster spot.
QB Jacoby Brissett | STUD
Here are Brissett’s stats:
11-on-11s: 9-of-14, one interception, one sack
7-on-7s: 2-of-6, interception
Brissett, like Drake Maye, was better than his numbers indicate. His pick in 11-on-11s came on a deep shot to Jalen Reagor, who got outmuscled by Azizi Hearn, who tipped the ball to Jaylinn Hawkins. On the 7-on-7 pick, Austin Hooper appeared to stop running while looking for a penalty, allowing Alex Austin to come up with the end-zone interception.
Otherwise, Brissett was his usual, steady self and reaffirmed himself as the top QB on the depth chart. He was especially good during a late two-minute period, going 4-for-4 with a 40-yard completion to K.J. Osborn and a 10-yard TD pass to a diving Henry.
Brissett wasn’t great or anything, and I’m not sure he’s truly starred in any practice. But he’s rock-solid every day and has been the Patriots’ best QB during two-minute drills and when asked to push the ball down the field.
He still is leading the QB competition, and it isn’t close.
Players Who Struggled on Day 9 of Patriots Training Camp
WR JuJu Smith-Schuster | DUD
This was another brutal practice for JuJu Smith-Schuster, who saw time with the third-team offense. He had a drop, fell on another route, and couldn’t gain separation against anyone. Joe Milton III threw Smith-Schuster open in the end zone during 7-on-7s, but the veteran receiver couldn’t come up with the grab. Such has been his disappointing camp.
READ MORE: Full Patriots Training Camp Day 9 Report
The Patriots won’t love incurring a $9.6 million dead salary cap hit, but they probably should release Smith-Schuster at some point.
RB Kevin Harris | DUD
Kevin Harris has been a surprise camp success story, but Saturday was a struggle for the third-year running back. I gave him two run-stuffs (not necessarily his fault) and a pair of drops, and you could argue he committed a third. Regardless, it was a rough performance for a player who can’t afford many of them.
K Chad Ryland | DUD
Chad Ryland went 3-of-4 on field-goal attempts, with his lone miss wide right from 39 yards. It was a step backward for the second-year kicker, who still has a slight edge over veteran Joey Slye (5-of-5 on Saturday). Through nine practices, Ryland is 20-of-22 while Slye is 19-of-23.