FOXBORO — Bill Belichick huddled the Patriots around him near the end of practice late Monday morning. He delivered a simple message.
Be physical, but stay on your feet. Let’s get out of here without anyone getting hurt.
The injury bug had already bitten the Pats throughout their first padded practice of the summer, temporarily taking out left guard Cole Strange, his backup, Chasen Hines, one tight end and a defensive back. The next few minutes of low red-zone plays followed by goal-line work would bring increased injury risk. The live goal-line period would also be a first at Patriots training camp in two years, another change against the backdrop of a lost 2022 season.
Moments later, the ball was placed inside the 2-yard line. Game on.
Surrounded by two tight ends, an extra offensive lineman and a couple backs, Mac Jones turned right from under center and into a hand-off. First came newly converted fullback Jahlani Tavai, then Kevin Harris, a bowling ball of a runner at 5-foot-9, 225 pounds. Behind Tavai, Harris barreled into a mass of linemen, where it became unclear whether the second-year back had scored before going down.
The next play didn’t lack clarity. Veteran safety Jabrill Peppers smashed Tavai in the hole on another inside run, forcing Harris backwards well short of the goal line. On Jones’ third and final goal-line play, he drifted right at the snap and overthrew tight end Hunter Henry, who had been angling for the back right pylon but may have strayed from his route path.
Incomplete.
Practice ended with backup quarterback Bailey Zappe handing off a successful touchdown run, a consolation prize for an offense with thinning depth. Though not all absences were injury-related, as running back Rhamondre Stevenson received his second rest day of camp; an unprecedented break for a young Patriots player at this stage of the summer.
Oh, and Matt Judon and Trent Brown joined him on the separate conditioning field. Elsewhere, a rookie receiver continued to produce, Marte Mapu kept busy at multiple positions and Kendrick Bourne ended a lengthy drought.
Here are the Herald’s complete practice observations.
Injured: OL Cole Strange, OL Chasen Hines, TE Scotty Washington, S Brad Hawkins, OL Bill Murray
Returned: WR Kayshon Boutte
Absent: RB/WR Ty Montgomery, OL Jake Andrews, LB Terez Hall
Limited: LB Matt Judon, OT Trent Brown
Non-contact jersey: LB/S Marte Mapu
PUP: OL Mike Onwenu, S Cody Davis
Non-Football Illness: OT Calvin Anderson
Notes: Strange hurt his left leg during a 1-on-1 blocking drill, received medical attention as he laid on a training table, then did some agility drills. He did not return to practice, but was allowed to join his teammates from the sideline and watch the final periods. Hines, Washington and Hawkins did not return, either, after suffering mid-practice injuries. Murray, playing right guard, got banged up on the final play of practice.
Judon and Brown departed for the lower conditioning field after initial drills. Stevenson lasted one more period, then did the same. Boutte was a full participant after missing Sunday’s practice. Montgomery has been out for three straight practices, while Andrews missed his second and Hall was out after being limited Sunday.
It’s generally a bad idea to allow Peppers, one of the pound-for-pound strongest players on the Patriots’ roster, the chance to inflict a massive hit. Let alone in tight quarters.
Peppers’ collision with Jahlani Tavai near the goal line showed why, as Peppers stopped Tavai, who has 30 pounds on him, and by extension running back Kevin Harris. Peppers has been running regularly with the starters in training camp, and goal-line stop like Monday’s should help ensure he remains there for the foreseeable future.
Over a steady, yet unspectacular practice, Smith-Schuster caught half of Mac Jones’ completions in team drills. All four passes thrown in his direction were complete. He’s taken over full-time slot receiver duties, and seems to be emerging as the Patriots’ new No. 1 option, just as the team had hoped.
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.
Harris showed plus patience, vision and cutback ability over a run-focused practice. Harris also took starting reps ahead of fellow 2022 draft pick Pierre Strong, who led off some team drills last week. In the passing game, Harris secured both catchable targets.
A day after punting to a draw with veteran Corliss Waitman, Baringer pulled ahead in their position competition with a stellar practice. He bombed every single punt, including some that covered more than 45 yards and reportedly cleared over five seconds of hang time. Baringer’s leg strength is rare.
Roberts jumped offside in team drills and got moved during a couple runs late in practice. Roberts, who made the team last season as a sixth-round rookie, projects to be on the bubble this summer.
Hurd, a 2019 third-round pick who has yet to take an NFL snap, dropped one pass and couldn’t reel in his other target. He deserves more time to harness the talent that once made him a Day 2 pick, but time is ticking.
