Patriots Camp: Gonzalez, Jones, Defense Stands Out; Day 3 Notebook

The New England Patriots defense continues to shine during the first wave of training camp practices, led by cornerbacks Christian Gonzalez and Jonathan Jones.

FOXBORO — On the third day, the New England Patriots defense once again reigned over an offense which continues to search for its footing, especially in the red zone. 

Enjoying another warm summer morning in New England, the Pats practiced in shorts and shells for the first time in 2023 camp. While full pads will not be worn until next week, Friday’s practice took on a more authentic feel on both sides of the ball as the team continues to prepare for the season. 

Here are some noteworthy observations from day 3 of Patriots training camp practices:

Roll Call:

In addition to celebrating his 24th birthday on Friday, defensive tackle Christian Barmore also welcomed a child, thus explaining his absence from practice. 

Hybrid running back/receiver Ty Montgomery was also absent. Montgomery apparently played through a lower-body injury on Thursday stemming from a collision during red zone drills. Coach Bill Belichick, when speaking with reporters prior to practice, referred to Montgomery as “day to day.”

Offensive tackle Michael Onwenu and special teamer Cody Davis — who remain on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list — and offensive tackle Calvin Anderson— who continued his time on the non-football illness (NFI) list — were also absent. 

Quarterback Snapshot

Mac Jones went 3 for 5 during 7-on-7 drills and completed 5 of 10 passes in 11-on-11s. The Pats starting quarterback continued to test his ability to throw into tight coverage, with cornerback Jonathan Jones getting the better of him on a few occasions. Despite the incompletions, Jones’ mechanics look to be much improved from last season. Unfortunately, his perimeter receivers have struggled to separate from their defenders. Jones performed better in 7s, completing three would-be touchdown passes to Hunter Henry, JuJu Smith-Schuster and DeVante Parker. 

Bailey Zappe connected on 4 of 11 passes 11-on-11s. He also completed 2 of 6 in 7-on-7s, once again working mostly against the second-team defense. Zappe’s best pass came on a dart to rookie receiver Kayshon Boutte, who was unable to complete the catch. 

Lastly, Trace McSorley also saw his largest sample size of action this week, completing 4 of 6 in 7s and 2 of 7 during 11-on-11s. 

Offense Observations

While their two previous practices focused almost solely on both deep and shallow red zone drills, the Pats incorporated a larger amount of run concepts into this session. Still, the team continued to show that increasing their red zone efficiency is priority one, executing a number of drills in tight space in the high area of the red zone. 

Though it is very early, the Patriots first team offense appears to be taking shape. Coordinator Bill O’Brien primarily worked with Jones as his starter, along with a unit consisting of receivers JuJu Smith-Schuster, Tyquan Thornton, DeVante Parker, Kendrick Bourne and rookie Demario Douglas, running backs Rhamondre Stevenson and Pierre Strong and tight ends Hunter Henry and Mike Gesicki.

Despite getting the nod with the primary unit on both Wednesday and Thursday, veteran offensive tackle Riley Reiff was replaced on the line by veteran reserve Conor McDermott on Friday. The 30-year-old, who signed a two-year contract extension with the Pats in the offseason, looked to be notably more comfortable in the role than the struggling Reiff. McDermott was one of the standout offensive linemen during OTAs and minicamp and is capable of pushing for a starting role. Count him as ‘one to watch’ in the coming days. 

Defense Observations

In contrast to the growing pains being experienced by the offense, New England’s defense has been very good through the first three days of camp practices. The secondary continues to stand out, with the aforementioned Jonathan Jones leading the way with two pass breakups. Fellow defensive backs Christian Gonzalez, Jalen Mills Joshuah Bledsoe, Marcus Jones, rookie Isaiah Bolden and linebacker Calvin Munson all breaking up passes during team drills. Anfernee Jennings and rookie Keion White also earned ‘would-be’ sacks on consecutive plays, each beating offensive tackle Riley Reiff. 

The Pats again shuffled their corners, with Jonathan Jones returning to the perimeter, and Marcus Jones getting work in the slot. Unsurprisingly, Christian Gonzalez remains the top option. Overall, the group looks to have added some strength and aggression to their speed this season, which should help them in covering some of the high-octane offenses on their schedule. 

Up Next: 

The Patriots will enjoy a day off on Saturday before returning to the practice fields adjacent to Gillette Stadium at 11 a.m. on Sunday for their fourth training camp practice of 2023. 

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