Jarrett Stidham aims to improve after training camp setback

FOXBORO – There was time not too long ago where Jarrett Stidham told the New England media that he felt like he was prepared and ready to be a starting quarterback in the NFL. On the first day of training camp, the second-year player looked the part, too, completing all seven passes in team drills.

After that, the wheels came off.

Stidham was intercepted three times on the second day of camp. Overall, he threw seven interceptions in three practices in a row. The [...]

FOXBORO – There was time not too long ago where Jarrett Stidham told the New England media that he felt like he was prepared and ready to be a starting quarterback in the NFL. On the first day of training camp, the second-year player looked the part, too, completing all seven passes in team drills.

After that, the wheels came off.

Stidham was intercepted three times on the second day of camp. Overall, he threw seven interceptions in three practices in a row. The performance led people to wonder if something was wrong and then it was reported that Stidham suffered a lower body injury. Before you knew it, Stidham didn’t throw in team drills for two practice in a row. By days seven, eight and nine of camp, he was still limited and receiving less reps than Cam Newton and Brian Hoyer.

On Thursday, Stidham was back to being a full participant and said he’s trying to move forward.

"There are things that happen," Stidham said of the injury. "Sometimes you can’t control everything. Now I’m back on the field and excited to be back playing with the guys, and everything like that. So I just want to take the most of my opportunities and I do have and try to make the most of them, and continue to get better every single day."

It’s fair to wonder how much of Stidham’s development and growth was stunted due to the injury. After the first day of camp, he threw 11 and then 19 passes in team drills in the second and third practices. Due to the injury, his reps were scaled back like this – six pass attempts on Day 4, zero on Day 5, zero on Day 6, four on Day 7, eight on Day 8 and six on Day 9.

On Thursday, Day 10, he threw 13 passes in practice, which was the most since the third day of camp. Overall, Stidham went 6/13. In full-team drills, he had a rough start connecting on just one of his first eight pass attempts. He finished 4/11 in 11-on-11 drills.

Throughout camp, Stidham is completing 68% (50/74) of his passes in team drills and that completion percentage is higher than Newton (62%) and Hoyer (60%). However, it looks like Newton is clearly in the lead of this quarterback competition.

"My goal has always stayed the same," Stidham said. "Whether that be here at the end of training camp kind of leading into the season, or whether it be throughout the season, whatever it may be, is really just to learn and get better. I’m only in my second year. There’s a ton of room for me to grow. A lot of room to improve and learn in a lot of different areas. That’s kind of my big thing. I just want to continue to learn from the guys in the quarterback room, whether it be Cam, or Hoy, or Jedd [Fisch], or Josh [McDaniels], or whoever it may be – just continue to learn from those guys and really try to help myself get better and really excel on the field every day."

mdaniels@providencejournal.com

On Twitter: @MarkDanielsPJ