FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – It was a full day at Gillette Stadium as the New England Patriots got things moving after a weekend break. The team extended tight end Hunter Henry for two more years and released offensive lineman Caedan Wallace.
And afterwards, they took the field for an action-packed practice, preparing for joint practices and the first preseason game.
Here are the takeaways from Day 13 of training camp:
1. Will Campbell returns to full participation
Will Campbell was limited at the end of last week throughout practice and ultimately missed Friday's session. In his absence, it was Marcus Bryant who served as the left tackle with the starters. But after having the weekend to rest, Campbell was back out and ready to go, serving as a full participant.
So with that, Bryant dropped to the second
unit, but he swapped with Caleb Lomu, going on the right side while the rookie returned to the left, which is where he played in college. They both rotated in at times with the starters as well, filling in for Morgan Moses during some reps of the team periods.
2. Defensive depth chart gets tested
With a few key defensive starters sidelined or limited, it provided an opportunity for others and gave a closer look at how the depth chart is shaping up. On the defensive line, Christian Barmore being out allowed Joshua Farmer to step in and play alongside Milton Williams and Cory Durden. Then, at the cornerback position, Carlton Davis being limited and Charles Woods being absent meant that Kindle Vildor played opposite Gonzalez with the starters and had two pass breakups while covering A.J. Brown. Last week, it was clear rookies Karon Prunty and Channing Canada had also moved up the chart, rotating in as the top backups.
3. Romeo Doubs provides play of the day
Drake Maye is proving that he can spread the ball around, having numerous talented targets. And on Monday, it was his connection with Romeo Doubs that truly shined. The receiver led with four receptions, all of which were thrown by Maye, but he recorded his biggest and most impressive catch of camp during the final two-minute drill.
With just over a minute remaining on the clock, head coach Mike Vrabel set it up so the offense needed a touchdown to win. And with that, both Maye and DeVito had successful drives. But on Maye's, the offense had a third down on the two-yard line. The star quarterback looked towards the back corner of the end zone, throwing the ball to Doubs, who was tightly covered by Christian Gonzalez. Doubs jumped up and snagged the ball before Gonzalez could stop him for the touchdown.
4. Situational team period to end practice
The Patriots ended practice with a few situational drills, including a one-minute drill. Here's how Drake Maye did:
- Incomplete to Romeo Doubs (Kindle Vildor PBU)
- Incomplete to Kayshon Boutte (Christian Gonzalez PBU)
- Complete to Hunter Henry on a checkdown
- Complete to Rhamondre Stevenson on a checkdown
- Complete to Eli Raridon
- Incomplete to A.J. Brown with Gonzalez in coverage
- Complete to Kayshon Boutte
- 3-yard TD to Romeo Doubs
5. Quarterback stats
Drake Maye: 11-of-17 in 11s, 5-of-7 in 7s
Tommy DeVito: 8-of-13 in 11s, 6-of-7 in 7s
Behren Morton: 4-of-7 in 11s
6. Attendance
Absent: DL Christian Barmore, CB Charles Woods, WR Kyle Dixon, LS Julian Ashby
Limited: CB Carlton Davis
Returning: WR Cameron Dorner, FB Reggie Gilliam
PUP/NFI: ED Harold Landry III, S Brenden Schooler
Last week, head coach Mike Vrabel said it wasn't likely Davis would return to the field until the end of the week. Still, the veteran cornerback made an appearance for the first time since suffering an injury on July 28, participating in a limited capacity.
Christian Barmore and Charles Woods were also missing, while Kyle Dixon was a new absence after he appeared to sustain an injury during Friday's scrimmage. Long snapper Julian Ashby was also absent, with reports saying he is dealing with an ankle injury. In the meantime, the team has signed Niko Lalos to fill his spot.
7. Other notes
- Efton Chism was Tommy DeVito's favorite target on Monday, cycling in with both the first-team and second-team offense. He led the team with eight catches. Similar to Doubs, he had a highlight-reel touchdown catch during the two-minute drill, jumping up and twisting around to snag the ball with cornerback Marcellas Dial in tight coverage.
- TE/FB Jack Westover got involved in the offense with four catches
- Caleb Lomu went 3-0 during 1-on-1 drills, beating Gabe Jacas, Quintayvious Hutchins and Jesse Luketa.
- Christian Gonzalez had impressive pass breakups against Kayshon Boutte and A.J. Brown
- DL Casey Rogers batted down two passes during the 11-on-11 periods
What's next?
The Patriots will be back out on the practice field on Tuesday, but they won't be alone. They will face off against the Indianapolis Colts for one joint practice session that is slated to begin at 10:15 a.m. ET. Mike Vrabel will speak before at 9:30 a.m. ET.
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This article originally appeared on Patriots Wire: 7 takeaways from Day 13 of Patriots training camp
