Patriots Training Camp Day 5 Notebook: QB Mac Jones Struggles

The New England Patriots put in some solid work in one-on-one drills and eye some standouts in their first day of padded practices in 2022.

FOXBORO — The New England Patriots opened their second week of 2022 training camp with a little less conversation and a little more action.

As head coach Bill Belichick confirmed last Wednesday, the team entered the ‘next phase’ camp practices. Pads were worn for the first time during camp on Monday, as the Pats amped up the competitive vibes heading into day five of their practices.

Here are some of Monday morning's highlights on yet another a beautiful summer day in New England:

Roll Call:

In addition to the introduction of pads to their practice on Monday, the Pats also had a trio of defensive backs making their return to the field. Safety Jabrill Peppers and cornerback Jonathan Jones were in uniform and participated in practice, indicating their removal from the PUP (physically unable to perform) list.

Cornerback Myles Bryant, who had been listed with a NFI (non-football injury) designation, returned to practice, thus confirming his activation, as well.

Defensive end Deatrich Wise, Jr., who had been absent from practice since Thursday, was present on Monday, but was limited to conditioning activities.

Quarterback Brian Hoyer was the only player not spotted on the field. Hoyer has been absent from practices since last Friday.

Following the activations of both Jabrill Peppers and Jonathan Jones, running back James White is the only Patriot remaining on PUP.

Rookie offensive linemen Chasen Hines and Andrew Stuber are still listed on NFI.

Fresh from signing a four-year contract extension with the team, punter Jake Bailey was at practice as a full participant. Bailey had missed two practices in the team’s opening week with an undisclosed illness. 

Quarterback Snapshot:

Starting quarterback Mac Jones continued his recent up-and-down trend on Monday finishing the day by completing 5-of-8 pass attempts with one interception in 11-on-11s, and 5 of 6 in 7-on-7s. Despite being picked off by cornerback Terrance Mitchell on his first pass attempt during 11-on-11 drills, Jones had two impressive 40-plus yard completions to receivers DeVante Parker and rookie Tyquan Thornton respectively.

Rookie Bailey Zappe bounced back nicely from a subpar performance on Saturday completing 5 of 9 passes in 11-on-11s and 5 of 6 in 7-on-7s. Zappe’s arm strength was on full display in a 40(ish)-yard dart to tight end Devin Asiasi, who made a strong, athletic grab to complete the play.

Pads Make Impact:

While the level of physicality was raised by the presence of pads, New England’s practice was a bit tighter on Monday. The team focuses on the running game, as well as several one-on-one drills for both the offensive and defensive linemen.

The Pats offensive line continued its work on some of the new, zone-based run concepts, contributing several stuffs during team drills. Right guard Michael Onwenu held his position well for the majority of his reps, while left tackle Trent Brown delivered the ‘stop of the day’ on linebacker Josh Uche, who made his best attempt to speed rush the massive lineman.

Defensively, defensive tackle Davon Godchaux showcased his strength and push during his reps against center David Andrews. Second-year lineman Christian Barmore also won several of his battles in pass rush drills.

Both Barmore and fellow defensive tackle/edge Henry Anderson got the better of rookie Cole Strange on more than one occasion. While Strange has displayed proper footwork, he still needs work on his hand placement.

Parker, Thornton With One-on-One Wins; Mitchell Stands Out in the Secondary

The Patriots wide receivers got the chance to showcase their speed and field savvy in one-on-one drills, as well. Despite losing a shoe in the process, receiver Jakobi Meyers was still able to beat slot corner Jonathan Jones on an in-breaking route. Both Parker and Thornton were on the receiving end of some deep completions, with Thornton twice beating cornerback Joejuan Williams down the makeshift sideline.

In the defensive play of the day, perimeter cornerback Terrance Mitchell intercepted Jones’ first pass attempt during 11-on-11 drills. The Pats starter attempted to connect with Thornton on and over route. However, Jones did not see Mitchell, who made an insightful play on the ball. It was Jones’ third interception of camp, thus far.

The Patriots will return to the practice fields on Tuesday for their sixth training camp practice of 2022. Practice is scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m. and will be open to the public. Gates are set to open at 8 a.m.