Currently, the New England Patriots have gone through nine days of training camp and are looking forward to their first preseason game on Thursday. However, with two straight days off, now is a good time to take note of all the serious storylines in the New England Patriots offensive training camp. Who’s performing well, who’s struggling, and which positional battles are still up in the air?
New England Patriots Defensive Training Camp Notes
New England Patriots Offensive Training Camp Takeaways After Nine Practices
Wide Receiver Still Uncertain
With Julian Edelman serving a four-game suspension to start the season, the Patriots are actively looking for a receiver to step up and start alongside Chris Hogan. Right now, it’s still anyone’s game, as each receiver brings something a little different to the table.
Cordarrelle Patterson seems to make a big play almost daily, which should put him on the starting radar. However, according to reports, he lacks consistency in his game. He’ll make a big play and then disappear. Kenny Britt was just activated from the Physically Unable to Perform list and should challenge Patterson on the outside.
Jordan Matthews was the frontrunner to take the starting slot receiver position, but he suffered a “serious” hamstring injury and was released just under a week ago. The new battle for the slot receiver position appears to be between Phillip Dorsett and Braxton Berrios. Dorsett is reportedly having a strong camp, shining brightest as a slot receiver. Berrios has also shown great explosiveness and a solid connection with quarterback Tom Brady. Dorsett probably has the lead for the starting position, but both players will likely earn a roster spot. Riley McCarron appears to be the odd man out here.
The Eric Decker signing throws a wrench into the equation as well. Signed after Matthews’ release, Decker also finds himself in the thick of the receiver battle. He’s lost a step and isn’t nearly the receiver he was with the Broncos and the Jets. If he’s to make the roster, he’ll need to show the ability to win contested passes and demonstrate soft, dependable hands.
Tight End Looks Deep
Rob Gronkowski is the unquestioned starter, but the depth behind him looks to be a considerable upgrade over 2017. While the backups are still Dwayne Allen and Jacob Hollister, both players have improved significantly over a years’ time.
Jacob Hollister has been catching everything in sight over the early sessions of training camp. Brady has looked his way several times during camp, and Hollister has always come down with the big play. Additionally, Hollister has been seen with Brady and a small group of receivers while the rest of the team works on position-specific drills. This shows Hollister is moving up in Brady’s circle of trust. With such uncertainty at the wide receiver position, don’t be surprised to see Hollister emerge as one of the top receiving threats in this offense.
Allen, meanwhile, has also shown significant improvement from last year. He’s in notably better shape and also seems to have a stronger grasp of the playbook. Allen himself has said he feels better this season, saying “what a difference a year makes” in regards to his readiness for the upcoming season.
Assuming all three stay healthy, the Patriots may have the best tight end trio in football. Gronkowski is an unparalleled talent, while Hollister and Allen both have the potential to be solid starters. With wide receiver as uncertain as it is, expect these three to be a major part of the offense.
Running Back Depth Already Tested
Training camp injuries are the worst, and they’re especially bad when they happen to talented rookies. Sony Michel suffered a knee injury which will likely sideline him for a couple of preseason games. While the rookie should be healthy for the regular season, he’s missing reps that are paramount for his development.
Because of this, the Patriots will probably carry a fifth running back to start the season. Michel, Rex Burkhead, and James White are locks, while Brandon Bolden will probably make it for his special teams’ acumen. This leaves Jeremy Hill and Mike Gillislee fighting for one spot.
Right now, Hill has a clear advantage. Hill has been nothing but impressive at camp and even received a few first-team snaps when Michel initially went down. Gillislee, meanwhile, is still dealing with a minor injury. He entered camp wearing a non-contact jersey and couldn’t practice with the main team for a while. Even though he’s back on the field now, it looks like he would have to do a lot to stick around in 2018.
The Tackle Experiment Seems to Be Working
The biggest question entering training camp was how Trent Brown would handle left tackle duties. So far, he’s been phenomenal. The 6’-8”, 380-pound monster has been an absolute wall at the left tackle. While he’s still adjusting to the positional nuances, he’s drawn rave reviews from Bill Belichick and defensive end Trey Flowers.
In other offensive line news, it’s clear that the Patriots view first-round pick Isaiah Wynn as a tackle first and foremost. Wynn took snaps at left guard in minicamp, but that was due to Joe Thuney missing the practices while in a walking boot. Now that Thuney is healthy, Wynn has practiced almost exclusively as a tackle. While he has seen some snaps at guard, it’s clear the coaching staff sees him as the tackle of the future.
Marcus Cannon suffered a minor foot injury, causing him to miss the past few practices. In his absence, the Patriots have kept Brown at left tackle, opting to test out LaAdrian Waddle and Wynn on the right side. This is probably due to the minimal severity of the injury, as Cannon will be back and Brown needs all the left tackle snaps he can get.
The injury does raise an interesting question. Should something major happen to Cannon, what would the Patriots do? Would they shift Brown back to his more natural right tackle, or keep him on the blindside? Hopefully, Patriots fans will never need to find out, but it’s certainly a question worth keeping in the back of one’s mind.
Danny Etling Isn’t Quite Ready
Tom Brady is the unquestioned starter, but there was something of a battle for the backup position between Brian Hoyer and Danny Etling. While Hoyer was the clear frontrunner, Etling theoretically could have taken the position with a strong camp. At the very least, he could have forced the Patriots to keep him on the active roster as the third quarterback.
So far, Etling has struggled mightily in camp. He has scattershot accuracy and has trouble landing the short to intermediate throws. While he did improve in the last practice session, he has a long way to go to land a roster spot.
Etling is typically one of the first players on the practice field and one of the last to leave it. By all accounts, he’s been one of the hardest working players in camp and is trying to close the gap as fast as he can. He has the heart to succeed in Foxboro, he just doesn’t have the skill yet. A year on the practice squad would be perfect for the rookie passer.
Main photo:
Embed from Getty Images
