Patriots training camp stock watch: Still waiting on Thornton to flash

FOXBORO -- When the Patriots hit the field Tuesday, it was clear the physicality that took center stage at times during Monday's workout would be dialed back. No pads. An active recovery day of sorts.

But removing the pads -- and thereby getting away from the running game -- also provided Bill Belichick's team an opportunity to throw the football down the field more than they did 24 hours earlier. And when they did, there were signs of progress.

We'll get to those here in this piece and in The Mac Report for Day 6 of practice. But it's worth noting that we're still waiting on Tyquan Thornton to be one of the reasons for a positive offensive performance. Thornton wasn't targeted in competitive periods Tuesday, which has been one of the themes of camp. 

Let's get into more detail on the second-year wideout's day -- as well as a number of positive developments -- in our latest edition of Stock Watch...

Stock Up

Mac Jones

Bill Belichick continues to leave the door open for a quarterback competition with his public comments -- he indicated as much in an interview on SiriusXM Monday and reiterated the point with reporters Tuesday -- but Jones continues to be the clear-cut No. 1 based on the division of reps. 

With his most competitive snaps, Jones went 10-for-14, which included a stretch of three completions on four attempts in the red zone. His best throw of the day might've been a well-placed jump ball to DeVante Parker in a one-on-one situation against rookie Christian Gonzalez that went for about 20 yards along the left sideline. Given their personnel, that's the kind of play the Patriots may need to hit on relatively consistently in order to create explosive plays in their passing game.

Jones also beat pressure to find Rhamondre Stevenson for a walk-in touchdown during the brief red-zone portion of practice. Two plays later, he fired one into a tight window for Hunter Henry on an in-cut with Jabrill Peppers on his back. The offense, Jones included, seemed fired up with their end-of-practice performance. He did have three passes batted away, but outside of the deep Bourne overthrow about 45 yards down the field, there wasn't a "miss" on the ledger. 

Mack Wilson

The rangy linebacker fell out of Jerod Mayo and Steve Belichick's plans to a degree last season. After Week 6, there wasn't a game in which he cracked 25 snaps. But on a pass-heavy day, he stood out.

He made a remarkable pass breakup on a Jones target for Mike Gesicki near the sideline. Leaping and stretching out with arm -- almost like the Jordan logo -- Wilson batted away the throw. It was one of the "wow" plays of camp to this point on either side of the ball. Wilson broke up another pass later in the practice when he reached around Kayshon Boutte and knocked away a Bailey Zappe throw. 

The Patriots have a few options they can play at linebacker in passing situations. Both Ja'Whaun Bentley and Jahlani Tavai showed last season they were capable in those spots. Marte Mapu looks like a sub linebacker option already. But Wilson's athletic ability in coverage has popped before. It did again on Tuesday.

Atonio Mafi

There's been a 1A option behind Cole Strange at left guard the last two days, and it's a guy who hasn't even played much on the offensive side of the ball in his life.

Mafi began at UCLA as a defensive tackle, transitioned to offense and showed enough to get drafted by the Patriots this spring in the fifth round. For more on his college-to-pro projection, check out this Next Pats episode, but suffice it to say Mafi hasn't exactly looked out of place in place of Strange these last two days. (Strange began Tuesday's practice on the field and in uniform, but he didn't participate after suffering a knee injury Monday.)

Mafi could make a push for a roster spot if he's viewed as a reliable interior-line option. Fellow rookie Jake Andrews, who can play center as well, returned to practice Tuesday after missing two sessions. Fourth-round rookie Sidy Sow has played exclusively tackle to this point in camp.

"Another guy that, similar to Bill Murray, has only been playing offense for a short amount of time, converted defensive lineman," Belichick said of Mafi before Tuesday's workout. "Obviously played a whole year at UCLA on offense, but in terms of long-term experience, he has less than a lot of other players. But yeah, he’s a smart kid, well-coached at UCLA obviously with Chip [Kelly]. He’s doing fine."

Stock Down

Tyquan Thornton

No targets. Yet again. We're only six practices into camp. Thornton's second season won't be dictated by how his first couple weeks of camp pan out. But for a player who provides the Patriots offense with a unique skill set, in theory, putting together a little more in the way of consistent production during these practices would be welcomed by the team. 

Thornton was targeted once (incomplete) in competitive periods on the first two days of practice. On Day 3, he had one 11-on-11 target that fell incomplete, and Jones appeared to turn to the offensive staff behind him with his palms turned to the sky. Since then, in three practices, Thornton hasn't been targeted by Jones in competitive periods. The two passes he's caught have been with Bailey Zappe.

The Patriots could use a speed element in their offense given Hunter Henry, Mike Gesicki, DeVante Parker and JuJu Smith-Schuster are all bigger-bodied contested-catch options. That should be Thornton. But to this point in camp -- which has been red-zone heavy at times -- he hasn't been a featured part of the offense.

Blitz pickup

Mac Jones absorbed one sack on Tuesday after getting blitzed by Mapu. It wasn't the rookie 'backer who got to Jones, but the added rusher disrupted the timing of the play, forced Jones to step up, and eventually led to a coverage sack later in the down.

Zappe absorbed four sacks total, one of which came from Jalen Mills on a blitz. Though the Patriots offense has shown flashes of being able to pick up the blitz at times -- something which was an issue last year -- there's still plenty of work to be done in that regard. Getting the offensive line healthy and on the field, would certainly help.

Trace McSorley

There was one pick thrown on Tuesday, and it was the third-stringer McSorley who found the gut of Joshuah Bledsoe near the goal line toward the end of the workout. Bledsoe has made a couple of plays during red-zone periods in camp. While the Patriots are deep at safety, if he can establish himself as a core special-teamer with some defensive potential, perhaps he ends up an under-the-radar roster addition.