FOXBORO, Mass. — New England Patriots fans hope Drake Maye will take big leaps in the coming weeks as he vies for the starting quarterback job.
For now, baby steps will have to suffice.
Maye, who struggled mightily in his last three practices, enjoyed marginal improvement during Thursday’s training camp practice. The Patriots offense was better overall and got the better of the defense, which had Matthew Judon back in the fold after consecutive practice absences.
Let’s get into everything we saw on Day 7 of Patriots training camp.
Highlights from Jerod Mayo’s Press Conference
On Judon missing the last two practices due to a contract dispute: “I know a lot of questions today will be about Judon and things like that, but just so you guys know, my philosophy and our philosophy is to keep as much internal as possible.
“We had a great meeting with Judon, and we’re all moving forward. I remember as a player, it’s always a difficult time, right? It’s always a difficult time when you go through contract negotiations and things like that. In saying that, for the rest of the team, we’re pushing forward.”
On his public and animated discussion with Judon on Monday: “Yeah, I’ll tell you this. First-time head coach and first time in pads, I’ll always remember what happened that day. In saying that, look, we had a conversation. I have a great relationship with Matthew; I have a great relationship with the players. But we’re moving forward, and we’re trying to work through it.”
On Davon Godchaux’s two-year extension: “Look, that was a long process, but I’m glad we got that deal finished. Once again, it goes to the point of we want to sign players that we know still have good ball in them.”
On rookie receiver Ja’Lynn Polk: “I’ve been a huge fan of Polk since scouting all those other players. He’s just one of those guys that when he puts the pads on, he’s that much better. He does the dirty work. He also can run great routes, has great hands.
“He’s one of those just all-around players that you want to build your team around, and I would also say he does flash some leadership ability, which I definitely appreciate.”
On criticism of Maye’s practice struggles: “People are going to have their opinions. I would say the opinions inside of the four walls matter most, and I would say the people inside the four walls know what they’re talking about. So, you can take that for what it is. We all support Drake. We all know what it’s like to be a rookie in this league.
“Not you guys, obviously, but I do. I know what it’s like to be a rookie, and it’s not all peaches and cream. You probably remember this: San Francisco, my rookie year, I got benched on third down. I only played early downs because I just wasn’t ready… it was a wake-up call for me to get benched.”
Patriots Practice Observations for Thursday, Aug. 1
Attire
Helmets and shells.
Attendance
The following players were absent from practice:
- LB Sione Takitaki (PUP)
- OL Jake Andrews (PUP)
- OL Cole Strange (PUP)
- DT Christian Barmore
- S/LB Marte Mapu
- TE Jaheim Bell (new)
- OT Tyrone Wheatley Jr.
Barmore, who was diagnosed with blood clots on Sunday, has now missed four consecutive practices. It’s unclear whether he’ll return at any point this season.
Mapu hasn’t practiced since the start of camp. He’s watched in street clothes every day, and his injury situation remains a mystery.
Jake Andrews is dealing with an undisclosed injury. We haven’t seen him down on the rehab field, and it’s fair to wonder whether he’s dealing with a long-term injury.
FREE: Subscribe to PFN’s NFL Newsletter
Bell missed his second consecutive practice. The rookie tight end’s injury situation is unclear.
Strange continues to rehab from a torn patellar tendon suffered late last season. He might sit out half the 2024 season, if not the entire campaign.
Takitaki is still recovering from an offseason knee scope, according to ESPN’s Mike Reiss. The veteran linebacker previously said he wouldn’t miss a single day of camp, but he’s yet to appear in a single practice.
Here are some additional injury notes:
- David Andrews, Kendrick Bourne, and Jabrill Peppers both returned after missing the last two practices. Bourne and Peppers only participated during the stretching period, however, and spent the rest of the day on the lower rehab field.
- After practice, David Andrews revealed he missed the last two practices because his infant son was in the hospital.
- DeMario Douglas and Shaun Wade both wore red non-contact jerseys.
Absence list for today's Patriots practice:
Sione Takitaki
Marte Mapu
Jake Andrews
Cole Strange
Tyrone Wheatley Jr.
Jaheim Bell
Christian BarmoreMatthew Judon, David Andrews and Jabrill Peppers all back. DeMario Douglas and Shaun Wade in non-contact jerseys. pic.twitter.com/AxjiJ36OgW
— Dakota Randall (@DakRandall) August 1, 2024
Matthew Judon Watch
Judon was a full participant after missing the last two practices due to a contract dispute. Notably, he arrived at practice via the entrance at the back of the field. He typically uses the main entrance and runs by reporters before interacting with fans, but there wasn’t any of that on Thursday.
The star edge rusher was a full participant and saw extensive work in all team drills. That said, it’ll be interesting to see whether he participates the next time the Patriots wear full pads. Judon has participated in all five non-padded practices but is 0-for-2 in fully padded sessions.
Judon, who’ll turn 32 this month, is entering a contract year and isn’t guaranteed any money. After practice, Godchaux, who received an extension on Sunday, said he’s “pulling” for Judon to land a new deal.
