Here are observations from Day 1:
– Wide receiver Kenbrell Thompkins continued his strong offseason with a number of receptions from quarterback Tom Brady. Thompkins laid out for a diving catch in the end zone, though it appeared he was unable to stay in bounds.
– Receiver Brandon LaFell, on the other hand, struggled with drops, which for fans of the Carolina Panthers is a familiar phrase. Head coach Bill Belichick stressed during his pre-practice news conference not to judge a player based on one practice, however, so LaFell still can improve.
– Brady went 4-for-9 passing in 7-on-7s and 12-for-16 passing in 11-on-11s. Quarterback Ryan Mallett went 4-for-7 with a drop in 7-on-7s and 1-for-6 in 11-on-11s with a drop. Rookie signal-caller Jimmy Garoppolo went 2-for-5 with a drop and an interception in 7-on-7s and 3-for-5 in 11-on-11s. Mallett had a sleeve on his left knee.
– Brady worked with wide receivers Thompkins, Julian Edelman and Danny Amendola and tight end Rob Gronkowski on end-zone fades and goal-line passes during individual drills. Edelman continues to look strong.
– Brandon Browner swatted a Brady pass intended for Edelman. Dont’a Hightower, Patrick Chung and Malcolm Butler also made impressive plays in pass coverage.
– It appears position battles aren’t settled in the secondary or along the offensive line, which is to be expected this early in camp.
Read more at:
http://nesn.com/2014/07/patriots-tr...-kenbrell-thompkins-brandon-lafell-stand-out/