FOXBORO —Four months after signing, the Patriots’ prized free-agent addition finally stepped into the spotlight during Thursday’s training camp practice.
JuJu Smith-Schuster led all pass catchers with five targets during team drills, securing two of his three catchable passes. The crown jewel of the Patriots’ rookie class — Christian Gonzalez — batted the other away. Smith-Schuster struck back on the next snap, though, wriggling free from Gonzalez’s tight coverage in the left flat to catch a would-be touchdown.
Individually, Smith-Schuster and Gonzalez will be as bellwethers for the Patriots’ offense and defense, respectively. They are two of the 10 most important players on this roster, a fact that amplified by the absences of two others at practice: running back Rhamondre Stevenson and edge rusher Matt Judon. As they go, so should the Patriots.
By extension, their mixed head-to-head results Thursday should be seen as encouraging, especially for Smith-Schuster. But the same can’t be said for his fellow receivers.
Kendrick Bourne and Tyquan Thornton combined for a single target during team periods, a sailing pass that flew over Bourne’s head late in an 11-on-11 drill. Through two practices, they’ve each seen one target and failed to come up with a catch. Mac Jones, no surprise, has struggled.
Boxed into the red zone for every team period as he helps install a new offense limited so far to only passing plays, Jones is 11-of-24 with two interceptions in camp. He’s exclusively worked alongside and against Patriots starters, whereas backup Bailey Zappe has been surrounded by second-stringers. After a miserable debut practice, Zappe bounced back going 10-of-15 thanks to several short screens and other safe throws into the flat Thursday.
Elsewhere, one of the Pats’ most versatile players got hurt, the O-line shuffle continues and two young defensive backs are on the rise.
Here are the Herald’s complete practice observations.
Limited: OLB Matt Judon, RB Rhamondre Stevenson
Non-contact jersey: LB/S Marte Mapu
PUP: OL Mike Onwenu, S Cody Davis
Non-Football Illness: OT Calvin Anderson
Notes: Judon was downgraded from limited on-field participation Wednesday to essentially sitting out practice Thursday. Stevenson went from full participation to virtually none. The two of them worked on a separate field during practice with Mitchell, who was placed on the NFI list on Tuesday. It’s unclear what kept Judon and Stevenson from greater involvement.
On a day devoid of ture highlights, a third-string tight end beating Jalen Mills for a touchdown makes the cut.
During the first period of 7-on-7s, Zappe lofted a ball to the back corner of the end zone, where Sokol wrestled it away from Mills. He later secured a diving catch in 11-on-11 work (also from Zappe), but Sokol’s first grab — considering the competition — was his best.
Running with the Patriots’ top defense and kick return unit, Jones had a busy day. And he delivered.
Jone allowed one catch on three targets, a jump ball in 11-on-11s to DeVante Parker, who has seven inches on him. Otherwise, Jones pushed Parker out of bounds before he could get two feet down to stop one touchdown in 7-on-7s. He also blanketed backup slot receivers and knocked starting wideouts out of the end zone on snaps where Jones or Zappe had broken the pocket and illegal contact was no longer a penalty.
Heady play, great day.
Note: The passing stats below were tallied during competitive, full-speed 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 periods only. The stats in parentheses represent the quarterbacks’ camp-long performance.
The young linebacker continued to run with the starting defense and didn’t allow a catch on two targets. His pass coverage thus far has been excellent.
Two highlight grabs? That’ll work for a veteran who finds himself squarely on the roster bubble behind Hunter Henry and Mike Gesicki.
Two days, one target.
Bourne’s only target Thursday — and first of training camp — sailed over his head. As the No. 3 receiver, who plays both out of the lot and outside, the Patriots will need more separation from Bourne, who is supposedly coming off a strong offseason.
Jones wasn’t as bad as his numbers indicate, but he started practice with terrible stretch and got intercepted on his final pass attempt: a rollout that he threw back into the middle of the field, across his body and into traffic, where it found Kyle Dugger. Can’t have it.
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