Patriots’ QB Training Camp Battle | Day 7
Jacoby Brissett
11-on-11s: 5-for-8, two sacks
7-on-7s: 3-for-5
It was another solid day for Brissett, who again saw all the reps with the first-team offense. He was decisive, showed good command at the line of scrimmage, and was the most aggressive of the three quarterbacks. It was nothing spectacular, but it was a solid performance on a day that saw the Patriots heavily focus on goal-line work.
Drake Maye
11-on-11s: 5-for-6, two sacks
7-on-7s: 2-for-4, one sack
The rookie wasn’t amazing or anything, but he was significantly better than in the three previous practices. Maye was more poised, didn’t rush as many throws, and displayed better command of the offense.
Of course, there were highs and lows.
The good: Maye checked into a different play and made a quick throw to tight end Jacob Warren in the flat near the goal line. Brissett loved it. Also, Maye had a beautiful 15-yard throw to tight end Mitchell Wilcox on the sideline during 11-on-11s.
The bad: He missed Jalen Reagor open in the end zone, and instead rushed an errant throw to Douglas.
Maye also went 3-for-3 in his first 11-on-11 period, a brief session that gave fans a look at the No. 3 with Polk, Douglas, and Javon Baker as his top receivers — a potential look at the future of the Patriots offense.
Again, Maye didn’t light the world on fire. But this was a step in the right direction.
Joe Milton III
11-on-11s: zero reps
7-on-7s: 3-for-5
Milton had three touchdowns in one 7-on-7 period, including a dart to Kayshon Boutte in the corner of the end zone. He wasn’t asked to do anything overly difficult and didn’t see any work in 11-on-11s.
Bailey Zappe
11-on-11s: 1-for-3, sack
7-on-7s: zero reps
Another unremarkable day for Zappe. That said, he threw a short touchdown to Boutte, who made a great finger-tip catch in the back of the end zone for arguably the play of the day. Otherwise, there’s nothing to note about Zappe’s performance.
Best and Worst Performances From Day 7 of Patriots Training Camp
RB Antonio Gibson | STUD
After missing the first few practices of camp due to an undisclosed injury, 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
Thornton deserves a ton of credit for turning in a solid camp, which continued Thursday with another solid performance.
He beat Christian Gonzalez twice in 1-on-1s, caught a TD from 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.
MORE: Simulate the NFL Season With PFN’s Playoff Predictor
Thornton is on the roster bubble, but he’s trending in the right direction.
Tyquan Thornton wins again vs Christian Gonzalez in 1v1s 👀
– #nfl #patriots #newenglandpatriots
Patriots Coverage Powered by @Gametime @PrizePicks pic.twitter.com/aMKjmEGh4T
— Patriots on CLNS Media (@PatriotsCLNS) August 1, 2024
WR Kayshon Boutte | STUD
Another decent day for Boutte, who had one of the best catches of the day, plus the catch from Milton. 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.
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.
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.
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 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.
Assorted Patriots’ Notes and Highlights From Day 7 of Camp
- This was the hottest and muggiest practice yet. It felt tropical — in the worst way.
- Former Patriots center Dan Koppen watched practice.
- These were the top offensive line combinations, from left to right:
First group: Vederian Lowe, Sidy Sow, David Andrews, Mike Onwenu, Chukwuma Okorafor
Second group: Caedan Wallace, Michael Jordan, Nick Leverett, Layden Robinson, Calvin Anderson - This was a shift from the previous four practices when Wallace was the top left tackle and Lowe was at right tackle with the second unit.
- Hunter Henry had another good practice and nearly appeared in the “three studs” section. He’s impressively consistent.
- The first half of practice was heavy on positional drills, but the second half was spent almost exclusively on team drills. The Patriots practiced for roughly two hours.
- Jonathan Jones continued to see work at both corner and safety.
- Here are additional highlights from Wednesday’s practice. The Patriots will return to the field on Thursday morning.
Close looks at Patriots running receiver 1-on-1 drills near the goal line pic.twitter.com/lUtafQPDNt
— Dakota Randall (@DakRandall) August 1, 2024
Jacoby Brissett was pumped he hit the target 😂
–#nfl #patriots #newenglandpatriots
Patriots Coverage Powered by @Gametime @PrizePicks pic.twitter.com/y7EV5nvSPS— Patriots on CLNS Media (@PatriotsCLNS) August 1, 2024
KJ Osborn has HANDS 🔥
– #nfl #patriots #newenglandpatriots
Patriots Coverage Powered by @Gametime @PrizePicks pic.twitter.com/XG3o2bOYOL
— Patriots on CLNS Media (@PatriotsCLNS) August 1, 2024
Tyquan Thornton vs Christian Gonzalez
Thornton continues to find separation during padded practices
– #nfl #patriots #newenglandpatriots
Patriots Coverage Powered by @Gametime @PrizePicks pic.twitter.com/xZB66VOFEQ
— Patriots on CLNS Media (@PatriotsCLNS) August 1, 2024
Hunter Henry beats Jaylinn Hawkins for a RZ TD. pic.twitter.com/E0IiAkoswW
— Mike Kadlick (@mikekadlick) August 1, 2024
Drake ➡️ Baker pic.twitter.com/AlmLwjWono
— Mike Kadlick (@mikekadlick) August 1, 2024