FOXBORO -- The Patriots took the fields behind Gillette Stadium for their fourth training-camp practice of the summer on Sunday. It was their second consecutive day in pads.
WEATHER
Quite warm. Sunny. Not a cloud in the sky to start.
WHAT THEY WORE
Players were fully-padded for the second time. Quarterbacks Tom Brady and Jimmy Garoppolo, and linebackers Dont'a Hightower and Xzavier Dickson wore red non-contact jerseys.
ATTENDANCE
Running back Tyler Gaffney was not present. The second-year man took a couple of big hits during Saturday's session but finished that day's practice. Alan Branch and Matt Flynn, both on the non-football injury list, were present at practice, but neither participated. Players still on the physically unable to perform list -- Ryan Wendell, Matthew Slater, Brandon LaFell, Chris Jones, Chris White, Dance Fletcher and Vince Taylor -- did not practice. Caylin Hauptmann, also on NFI, was not present. Rookie tight end AJ Derby and offensive lineman Kevin Hughes were also not spotted. Hughes left practice early on Saturday with an apparent injury.
WHAT THEY DID
After the warmup period, players broke off into positional groups for drills. Harry Kraft, son of Patriots president Jonathan Kraft, threw passes to receivers. During a pass-rush drill, Patriots director of player personnel Nick Caserio took snaps at quarterback.
While getting loose, quarterbacks participated in an entertaining drill in which offensive coordinator threw a pad in their direction just before they made their throws. Another assistant, wearing pads on his arms, swiped at the football to give Brady and Garoppolo another distraction.
Later in the session, defensive backs and receivers competed in one-on-one drills. They also worked against each other near the goal line with two wideouts running combination routes against three defensive backs.
New England Patriots
The special teams focus of Sunday's workout was on punt and punt return. Special teams coach Joe Judge also ran a drill where players worked on their angles to the punter in order to block the kick.
About halfway through the session, the offensive and defensive units worked on running/defending combination routes on half of the field.
One-on-one drills were followed by a 7-on-7 period (where tennis racquets were used to distract quarterbacks), 11-on-11 hurry-up work and some work on the goal line.
WHAT WE SAW
* Brady was given a warm reception yet again. Multiple "Brady! Brady!" and "Free Tom Brady!" chants could be heard early in the morning.
* It was another physical day on Sunday with certain practice periods focused on interior runs and one-on-one tackling. Linebacker Eric Martin and corner Robert McClain stood out with strong tackles in the one-on-one session.
* Newly-acquired corner Tarell Brown made a nice pass breakup on a throw into the end zone during the 2-on-3 period. Brown has stood out for his quickness and athleticism through the first few days of camp. He was even given a few opportunities to return punts during Sunday's special teams periods.
* Brady worked a side session, as he has in every practice thus far, with a crowd of receivers that included Aaron Dobson, Rob Gronkowski and Scott Chandler.
* During ball-security drills, Hightower ran sprints as opposed to participating.
* Brady's playfully competitive side came out at the end of one of the one-on-one periods when he completed a pass to Julian Edelman in the end zone. After the play, Brady chest-bumped with Edelman and good-naturedly got in the face of Malcolm Butler, who had been in coverage.
* Devin McCourty was able to break-up what would have been an impressive completion from Jimmy Garoppolo to Scott Chandler in one-on-ones. Chandler appeared to make a one-handed grab but McCourty jarred it loose as the two fell to the ground.
* "Welcome to the Jungle" by Guns 'N' Roses blared during one 11-on-11 period to force the offense to communicate through the noise.
* During hurry-up drills at the end of the practice, Sebastian Vollmer took reps at right tackle while Cannon took snaps at left tackle. Vollmer has been limited throughout camp to this point as he comes back from offseason surgery.
* During the goal-line period there was a lengthy back-and-forth between Brady and some of the defensive coaches. The trash talk -- more to come on that later -- was done with a smile but carried some bite.
