Jarrett Stidham’s perfect day, pass rush dominates and more Patriots OTA observations
FOXBORO — Right on cue, a lesson for the rookie.
One good day doesn’t necessarily lead into another. And one good practice doesn’t prevent a poor one from lurking around the corner.
Nothing in the NFL is guaranteed.
Patriots rookie quarterback Mac Jones was a lesser passer Friday over the second Organized Team Activity (OTA) practice open to the media and the team’s sixth session overall this spring.
What does it mean? Nothing, except there’s plenty more work ahead, particularly for the youngsters.
Meanwhile, Cam Newton sustained a minor injury to his throwing hand midway through practice and sat out the remaining drills. In his place, Jones took the initial reps of the next 11-on-11 period and struggled. Then Jarrett Stidham, the young quarterback who was supposed to push Newton last year and instead fell behind Brian Hoyer, shined as the best passer of the day.
But overall, Friday belonged to the Pats defense, which even without pads managed to hound all four quarterbacks during team drills.
Here are all of the Herald’s observations from a non-padded practice:
Attendance
Absent: CB Stephon Gilmore, S Devin McCourty, LB Dont’a Hightower, LB Matt Judon. TE Jonnu Smith, CB J.C. Jackson, OL Isaiah Wynn, OL Trent Brown, WR N’Keal Harry, RB Sony Michel, RB James White, RB Brandon Bolden, RB Rhamondre Stevenson, DL Byron Cowart, LB Terez Hall, WR Devin Smith, K Nick Folk
Limited: RB Damien Harris, LB Cameron McGrone, LB Ronnie Perkins
Play of the Day
Adrian Colbert’s sideline PBU
Late in a 7-on-7 period, Hoyer took aim at star tight end Hunter Henry with a rare sideline throw. For most of the day, Hoyer and Co. had devolved into Checkdown Charlies, opting for safe dump-offs to running backs or other targets in the flat.
But here, Hoyer was taking a shot. He missed.
Backup safety Adrian Colbert, a journeyman the Pats signed last month, snuck up on Henry and leapt to bat the pass away. Henry’s odds of securing a catch inbounds were small to start, and they disappeared upon Colbert’s arrival. He’s one of the few Patriots defensive backs with the requisite speed to play deep safety.
If Colbert can consistently stick to tight ends, he might be a sleeper candidate for the final 53.
Player of the Day
QB Jarrett Stidham
Every throw Stidham delivered during 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 passing periods found its target, including the one Jakob Johnson dropped.
Need we say more?
QB Corner
Note: The passing stats below were tallied during competitive, full-speed periods only.
Cam Newton: 2-3
Mac Jones: 8-11
Jarrett Stidham: 13-14 (1 drop)
Brian Hoyer: 6-12 (2 drops)
Studs
DL Deatrich Wise
The re-signed pass rusher has proven his worth early, regularly attending OTAs and becoming a leader along the defensive line. Wise tallied two-plus sacks during team periods.
DT Christian Barmore
The second-round rookie sacked Jones, his former college teammate, during the first 11-on-11 period. He knifed straight up the middle of the pocket, a tease of the interior pass rush he could provide in his debut season.
Duds
FB Jakob Johnson
Two drops on the day. Not a great look, even for a fullback.
Offensive notes
- Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels worked directly with Jones during all of the initial positional drills and called on him to take the first team-period reps after Newton’s injury.
- Of Jones’ eight completions, five were checkdowns. He wore a sleeve on his right calf, which may have been limited him during team drills. The rookie has yet to attack the intermediate and deep areas of the field in media-accessed practices, two major strengths for him in college.
- Early in practice, McDaniels also ran a pocket drill exclusively for Jones that was designed to keep his eyes downfield despite incoming pressure.
- Before exiting with his injury, Newton’s team-drill reps resulted in completions to running back J.J. Taylor on a checkdown, second-year wideout Isaiah Zuber on a speed out, a sack and a deep incompletion to Nelson Agholor, who finished with zero catches in team periods.
- Stidham’s best throw was a dig route to Jakobi Meyers, who cut over the middle from the right sideline and through zone coverage. Stidham also found tight end Devin Asiasi and wide receiver Kendrick Bourne on passes to non-running backs.
- The most common targets in team periods were Taylor, Bourne, Zuber and backup running back Tyler Gaffney.
- Starting running back Damien Harris was essentially a non-participant all practice.
- Tight end Hunter Henry finished with one catch between 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 periods. Two of his targets were broken up.
- There was no playing-time surprise among the receivers in team periods: Bourne, Agholor, Zuber and Jakobi Meyers all led in snaps.
- Backup wideout/punt returner Gunner Olszewski was the most elusive player during a pursuit drill. However, as a receiver, Olszewski must work on manipulating the tempo of his routes and releases.
- Second-year offensive lineman Michael Onwenu took the first snap at left guard during the opening team period, then subbed out for Ted Karras, the Pats’ projected backup for all three interior spots.
- The O-line lineup during that snap was, from left to right: Yodny Cajuste, Onwenu, David Andrews, Shaq Mason and Korey Cunningham.
- Cajuste and Cunningham surrendered more pressure during team periods than their interior line mates.
- Drops: Johnson (2), tight end Troy Fumagalli.
Defensive notes
- The defense won most series in team drills and celebrated their victories loudly, including linebackers coach Jerod Mayo who coordinated the incoming and outgoing personnel from the sideline.
- The defenders who took the earliest reps in team drills were defensive linemen Deatrich Wise, Lawrence Guy, Davon Godchaux and Henry Anderson, linebackers Kyle Van Noy, Josh Uche, Ja’Whaun Bentley and Raekwon McMillan and defensive backs Jalen Mills, Jonathan Jones, Kyle Dugger, Michael Jackson Sr. and Joejuan Williams.
- Pass breakups: Colbert and backup cornerback Justin Bethel.
- Van Noy dropped a would-be interception over the middle late during 11-on-11 work, a gifted pick from Jones intended for Hunter Henry.
- Van Noy also applied consistent pressure, particularly out of a few blitz looks.
- Uche was called for jumping offside early in 11-on-11s.
- Matt Patricia, whose responsibilities to date have mostly been in the front office, coached up the defensive linemen in a run-focused drill.
- During that same period, Belichick went hands-on with the defensive backs to help them read route distribution in zone coverage.
- Belichick later chastised ball carriers and would-be tacklers during an aforementioned pursuit drill, both for their inability to properly use leverage up against the sideline.
Special teams
- Kyle Dugger, J.J. Taylor, seventh-round rookie wide receiver Tre Nixon and newly-signed receiver Marvin Hall took turns returning kicks.
- Undrafted rookie kicker Quinn Nordin displayed tremendous leg strength at the end of practice, going head-to-head with veteran Roberto Aguayo.
- Nick Folk, who was absent again, remains the favorite to start Week 1.
Odds and ends
- Former director of football research Ernie Adams, a lifelong Belichick confidant, is still present at practices despite retiring earlier this offseason.
- Owner Robert Kraft strolled in halfway through practice.
- Temperatures stayed in the mid-70s during an overcast day.
from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/3g4mIEg
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