Letters from Patriots Camp 2022: Volume 5

--Today was the first day of intersquad practices with the Panthers, leading up to Friday night's fauxball game. And if it was any indication (it was), the coaching staffs are in for a long rest of the week of trying to keep order. Maybe I shouldn't focus on negative, anti-social behavior, since plenty of people played nice with others. But I'd be burying the lede not to talk about the multiple brawls that ensued. The middle part of practice looked like a Chiefs game. Specifically, a Charleston Chiefs game. More specifically, the one against Syracuse after they added Ogie Oglethorpe, Poodle Lassiter and Screaming Eagle Swamptown. 

--With 11-on-11s happening on both fields, the one sideline with Carolina's defense was industrial strength fired up. I'll get into the reason in a minute. Kristian Wilkerson caught an out route by the boundary that carried his momentum into what would be the bench area, if they had a bench. But this is not Pussy Camp. Anyway, Wilkerson was dragged to the ground and it was Hanson Brothers time. Both teams on that field formed a bigass scrum, and it took a full minute or two to broker a shaky peace agreement. Wilkerson, Kendrick Bourne and Carolina's Kenny Robinson were sent to the showers. And because the Patriots policy is that they'd prefer credentialed media not report on who said in practice, forget I ever mentioned Fuck-bombs that were shouted across the field. Even that Model U.N. couldn't keep the ceasefire in place more than a couple of reps before hostilities resumed. The difference this time, everyone from the other field raced over, and entire rosters joined in like two storm systems colliding on a weather map. Suffice to say Bill Belichick looked pissed, in that way your parents look when you start a fight with your weird cousins they invited over for a holiday. It'll be awkward to say the least the rest of this week. Though I'd be lying if I said I'm not hoping for more bad blood, because fists of fury flying around in practice beat the bag out of watching no-contact kickoff returns. 

--The reason for all the enthusiasm from the Carolina defensive sideline would probably have a lot to do with a string of passes defended they put in against the Patriots entire receiving corps. With one exception, that I will also get to. (Foreshadowing is my literary device.) Tre Nixon, Devante Parker, Bourne, Wilkerson and Jonnu Smith all took turns being victimized. Smith on one he seemed to have control of until his momentum took him into a Panthers defender with minimal force, and the ball popped loose, like it did so many times last year. Another deep ball intended for Nelson Agholor was off target, and with each successive incompletion, the Panthers went nuts. Which is fine, if that's your style. But by contrast, the Patriots tend to keep it on an even keel until the "competitive drills" at the end of practice, where it's a full on competition between the two sides of the ball, with something on the line. So the effect is, Carolina is like a bunch of lion cubs wrestling around in the old lions face, while he looks out over the savanna ignoring them and thinking about when he's going to feed. It'll be interesting to see if that dynamic keeps up.

--The Pats receiver who didn't get a case of the moderate-to-severe drops? Tyquan Thornton. I don't want to anoint him just yet, but from what I - and everyone else I talk to - have seen in practice and the one preseason game is that he looks like he belongs. That he's not just a 180 pound tracklete who folds up at first contact. In fact, the best part of his game so far seems to be his short area quickness, that all important quality of getting off the line and into his breaks and giving his QB a target to hit. And his best trait isn't his feet, it's his hands. Everything is a hand-catch. No double-clutching. No having to cradle the ball in his armpit in order to hold on. He's snatching balls with his arms fully extended, either out away from or behind defenders. And he makes quick adjustments when the pass is off target.  I don't think he'll play anything other than a situational role in spread packages (they'll be a two tight end offense) early in the season. But he doesn't look all that far removed from being a full time, 45+ reps wideout. I'd appreciate it if no one would go back to anything I wrote in 2019, in case I was saying the same things about N'Keal Harry. Please leave my cold takes in the ground, resting in peace. Thank you. 

--As far as other pass catchers, Hunter Henry left early and took zero reps. Smith was active in the full squad workouts, with a lot of motions and caught a few checkdowns. Devante Parker continues to look like the WR1 on this team, going high at one point to snag a Mac Jones 30-yarder in a zone between three defenders. And it's looking very much like Ty Montgomery is stepping into the Kevin Faulk/Shane Vereen/James White 3rd down back role. I'm not ruling out rookie Pierre Strong or JJ Taylor for that either. But history tells you they always prefer to groom a guy for that role for at least a season, if not more. And because it's crucial for that passing down RB to prove he can be trusted in blitz pickup. Until further notice, those ties are going to go to the runner with seven seasons and north of 1,100 passing downs in his career.

--Overall, Jones had a very good day. Most of the people who keep track of such things had him with about 30 attempts and give-or-take 20 completions, in 11-on-11s. Including the aforementioned deep ball to Parker and another to Jakobi Meyers. He threw one pick, but that was when both sides were switching off running the two minute drill, he had one play left on his abstract clock, got pressured, and heaved up a prayer because ... situation. Maybe my favorite moment of his though, was him sliding away from a middle blitz by LB Brian Burns and getting the ball out to a quick slant. Afterwards he turned around and laughed it up with Burns, patting him on the shoulder like was acknowledging he would've been street pizza on a pressure like that in a real game. I don't know why that struck me, other than it's sort of a veteran move. We tend to forget Jones is still just 23. 

--Defensively, there was a fairly good sense of how the depth chart is shaking out. More so than you got in the Giants game, anyway. After that one, I'd assumed part of the reason they rolled out the bottom of the roster for all four quarters was because teams are realizing they get more in terms of installation, evaluation, and anything else that ends in "-ation" (The Rule of 3 requires that last one) during joint practices that fake games. A point Belichick pretty much conceded in his Monday presser. And with that, it looks as though Mack Wilson and Ju'Whaun Bentley are your starting inside linebackers, with Raekwon McMillan and Ronnie Perkins subbing in. The job opposite Matthew Judon on the outside will be shared between Josh Uche and Deatrich Wise Jr., with Anfernee Jennings backing up both sides. Rookie Marcus Jones sat out the Giants game, but took significant snaps with both the 1s and 2s today, primarily at slot corner. Jonathan Jones, Jalen Mills and probably Myles Bryant are you starting corners. With Kyle Dugger and Adrian Phillips alongside Devin McCourty at the strong safety/Robber spot, with Jabrill Peppers behind them. And Christian Barmore, Lawrence Guy and Davon Godchaux are in a rotation at tackle, with UDFA LaBryan Ray backing them up. 

--A few of the standout plays from the bench included two pressures from Wise, one where he had the QB dead to rights on an outside blitz, but respected the red jersey, and another where he got the fictional "sack." And Ray deflected a pass in the red zone that was intercepted at the goal line by a diving Peppers. 

--Overall, the Patriots had the edge in this one, particularly in those two-minute portions. With the exception of a connection to Christian McCaffery with Bentley in coverage - which will happen every time Bentley is in coverage on Christian McCaffery - the Pats "won" each portion, with both the starters and depth guys. Whereas the fights were draws on all three judges cards. Fortunately, they have the rest of the week for rematches.