FOXBORO — The final Patriots practice of the spring ended with offensive and defensive players huddled around NFL referees, called on by head coach Jerod Mayo to officiate practice.
With the raise of an officials’ arms, offensive players celebrated and defensive players were forced to do pushups.
Quarterback Drake Maye had tossed a fade to fellow wide receiver Ja’Lynn Polk, a fellow rookie, who had to extend to catch the pass as he fell to the ground with undrafted rookie cornerback Mikey Victor in coverage.
“The drive before, Drake goes, ‘be ready,'” Polk relayed after practice, following a touchdown completion to Kayshon Boutte on a fade. “So, going in the next drive, I had a fade. We had an option to go a fade or another route, so I heard it in my head, and I heard him in my head, ‘I’m throwing that fade.’ So, in my head, I’m like, ‘go make a play.’ He trusts us, he trusts the guys around him, so go do what we do and go make a play.”
Wednesday’s practice saw the Patriots having some fun to start and one breakout performance from a second-year pro.
Here are the Herald’s complete practice observations.
Attendance
Absent: WR Tyquan Thornton, LB Sione Takitaki, Jake Andrews, Tyrone Wheatley Jr.
Absent (known injury): WR Kendrick Bourne, LB Jahlani Tavai, OL Cole Strange
Limited: DL Davon Godchaux, CB Marcus Jones, WR Javon Baker, OLB Josh Uche (returned), CB Jonathan Jones
Notes: Godchaux and Uche were on the field in uniforms but didn’t participate in team drills. Head coach Jerod Mayo indicated that Godchaux’s limited participation in practice is contract-related. “We want him here. He’s one of our best players. He’s working. He’s been here every single day working.” Godchaux is set to earn a $7.15 million contract this season with $1 million in per-game roster bonuses. … Tavai, Takitaki, Strange and Andrews appeared midway through practice in street clothes. … Marcus and Jonathan Jones have not been participating in team drills. Marcus Jones declared himself 100% earlier in the spring after suffering a torn labrum early last season. His participation has not been indicative of that. Jonathan Jones said he had a procedure during the offseason that he’s still recovering from … Baker appears to still be working through an injury. He’ll be in uniform on the field early in practice but doesn’t participate in drills.
Play of the Day
Polk’s final touchdown grab
There was 1 second on the clock when the ball was snapped before Maye hit Polk in the right corner of the end zone over Victor for the touchdown.
“It was 1 second left, end of the game, I’m putting myself in those situations just like it’s going to be in the season,” Polk said after practice. “And putting my self in those shoes and making a play for my team. All of the receivers in there, making plays, and when the team is going out there on that last drive and counting on you, I want everybody to put that chip on my shoulder to go out there and make that play.”
Polk said he knew he had both feet in bounds before the officials made the call on the field. He caught an earlier touchdown pass in practice from Jacoby Brissett.
Player of the Day
WR Kayshon Boutte
Boutte had been relatively quiet during the early portion of the spring, but he had a big coming out party on Wednesday just in time for the summer break before training camp starts in late July.
Boutte received more opportunities with Thornton out of practice. Jalen Reagor got first-team reps at “X” wide receiver. But Boutte was next in line after Reagor. Quarterbacks were 5-of-7 targeting Boutte in team drills, and four of those completions went for touchdowns. Boutte scored three straight touchdowns in an 11-on-11 drill with Maye at quarterback. He caught one touchdown that was slightly behind him with cornerback Alex Austin in coverage. Then he caught a back pylon fade over undrafted rookie wide receiver Mikey Victor in coverage on the next play.
“He’s a great receiver, man,” Austin said after practice. “He’s somebody who’s a three-level route-runner. He’s not just somebody who’s going to give you an intermediate or a deep threat route. He can do it all. He’s going to catch the ball at a physical point of attack. So, he’s a great receiver for sure. Good to compete with because he’s getting me ready for the season.”
QB Corner
Note: The passing stats below were tallied during competitive 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 periods only. Stats in parentheses reflect performance in full-team, 11-on-11 drills.
Jacoby Brissett: 9-of-18, drop, 2 sacks (8-of-14, drop, sack)
Drake Maye: 9-of-16, INT (7-of-12, INT)
Bailey Zappe: 2-of-4, drop
Notes: Maye continued to rep behind Brissett as the team’s No. 2 quarterback. Zappe was relegated to third-string duties and didn’t receive any 11-on-11 reps. Rookie Joe Milton III only participated in individual drills. Maye out-performed Brissett for the second straight session, though the rookie did throw an interception in his first series of 11-on-11s on a target to JuJu Smith-Schuster that was picked off by slot cornerback Azizi Hearn.
Practice started out ugly for the offense, overall, before Maye ended things on a high note with the touchdown tosses to Boutte and Polk. Reagor dropped the first competitive throw of the practice on a pass from Brissett that was slightly behind him.
During 7-on-7s, Brissett had two passes broken up by defenders. Maye and Zappe also each had passes broken up by defender, and Maye threw a ball out of bounds to Boutte. Maye had two more passes broken up by defenders later in 11-on-11s, and an incompeltion from Brissett to K.J. Osborn was behind the wide receiver.
