Patriots Training Camp Day 4 Superlatives
The most packed day of training camp yet had no dearth of excitement. Here's everything you need to know about the best Day 4 had to offer.
Superlatives:
Best Throw: Tie between Cam Newton's touchdown throw to Damien Harris and Mac Jones' throw to Jakobi Meyers
In red-zone 11v11s late in practice, Newton followed up a strike to Kristian Wilkerson with a beautiful rainbow to the back pylon to Harris, showing touch and placement.
On the next drive, Jones rolled out of the pocket to his left against pressure. While evading what may have been a sack in padded practice, Jones delivered a dart to Meyers, who made an athletic diving catch to secure the score.
Most Unique Play: Tight End screen to Hunter Henry
Early in practice, the offensive first team ran a tight end screen to Henry. The Los Angeles Chargers occasionally ran a similar play design with Henry Further, the offense struggled heavily last year scheming playmakers open in space. With the team's offensive pieces being much improved, seeing more creative play designs like a tight end screen to either Henry or Jonnu Smith could add another layer to the offense.
Best Offensive Player: Jonnu Smith
The newly acquired tight end is quickly becoming a fan-favorite down in Foxborough. Alongside his constant acknowledgments of fans' cheers, Smith consistently impressed on the field. On one play, Smith made a contorting catch on a seam route that drew some gasps from the crowd.
In red-zone 11v11s Smith was the target of a fade route. Though there was definitely defensive pass interference and the ball was poorly placed, the play design may be indicative of another facet of Smith's game this fall.
Best Defensive Player: Whole defensive first-team as a unit
During the first matchup of first-team 11v11 drills, the defense decisively decimated the offense. Both quarterbacks struggled immensely and had a tough time creating any sort of rhythm. No defensive player truly stood out today, but that may moreso be a testament to the strength of the team as a unit -- which is to say, this defense will likely be one of the strongest in the league this fall.
Best Day: Kristian Wilkerson (and the kid in the Newton jersey in front of me screaming his head off).
Wilkerson had himself a very productive 11v11 session, snagging two touchdown passes including a laser from Newton on an out route. Though Wilkerson looks slower in a lot of the footwork drills, his vertical presence and surprisingly decent separation ability make him a viable option to make the 53-man roster, especially in a role similar to Keshawn Martin from the 2015 season.
The second, and definitely biggest, winner of the day was the kid in the Newton jersey sitting in front of me. His energy fired up the whole crowd throughout practice and had multiple media sources talking about him (including the actual New England Patriots Instagram page).
As it turns out, his energy paid off. Not only did Newton give him a lifelong memory by walking over giving him a fistbump, but Newton also gave away his wristband and towel after practice. For all the media scrutiny that's seemed to plague Newton throughout his career, it seems like his countless positives don't see the same spotlight. Regardless of narratives surrounding his play (though they may have some validity to them), the crowd's boisterous cheers don't lie; Newton has already cemented himself as a Boston sports fan-favorite.