Patriots Camp: Kayshon Boutte Stars at Stadium Scrimmage

The New England Patriots conducted their first split-squad “scrimmage” of training camp inside Gillette Stadium. Who ‘wowed’ the hometown crowd?

FOXBORO — The New England Patriots welcomed fans back to the confines of Gillette Stadium for an in-stadium training camp practice on Friday evening. 

It was the team’s ninth organized practice of 2023 training camp. The event was open to season-ticket holders, members on the waiting list, and residents of Foxboro. The team participated primarily in a “scrimmage” between Team Blue and Team White. Despite the lack of significant contact, there was still plenty of action on the field.

Here are some of the evening’s highlights from a drizzly, yet comfortable evening: 

Roll Call

Despite being the recipient of a newly-restructured contract, linebacker Matthew Judon did not participate in practice. Left tackle Trent Brown, defensive back Jonathan Jones, left guard Cole Strange, running back/receiver Ty Montgomery, safety Brad Hawkins and special teams captain Matthew Slater also sat out of the evening’s festivities. 

Offensive tackle Calvin Anderson remains on the non-football illness list (NFI), while right guard Micheal Onwenu and safety Cody Davis continue their respective stays on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list. 

Quarterback Snapshot

Mac Jones led Team Blue in the evening’s non-competitive scrimmage, while Bailey Zappe began the night in charge of Team White. 

Despite some struggles with accuracy in his longer throws along the sideline, Jones still managed to connect with receiver DeVante Parker on a deep ball with an estimated air time of 50-plus yards. He also hit Parker for a scoring strike in the first half. Jones was also intercepted by safety Kyle Dugger and hybrid linebacker Marte Mapu.

Surprisingly, third-string quarterback Trace McSorley provided some of the night’s most notable highlights in relief of Zappe. The Penn State product tossed three “would-be” touchdowns to rookie receiver Kayshon Boutte — with arguably their best connection coming on a back-corner scoring strike in which the rookie kept both feet in bounds. 

Offense Observations

Having spent much of the week on the conditioning fields, receiver Tyquan Thornton participated in team drills, as well as suiting up for the “scrimmage” for Team White. 

Despite take the majority of his training camp reps at guard, rookie Jack Andrews got the nod as the starting center for Team Blue, as Mac Jones’ primary protector. Riley Reiff and Conor McDermott aligned at tackle, while Atonio Mafi and Kody Russey manned the guard positions for the first-team offensive line. 

Defense Observations

After an unceremonious exit from Thursday’s practice, cornerback Jack Jones aligned along the perimeter with the Patriots starting defense opposite Christian Gonzalez. Myles Bryant saw most of his reps in the slot. 

Rookie Marte Mapu once again displayed his versatility by taking snaps at free saftey with the first-team defense. In addition to his aforementioned interception of Jones, Mapu provided stout backfield coverage throughout the night. 

Fellow rookie defensive back Isaiah Bolden made his presence felt by earning a tipped interception of Trace McSorley to end the evening’s practice. 

Specialist Spotlight

As expected, the tepid pace of Friday evening’s non-competitive “scrimmage” meant an exhibition of sorts for the Patriots specialists.

Rookie Chad Ryland went 3-for-4 on kicks from 43, 42 and his most impressive coming from 48 yards. His only miss came from 45 yards. 

Veteran Nick Folk also showcased his ability, connecting on 3 of 4 attempts. The 38-year old hit field goals of 41, 32 and 38 yards respectively, while missing from 48. 

The legend of rookie punter Bryce Baringer continues to grow. The Michigan State product lofted several punts of 50-plus yards deep into the southern New England night air — his most impressive reportedly measuring in at 65 yards, with an approximate hang time of 5.4 seconds. 

Up Next

The Patriots will have the day off on Saturday, before returning to the practice fields adjacent to Gillette Stadium on Sunday afternoon for their tenth training camp practice. 

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