Patriots Training Camp: Gonzalez Intercepts Jones; Day 10 Notebook

The New England Patriots defense feasted on a makeshift offensive line during the Pats 10th training camp practice.

FOXBORO — Following an off-day Saturday, the New England Patriots returned to the practice field Sunday afternoon for their 10th day of training camp.

In contrast to the “scrimmage” which took place in Gillette Stadium Friday, the Pats reported for duty in shorts and shells. As they prepare for their preseason opener on Thursday against the Houston Texans, the team is intent on sharpening their skills on both sides of the ball.

Here are some of the afternoon's highlights from the Patriots’ practice fields.

Roll Call

Cornerback Jonathan Jones, center David Andrews, guard Cole Strange, running back/receiver Ty Montgomery and special teams captain Matthew Slater did not participate in practice. While Jones, Slater and Andrews were assumed to have sat out for workload management purposes, Strange and Montgomery continue to deal with their respective lower body injuries.

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 completed 13 of 20 passes with one interception in team drills. Jones made his best throw on a fade to receiver DeVante Parker into tight coverage by cornerback Jack Jones. The quarterback perfectly placed the ball so that Parker could make the jump-completion for an approximately 35-yard gain. Jones’ only pick came on a deep ball to rookie receiver Kayshon Boutte, expertly read by cornerback Christian Gonzalez, who made a great play on Jones’ throw. 

Bailey Zappe connected on 15 of 25 passes with one interception. He struggled with accuracy for much of the day while working with the second-team offense. His only interception came on his final throw of Sunday’s session, which was picked by cornerback Shaun Wade. 

Trace McSorley saw limited action with the third-team offense, completing 4 of 12 pass attempts with two interceptions.

Offense Observations

Despite having a quiet camp, tight end Mike Gesicki made his presence felt during 7-on-7 drills. The former Miami Dolphin made a smooth, one-handed catch along the sideline on a 25-yard pass from Mac Jones. Though Gesicki’s ability to power his way into contested-catch situations will be particularly useful in the red zone, he also showed his skill set on the perimeter. Gesicki primarily worked with the Mac Jones-led first-team offense, along with DeVante Parker, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Kendrick Bourne, Hunter Henry and rookie Demario Douglas. 

Though Sunday may be characterized as a tough day for New England’s quarterbacks, it should be noted that the offensive line significantly struggled in providing protection. The first-team line consisted of tackles Riley Reiff and Conor McDermott, guards Atonio Mafi and Kody Russey and veteran James Ferentz at center. While each of the aforementioned players have shown signed of promise throughout training camp, none are likely to align with the starting unit when healthy. As a result, New England’s defensive starters made quick work of their counterparts on Sunday. 

Defense Observations

With a newly-restructured contract in hand, linebacker Matthew Judon returned to the practice fields on Sunday as a full participant. While the four-time Pro Bowler has yet to take part in a padded practice, he showed no on-field rust. Judon earned three “would-be sacks,” and was a fixture on New England’s pass rush for the entire afternoon. 

While New England has a solid quartet of safeties in Kyle Dugger, Adrian Phillips, Jalen Mills and Jabrill Peppers employed in their base defense, Bledsoe is showing that he could add some depth to the position as the Pats head into 2023. The Pats 2021 sixth-round Draft selection intercepted quarterback Trace McSorely twice in his time on the field with the reserves. As a result, Bledsoe continues to project as a versatile safety for the Patriots. His ideal fit would feature him in the D-gap/slot, in a big-nickel-heavy defensive scheme featuring man-to-man coverage assignments. Bledsoe could be an option as a rotational safety who subs in on late downs to play man coverage closer to the line of scrimmage. 

Up Next

The Patriots will return to the practice fields adjacent to Gillette Stadium at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday for their eighth training camp practice.

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