FOXBORO -- Only one Patriots receiver who caught a pass last season did so in Thursday's training camp practice. It was Danny Amendola, and he had a busy day. He was targeted 10 times, and reeled in seven of them.
With Aaron Dobson, Julian Edelman, Brian Tyms and Brandon LaFell missing from Thursday's session, the receiver workload was shouldered by a handful of players looking to make their mark on the team.
Brandon Gibson, signed in the offseason, was targeted early and often, bringing down one of the toughest catches of the day with Logan Ryan draped on him in coverage. Josh Boyce had one drop, but he caught seven passes in 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 periods. Undrafted free agent Chris Harper took reps with Tom Brady. Another undrafted rookie, Zach D'Orazio, caught two passes in the span of three plays during a hurry-up period with Jimmy Garoppolo.
Boyce said that regardless of who's on the field -- or off the field, as was the case Thursday -- a receiver has to make the most of each and every repetition he's given.
"With them -- in or out -- you’ve still got to, whenever you get a chance, make the plays that you can," he said. "Whenever Coach puts you in, it doesn’t matter how many reps you’re in a row, or not at all, when you get in you’ve got to make the most of it."
Drafted in the fourth round in 2013, Boyce was released before the start of the regular season last year. He played in the season-finale against the Bills but otherwise spent 2014 on the team's practice squad.
He's familiar with the offense, and he carries some special teams value as a returner, but he'll have to continue to play well in camp to prove that he's worthy of a roster spot.
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"I'm just going out there trying to make a play for my team," Boyce said. "Do whatever the coaches tell me to do."
The variety of receivers used on Thursday highlighted just how banged-up the Patriots receiver position is at the moment.
Edelman appeared to tweak his foot or ankle over the weekend and has not practiced since then. (Patriots coach Bill Belichick called Edelman "day-to-day" on Thursday.) LaFell remains on the physically unable to perform list and has not practiced this summer as he recovers from a foot injury. Tyms was carted off the field on Tuesday with an upper-body injury, and he has not been seen in the last two days.
Dobson's absence was new Thursday. He did not appear to suffer any type of injury during Wednesday night's practice inside Gillette Stadium, but he has a "minor hamstring issue," according to the Boston Herald.
Even tight end Scott Chandler was limited on Thursday, further limiting New England's offensive options.
Dealing with physical ailments is a reality of training camp, but the Patriots appear to have been hit by an injury bug that has focused on their pass-catchers over the course of the last week. It's a situation worth monitoring as workouts continue and the team prepares for its first preseason game next week, Aug. 13, against the Packers.