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Boston Herald
Boston Herald
22 Aug 2024
Doug Kyed


NextImg:Patriots debut new offensive line with rookie starter in practice

FOXBORO — At last, Patriots top-paid offensive lineman Mike Onwenu moved back to right tackle in Thursday’s practice.

All it took was four weeks of training camp and three injuries to bump Onwenu from starting right guard to starting right tackle.

The Patriots’ full top offensive line in Thursday’s practice was Chukwuma Okorafor at left tackle, Sidy Sow at left guard, David Andrews at center, rookie Layden Robinson at right guard and Onwenu at tackle.

An oblique injury suffered by Vederian Lowe, who had previously been the team’s top left tackle, in practice Wednesday necessitated the move. They did have the option of sliding rookie Caedan Wallace in at left tackle. Instead, they preferred to keep Wallace as a backup, move Okorafrom from right tackle to left tackle, push Onwenu from right guard to right tackle and promote Robinson, a late-camp standout, into a starting role.

Elsewhere at practice, rookie Drake Maye took more reps with the first-team offensive line, an undrafted rookie made two standout plays, and a winner continues to emerge in the kicking battle in the non-padded session.

Returned: CB Shaun Wade

Absent: DT Christian Barmore, TE Mitchell Wilcox

Non-participant: TE Hunter Henry, S Marte Mapu, OLB Josh Uche, OT Calvin Anderson, DT Armon Watts, OLB Oshane Ximines, OT Vederian Lowe

Limited: LB Jahlani Tavai

PUP: WR Kendrick Bourne, LB Sione Takitaki, OL Cole Strange

Patriots offensive tackle Vederian Lowe during practice in Foxboro. (Photo By Matt Stone/Boston Herald)

Patriots offensive tackle Vederian Lowe during practice in Foxboro. (Photo By Matt Stone/Boston Herald)

Notes: Tavai ran sprints during some of the Patriots’ 11-on-11 drills … Henry, Mapu, Anderson, Takitaki and Bourne worked on conditioning during the session away from the rest of the team … Lowe was present for the end of practice but didn’t wear any pads and simply observed full-team sessions after suffering an oblique injury Thursday. A third tackle, Tyrone Wheatley Jr., is already on injured reserve. All of the injuries left Okorafor, Onwenu, Wallace, Kellen Diesch and Zuri Henry as the team’s only tackles … Wade was limited in Thursday’s practice but was back to being a full participant on Thursday … Watts was a new non-participant after being involved in 11-on-11s during Wednesday’s session … Linebacker Raekwon McMillan shed the red non-contact jersey that he wore during Wednesday’s practice.

Note: The passing stats below were tallied during competitive 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 periods only. The stats in parentheses represent the quarterbacks’ camp-long performance.

Jacoby Brissett: N/A (161-of-246 — 65.4%, 6 INTs, 28 sacks)

Drake Maye: N/A (143-of-229 — 62.4%, 5 INTs, 21 sacks)

New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) and New England Patriots quarterback Jacoby Brissett (14) takes some snaps as the Patriots take practice at Gillette on Aug. 22. (Staff Photo By Stuart Cahill/Boston Herald)

New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) and New England Patriots quarterback Jacoby Brissett (14) takes some snaps as the Patriots take practice at Gillette on Aug. 22. (Staff Photo By Stuart Cahill/Boston Herald)

Notes: Practice mimicked a regular-season session, which meant there were minimal reps when the top offense went against the top defense. Instead, the top offense and defense matched up against the scout-team, imitating the Commanders and working off of cards as the Patriots get prepared for their preseason finale against Washington.

Brissett started off every drill and took 25 total snaps, including handoffs and a spike. Maye took 26 total snaps, including a QB sneak to set up a field goal. Of those 26 snaps, six came with the starting offensive line, all of which came a turn after Brissett. Otherwise, Maye worked with the second-team offense as he continues to look like Brissett’s backup. Bailey Zappe and rookie quarterback Joe Milton mimicked the Commanders in scout-team roles working off of cards.

Brissett completed 12-of-15 passes, going 10-of-11 in 11-on-11s and 2-of-4 in 7-on-7s, but given the nature of practice, those reps were not as competitive as training camp full-team drills.

Brissett completed a deep corner route to wide receiver Jalen Reagor over top cornerback Christian Gonzalez in an early 11-on-11 session. Reagor made two more nice catches from Brissett during a two-minute drill late in practice, laying out to catch two balls on curl routes. Brissett was nearly picked off on a target to tight end Jaheim Bell in 7-on-7s broken up by safety Dell Pettus. Brissett was off on a throw to wide receiver DeMario Douglas later in practice, throwing behind the undersized slot receiver.

Maye completed 12-of-16 passes with an interception, going 7-of-10 with the interception in 11-on-11s and 5-of-6 in 7-on-7s.

Defensive tackle Trysten Hill picked off Maye on a tip drill late in practice during 11-on-11s. Bell didn’t seem to see Maye’s ball coming, and the throw was broken up by Pettus, tipped in the air and then picked off by Hill, who went rumbling down the field. Maye was mostly accurate but did overthrow wide receiver K.J. Osborn downfield after a pump fake in 7-on-7s.

Zappe gave the defense a better look, running the scout team, going 11-of-12 overall, 7-of-7 in 11-on-11s and 4-of-5 in 7-on-7s. Milton was 6-of-9, going 4-of-5 in 11-on-11s and 2-of-4 in 7-on-7s.

WR Jalen Reagor

Reagor made the three best catches of Thursday’s practice, hauling in a deep corner route from Brissett and laying out for two balls on curl routes during a two-minute drill. Reagor is still fighting for a roster spot in a crowded wide receiver room. But he appears to be the Patriots’ top backup behind Tyquan Thornton in the “X” role. He could also be a dangerous option on kick returns.

S Dell Pettus

Head coach Jerod Mayo said this week that Pettus is pushing for a roster spot. He was also singled out by a team source as a late training camp standout. Pettus caused an interception and another near-pick with two pass breakups in scout-team work. There’s a path for Pettus to make the team behind starters Kyle Dugger and Jabrill Peppers, backup Jaylinn Hawkins and special-teams ace Brenden Schooler if 2023 third-round pick Marte Mapu starts the season on injured reserve. Pettus is battling with Joshuah Bledsoe for a roster spot.

Patriots wide receivers Ja'Lynn Polk, left, and Jalen Reagor learn a new handshake during training camp. (Photo By Matt Stone/Boston Herald)

Patriots wide receivers Ja’Lynn Polk, left, and Jalen Reagor learn a new handshake during training camp. (Photo By Matt Stone/Boston Herald)

TE Jaheim Bell

Bell was the targeted receiver on both of Pettus’ pass breakups. Seeing an increased role with Henry and Wilcox being held out of practice, Bell did catch one pass from Maye in 11-on-11s.

CB Marcus Jones

Jones, primarily working out of the slot, allowed three catches against the scout-team offense. Milton completed a pass to undrafted rookie David Wallis against Jones in 7-on-7 work. Zappe completed a deep ball to Wallis against Jones and another pass to tight end La’Michael Pettway in 11-on-11s.

New England Patriots defensive end Keion White (99) and New England Patriots defensive end Deatrich Wise Jr. (91) stretch as the Patriots take practice at Gillette on Aug. 22. (Staff Photo By Stuart Cahill/Boston Herald)

New England Patriots defensive end Keion White (99) and New England Patriots defensive end Deatrich Wise Jr. (91) stretch as the Patriots take practice at Gillette on Aug. 22. (Staff Photo By Stuart Cahill/Boston Herald)