FOXBORO – After donning the pads for the first time in training camp, the Patriots were back in shells on Tuesday for a quick practice that went from 9:45 a.m. to about 11:20 a.m.
The Patriots toggled between padded and non-padded practices early in camp last year as well in a seeming effort to make sure there’s recovery time after taking their first dip in the physicality pool.
My biggest takeaway from Tuesday? The “Teapot” isn’t even on simmer. Offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien, who earned the nickname Teapot for his penchant for getting hot and loud really fast, is pretty damn placid right now.
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And that’s telling. Because even though Mac Jones wound up with decent completion numbers on Tuesday, the offense still hasn’t found a consistent rhythm in which the ball is coming out on time every time and positive plays are being strung together.
Jones established in his first five practices two years ago that he knows what he’s looking at. So the hesitation, in my opinion, is less on confusion and more on an inability to find open receivers. Which seems discouraging. At least to me. But O’Brien and head coach Bill Belichick register very, very little disappointment, irritation or anger when plays go awry.
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As opposed to last summer when Matt Patricia, Joe Judge and Belichick would post up together behind the offense and there was a steady stream of instruction pouring forth, O’Brien stands closer to the sideline. He radios in a play. Watches it unfold, often getting up on tiptoes to see the result and expressionlessly looks down at his call sheet and moves to the next play.
The most significant emotion I saw expressed was when a free rusher broke up a Bailey Zappe throw to the flat. O’Brien did a half spin, flailed his arms and yelled “Goddammit!” Other than that he barely changes expression.
“He’s great,” said tight end Hunter Henry when I asked about O’Brien. “He’s been awesome. I’m learning a lot and he’s learning a lot about us.”
Right tackle Conor McDermott also raved about the smoothness of the offensive operation under O’Brien and the feeling of confidence that’s infusing the group even if the results aren’t jaw-dropping.
Who wasn't there?
For the second straight day, left tackle Trent Brown was a non-participant in the team practice. He was out there at the start but retired to the lower field for conditioning work. Since Brown is such an enigmatic player – able to speedily go from dominant to haphazard to unavailable – his availability bears watching.
Second-year left guard Cole Strange, who tweaked his left knee on Monday, was also out there as a non-participant. It won’t be a shock if he misses additional days considering his initial reaction to the injury on Monday. Looked like it hurt.
Right guard Mike Onwenu and right tackle Calvin Anderson still haven’t hit the field. Asked when he expects Anderson to return from the illness he’s listed as having, Bill Belichick pointed out that he does not have a crystal ball.
Other guys who had Monday tweaks -- WR Jalen Hurd, safety Brad Hawkins and OL Chasen Hines -- missed practice. Montgomery and Hall have been down since a collision last Thursday.
Rookie OL Jake Andrews returned to practice and OL Bill Murray was out there as well after getting dinged on the last play of Monday’s practice. Matt Judon appeared to take a few more reps than he did Monday.
What they did
- After spending the first 45 minutes on drills, the team got into some kickoff work and 7-on-7 around 10:30 a.m.
- A noteworthy play was made by corner Marcus Jones during that 7-on-7 period when he broke up a Mac Jones throw from the opposite hash that targeted JuJu Smith-Schuster. JSS was a late option on that play and the ball took some time to get there. It also didn’t appear Jones was aware the second-year corner was lurking.
- Kendrick Bourne took a punishment lap for a false start during the period.
- When the backups got in, third-string quarterback Trace McSorley got the ball to rookie UDFA tight end Johnny Lumpkin, who is a freakin’ massive human. The gentleman is a 6-foot-6, 270-pound project from Louisiana. Not much happened on the play. Just an ordinary minor pickup. But it will be interesting to see if Lumpkin can do enough in the next few weeks and preseason games to slip on through to the practice squad.
- The first five practices were very, very short on scintillating offensive plays in 7-on-7 or 11-on-11. Some of that can be tracked to the goal line and red zone work being done – tighter spaces means dart throws and underneath work. Some of that can be chalked up to the defense playing well. Some can be chalked up to the fact the Patriots just don’t have a dominant skill position player on offense that takes your breath away. But DeVante Parker and Mac Jones did hook up on the first play of 11-on-11 work on about a 20-yard hookup on the left sideline where Parker made a leaping, high-point catch over rookie Christian Gonzalez.
- Jones had his best stretch of plays on the goal line when he hit Rhamondre Stevenson near the right pylon for an easy score and then hit Henry on a little in-cut. Jack Jones had a nifty pass breakup on the goal line on a pass targeting Parker.
- Bailey Zappe had a rougher stretch on Tuesday, getting picked by Joshuah Bledsoe and taking four “sacks” on the day.
- Mack Wilson and Jack Jones had standout practices for the Patriots defense.
- DeMario “Pop” Douglas remains a mainstay with the starting offense. The rookie from Liberty could be the antidote to the Patriots’ YAC woes the past four years.