* Julian Edelman took himself out of a 7-on-7 period when he appeared to tweak his right ankle at the end of a route. He did not appear to meet with trainers but he also did not appear to participate regularly when the team moved in to a hurry-up 11-on-11 session at the end of practice.
ONE-ON-ONES OFFENSIVE LINEMEN vs. DEFENSIVE LINEMEN
* Dominique Easley jumped off sides which resulted in a lap.
* Bryan Stork battled Antonio Johnson to a draw.
* Rob Ninkovich made quick work of Marcus Cannon.
* Trey Flowers shed Jordan Devey.
* Chris Barker stoned Geneo Grisson.
* Undrafted rookie center David Andrews
* Jones beat Jackson
* Sheard beat Fleming
* Rufus Johnson gave a good effort but couldn't get by Solder.
* Flowers sped by Mason.
* Easley and Stork had a good battle with Easley walking Stork back.
* Solder was able to snuff out Ninkovich's rush in a battle of a pair of projected starters.
* Antonio Johnson and Stork play to a draw.
* Malcom Brown blew past Jackson...bump with Easley
* Chandler Jones easily worked around Jordan Devey.
* Rufus Jonson beat Chris Barker.
* Andrews and Easley came to a draw on a competitive rep.
* Johnson was able to push Josh Kline into the backfield.
* Sheard worked around Fleming quickly, which forced OL coach Dave DeGugilelmo to do a little extra coaching.
* Solder knocked Flowers to the ground.
* Mason was beaten by Grissom quickly.
* Bryan Stork and Malcom Brown drew to a stalemate.
* Easley got around Jackson
* Dekota Watson's spin was handled by Marcus Cannon.
* Eric Martin pushed Devey back with a big pop.
* Kline held his own against Brown.
* Stork put the brakes on Chandler Jones and earned a pat on the helmet from Jones.
* Fleming performed better in his second rep against Sheard, standing Sheard up.
11-ON-11
* Brady complete deep down the field to Aaron Dobson, who made a leaping grab over Malcolm Butler.
* Brady incomplete for Brian Tyms on a pass that was almost picked off by Logan Ryan.
* LeGarrette Blount run to the left was stopped quickly when Jerod Mayo and Antonio Johnson got into the backfield quickly. Tre' Jackson appeared to miss a block on that particular rep.
* Brady complete to Dobson short on the left sideline.
* James White run up the middle.
* Travaris Cadet run up the middle.
* Cadet run up the middle stopped in its tracks by Dominique Easley.
* Dion Lewis run up the middle.
* Garoppolo incomplete to Danny Amendola with Robert McClain in coverage.
* Jonas Gray run out of a heavy package stopped short by Ryan.
* LeGarrette run up the middle.
* Blount run up the middle.
* Blount run to the left.
* Brady incomplete to Boyce over the middle.
* Brady complete to Boyce over the middle with Malcom Brown bearing down on him.
* Brady complete to Gibson with Sheard breaking the pocket. In a game situation, Sheard may have had the sack.
* Brady hands off to Dion Lewis.
* Brady screen pass complete to Lewis.
* Gray run up the middle.
* Gray run up the middle.
* Garoppolo fumbled a snap from Andrews. Pass was incomplete intended for Boyce.
* Gray run up the middle.
* Cadet run up the middle.
* Garoppolo complete to Tyms over the middle.
11-on-11 GOAL LINE
* Brady incomplete for Chandler. Pass broken up by Collins.
* Gray plunges in from one yard out.
* Blount takes hand off from Garoppolo and goes in from a yard away.
* Blount ran in again from a yard out.
11-on-11 HURRY-UP
* Garoppolo incomplete.
* Brady complete to White.
* Garoppolo complete to Gibson.
* Brady complete to Garoppolo.
* Garoppolo complete to Gibson.
* Brady complete to Gronkowski.
* Garoppolo complete to Lewis.
* Garoppolo complete to Krause.
* Brady complete to Gronkowski.
* Garoppolo complete to Gibson.
* Brady incomplete to Amendola.
* Brady complete to White.
* Brady complete to Boyce.
* Garoppolo complete to Tyms.