FOXBORO, Mass. — Defense led the way on Day 4 of New England Patriots training camp, but the offense made its share of good plays.
The good: Another standout performance from a rookie receiver. The bad: Another spotty showing from quarterback Drake Maye. Let’s break it all down by looking at the best and worst performances from New England’s fourth training camp practice.
Best Players From Day 4 of Patriots Training Camp
WR Javon Baker | STUD
This was Baker’s best practice of camp — by far.
He was dynamite in receiver 1-on-1s, as you’ll see in the clip below. He also caught two passes in team drills while seeing more meaningful reps than in any previous practices.
Baker was open all day and played with a ton of swagger. It remains to be seen whether he’ll pick up the offense well enough to earn a role, but his big-play potential is obvious.
It’s also worth noting that Christian Gonzalez is one of the corners Baker beat in 1-on-1s.
Javon Baker cooking at Training Camp 🔥
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Patriots Coverage Powered by @Gametime @PrizePicks pic.twitter.com/IY67tCOe6s— Patriots on CLNS Media (@PatriotsCLNS) July 28, 2024
DE Deatrich Wise Jr. | STUD
It was another strong practice for Deatrich Wise Jr., who had two batted passes in one 11-on-11 period. He also generated multiple pressures from the edge and was a problem for whoever was playing left tackle.
Wise might lose playing time to Keion White this season, but he remains an impactful, consistent player on the defensive line.
TE Austin Hooper | STUD
Austin Hooper led all Patriots with four catches in team periods (Ja’Lynn Polk had three).
This was Hooper’s best and most active practice of camp. He was busy during team drills, including making a diving catch on a deep pass from Jacoby Brissett. The Patriots have lined Hooper up in multiple spots and clearly want him involved in the offense. He’s been solid and should give New England quality depth behind Hunter Henry.
Players Who Struggled on Day 4 of Patriots Training Camp
QB Drake Maye | DUDS
This was one of those practices that made it hard to envision Drake Maye beating out Brissett to become the Week 1 starter. He’s wildly talented, but he’s just too inconsistent and has too much to work on before being given that much responsibility. He’ll make an incredible pass on one play, then badly overthrow a receiver on the next. It’s reminiscent of Josh Allen early in his career.
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Maye was inaccurate during 1-on-1s, overthrowing multiple receivers and throwing behind two others. He also had two pre-snap penalties during team drills, and most of his completions were on short passes or checkdowns. It was messy.
With all that said, camp just started, and there’s plenty of time for Maye to find his footing. Still, the results have been mixed.
Drake Maye misses an easy pass
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Patriots Coverage Powered by @Gametime @PrizePicks pic.twitter.com/0n6VYbZmg1— Patriots on CLNS Media (@PatriotsCLNS) July 28, 2024
WR JuJu Smith-Schuster | DUD
When you watch the Patriots practice, it’s easy to forget JuJu Smith-Schuster is on the roster. He plays slowly, lacks energy, and doesn’t make any big plays in team drills. His speed is gone, as is his ability to separate against quality cornerbacks.
If you were hoping Smith-Schuster could recapture his vintage form this summer, you’ll be sorely disappointed.
DB Azizi Hearn | DUD
Azizi Hearn got torched by Jalen Reagor on a deep pass in 1-on-1s and had coverage issues throughout practice. We’re probably being too hard on a roster longshot, but the reality is Hearn doesn’t look like an NFL-caliber corner.