Maye had the turnover, but ultimately, his highs were higher than Brissett’s with three straight touchdowns to Boutte, plus the final touchdown to Polk in the corner of the end zone.
Studs
CB Azizi Hearn
Hearn is getting an extended look in the slot with Jonathan Jones and Marcus Jones limited. He made the most of his opportunities with an interception and pass breakup.
RB JaMycal Hasty
Hasty is making a case for a roster spot with his receiving skills. He caught 4-of-4 targets from quarterbacks. Maye found him with a throw on the move in the middle of the field during 7-on-7 drills.
Duds
WR Jalen Reagor
Reagor was a stud after Monday’s practice. Quarterbacks were 0-of-4 targeting the 2020 first-round pick on Wednesday.
CB Mikey Victor
The undrafted cornerback allowed two of the best plays in practice to Polk and Boutte.
Offensive notes
- Top targets in team drills: WR Kayshon Boutte 5/7, RB JaMycal Hasty: 4/4, WR K.J. Osborn 2/4, WR Jalen Reagor 0/4
- Drops: WR Jalen Reagor, WR Rory Starkey Jr.
- Practice started out light with tight end Hunter Henry, offensive tackle Chukwuma Okorafor and running back Rhamondre Stevenson delivering deep throws to quarterbacks and offensive linemen. Rookie offensive lineman Ryan Johnson made an impressive one-handed catch in stride from Okorafor. Guard/center Nick Leverett made a one-handed catch look easily later from Stevenson.
- With Thornton out, the top receivers were Reagor, Osborn and DeMario Douglas. Reagor and Osborn didn’t make the most of their opportunities, unlike Boutte.
- Both Antonio Gibson and Rhamondre Stevenson were heavily involved in the running game.
- Mike Onwenu worked the entire practice at right guard. Earlier in the spring, Onwenu was exclusively repping at right tackle. He received snaps at both positions during Monday’s session. Mayo said before practice that it’s about getting the best five offensive linemen on the field. On Wednesday, those five players appeared to be Onwenu, Okorafor, Sidy Sow, David Andrews and rookie Caedan Wallace.
- Wallace repped at right tackle for most of practice but did see snaps at left tackle, as well. So, it appears the Patriots have not given up on the idea of Wallace playing on the left side.
- David Andrews was not in the lineup during initial 11-on-11 drills with Leverett taking his place at center. Andrews was reinserted into the lineup at center later.
- Vederian Lowe saw reps at right tackle with Brissett on the field. He also worked at left tackle later in practice with Mike Jordan at left guard, Atonio Mafi at center, Layden Robinson at right guard and Calvin Anderson at right tackle.
Defensive notes
- Starting and second-string personnel during team periods: defensive linemen Christian Barmore, Deatrich Wise, Keion White, Armon Watts, Daniel Ekulake, Trysten Hill and Jeremiah Pharms Jr.; linebackers Matt Judon, Ja’Whaun Bentley, Raekwon McMillan, Christian Elliss, Joe Giles-Harris, William Bradley-King, Oshane Ximines; defensive backs Kyle Dugger, Jabrill Peppers, Marte Mapu, Christian Gonzalez, Marco Wilson, Alex Austin, Jaylinn Hawkins, Azizi Hearn, Isaiah Bolden, Joshuah Bledsoe, Mikey Victor and Marco Wilson
- Interceptions: CB Azizi Hearn
- Pass breakups: CB Azizi Hearn, CB Alex Austin, CB Isaiah Bolden, LB Joe Giles-Harris, LB Christian Elliss, CB Marco Wilson
- Austin said after practice that he’ll be “ready to compete for that starting job” during training camp. Gonzalez, Jonathan Jones and Marcus Jones are the most likely starters at cornerback, but there’s an opportunity open for Austin. Hearn and Bolden are also making pushes for roster spots.
- Linebacker Steele Chambers, who was claimed off waivers from the Lions on Tuesday to take Jay Person’s roster spot, was on the field Wednesday wearing No. 43.
- With Tavai and Takitaki out, Elliss and Giles-Harris are seeing an uptick in reps at linebacker. They’ve both had their moments.
Special teams
- Second-year kicker Chad Ryland went 3-of-4 on field goal attempts.
- Veteran challenger Joey Slye finished 4-of-4. He missed a kick after Mayo iced him, but it didn’t count with the timeout coming before the kick.
- Top returners: DB Marcus Jones, WR DeMario Douglas, WR Ja’Lynn Polk, WR Jalen Reagor
Extra points
- Former players in attendance for practice included safety Devin McCourty, cornerback Jason McCourty and wide receiver Deion Branch. There will be over 100 players on hand for Tom Brady’s Patriots Hall of Fame ceremony on Wednesday night.
- Milton didn’t get any throwing reps on Wednesday, but he did a backflip early in practice.
- Gonzalez, Austin, Polk, Maye, Sow and Jonathan Jones spoke to reporters after practice.
