Patriots ota Notebook: What boxes should be checked this spring? – 98.5 The sports center

Tuesday afternoon, the New England Patriots were on the training grounds behind the Gillette stadium. It was their second practice of organized team activity (OTA) of spring, and the first which was open to the media.

As is the case throughout spring practices due to NFL rules, Tuesday’s session was not brought back with limited contact. These practices are more educational than competitive, because the game book is installed and other bases are drilled to prepare players for the training camp in summer.

With this lack of contact, what are the coaches in these practices? Mike Truebel explained before Tuesday session …

“That we enter and leave the group, that there is its own substitution, that there is a communication,” said TRUBEL when asked what was doing a good OTA practice. “You hear the defense to make checks when someone on the offensive moves or laughs.

For the most part, the patriots seemed to check these boxes. There was only one point where the offense had to keep up to a substitution problem, and in defense, there was only one problem clearly where there was poor communication in the pre-SNAP coverage in 11 against 11.

Operationally, things looked good all around. Once the tank is broken, one side of the ball has clearly won the day. We will start with news and notes of Tuesday practice …

The defense of the patriots won the day on Tuesday. It was a heavy practice given the contactless restriction and the defense withdrew the quarter-tree Drake Maye Four times, the four coming early in practice.

Of these four interceptions, two went to the corner Christian GonzalezWho was the most dominant player on the field for the two -hour session. During the first interception of Gonzalez, he took advantage of poor communication and jumped a route below. On the second, he showed huge instincts while reading Maye, came from an area in another part of the terrain and covered the ground to go in front of a deep ball targeting the wide recruit receiver Kyle Williams.

These are the second and third interceptions of Maye. On the first, he sailed a blow, where security Dell Pettus was in the right place. On the last one, he had to get rid of the ball quickly with the cornerback Marcus Jones Coming unlocked on a corner blitz. His hot reading was too tight Hunter Henrywhich was covered by the cornerback Alex Austin. Austin distant the ball away from Henry and in the air, where recruits have security Craig Woodon takes a dive.

The great moments of the defense were not limited to interceptions. Jaylinn Hawkins had a pass break on a deep ball to Kayshon Boutte It was on Drake Maye’s target, and there were several potential bags.

There will be two other closed workouts before the Patriots train in front of the media against next Wednesday. So, even if it will not be linear, it will be interesting to see what type of progress the offense highlights next week.

Gonzalez was beaten on Tuesday, and it was probably the game of the day. In the second half of the practice Javon Baker Launched an in -depth return to the sidelines and found itself in a situation on the back shoulder. Maye put the ball in a favorable position, and Baker was able to jump, boxer gonzalez and finish the contact.

Baker remained involved in the crowded wide receiver rotation. It is an encouraging sign for the old choice of fourth round which had a hard time having an impact as a recruit.

Order 2024 Reception project Ja’lynn Polk seemed to be limited during the session. He spent a tête-à-tête time with an offensive assistant Riley LarkinBy browsing different routes. Polk underwent surgery in the shoulder during the offseason.

Recruit Large receiver Kyle Williams made his presence felt during training and seemed particularly involved roads outside the numbers. His highlighting piece occurred deeply when he created an important separation and caught a pass from Maye. Later in practice, he had the same success on a similar route, but the quarter aid Joshua Dobbs Throw the ball behind him by allowing the cornerback Miles Battle To catch up and break the pass.

Udfa CHISM EFTON has also shown its separation capacity. As was the case in eastern Washington, he has a good talent to adapt to different covers and find an open space in the field.

Williams and Chism have been two of the last players to leave the field after Tuesday training. The two stayed late and worked on the jugs machine.

Recruit Treveyon Henderson Also played an important role in Tuesday’s practice. Leaving the HEDENSON bursting and acceleration project was noted as one of his best lines, and he is clearly visible by looking at him in person.

With 12 wide receivers on the list, wide receivers Todd Downing With full hands. Downing was an attacking coordinator, quarter-back coach and tight end coach, but this is the first time that the coach of the Large recipient. He spent the first part of the practice to pass the technique of release and leg play during position exercises.

Later in practice, Downing also seemed to take on play tasks. When the team was divided into two units – the starters on a field and the backups of the other – Downing seemed to have the role of offensive coordinator for the group of Joshua Dobbs. We will see during spring if other coaches are also running in this role, but Downing did it on Tuesday.

Based on Tuesday training, this spring could be a feeling of feeling of feeling for the offensive line. There were a lot of mobile parts during the day.

Part of this may have been some limited players. Guard Mike ONWENU and tackle Morgan Moses The two participated in the initial periods of the step -by -step procedure, but not in team exercises. Moses in particular comes from a knee injury last season, and although he limited speech after training and said he thought it was important for him to attend these optional practices while the young reconstructed offensive line group tries to gelify. After training, Moses remained and worked with some of the young plated in Will Campbell,, Marcus BryantAnd DEMONTREY Jacobs.

With Onwenu and Moses on the side, he opened representatives for other players. Cole Strange (which seems to have been able to infiltrate during the offseason) obtained the first rehearsals at the left guard, with other rotating players. Veteran Wes Schweitzer was strongly involved in several positions through the offensive line in different groups. The only places that remained relatively stable throughout the day were Campbell in the left tackle and Garrett Bradbury as a center.

In seven seasons in college Ben wooldridge started 19 games, with 11 of those to come last year. He spent a lot of time as a quarter -rescue and it was shown on Tuesday when he was being involved even when he did not get representatives.

It is not uncommon to see the quarters do not participate in the representative stand directly behind the active QB with the coaches, rather than on the sidelines. It is a chance to obtain “mental representatives”. Wooldridge goes further, physically passing the room as if it were at the center. This included pre-Snap readings verbally and physically and physically and physically, complete withdrawals and deployments and passing through a launch movement. Sometimes he even called things before Joshua Dobbs did in the live representative.

Wooldridge has not obtained as many live representatives as Dobbs or Maye, and of course, he will have to show coaches that he is capable of making throws, and not only which ones do. But staying committed as he did should be fine with coache staff.

The battle of Kicker began on Tuesday. Both Andres Borregales And John Parker Romo Each obtained four kicks, two each at around 40 meters, then two other 10 meters further.

Borregales, a recruit choice of sixth round, struck his four kicks. Romo, who joined the team in the training team last season, missed one of 40 yards on the right, then a left of 50 yards wide, going 2 for 4 in total.

The Patriots had an excellent participation for this practice. Only four players did not participate. Stefon Diggs And Rhamondre Stevenson Absences were not surprising – Diggs returned to a torn ACL and Stevenson recently lost his father. Sow Sidy And Joshua farmer were not present either.

Some other players were present but not involved. Wide receiver Mack Hollins was in street clothes but always spent all training with the team, sometimes causing other receivers. Védérien LOWE was also a non-party.

A player who was on the field and active was a defensive tackle Christian Barmore. After stopping twice due to blood clots last season, Barmore shared last week that he was fully authorized for football activities and did not seem to have limits on Tuesday.

The next Patriots training will take place on Thursday. They will then come back next week with training Tuesday before their next session open a week from Wednesday.