Patriots Training Camp - Monday August 1st

[jimnance]

What really stood out here was Reiss saying Thornton wasn't just impressing with his straightline speed but also with his ball skills and his ability to change direction! That is huge. So many pure speed guys are one-dimensional and therefore not all that useful. But if you've got a speed guy who can also stop on a dime and change direction- then you really got something. Opens up the whole route tree. A guy like that is a weapon.

 

[SlowGettingUp]

Was it sloppiness, etc, that can only be offensive failures? Or was the defense just winning their battles (which is more ambiguous)?

According to Bedard, some amount of sloppiness, some amount of defense knowing what was coming, some amount of new scheme, and some defensive players simply beating the O-line - Strange had some tough reps. They were better with their more traditional run scheme.

 

[Hyped]

Knowing the name of the plays is not important to other teams? Ok

Yup. Peyton Manning said as much during the Spygate saga. Terminology and audibles can change from week to week.

Also, haven't you considered the possibility that Joe Judge is intentionally doing this?

 

[jimnance]

he already had enough speed at 240 imo. He was easily our most athletic LB last season and did not play ILB or in coverage much. Maybe he will get there but i doubt it at this point. He did not make the jump i expected tbh

Reports are that he is noticeably quicker/faster and just feels better at that weight. For what they want him to do 230
is better than 240. It's way too early to know what he's going to be. We'll have a much better idea by September.
Speedrushing and pass coverage is what I think they want from him. Would be a huge boost to the D if he can finally produce. Judon needs help

 

[Hyped]

I think he is on the block.

If he has a great camp they may keep him.

If he has a so-so camp he's gone.

Not to mention the cap relief if we could trade him.

 

[SlowGettingUp]

According to Bedard, some amount of sloppiness, some amount of defense knowing what was coming, some amount of new scheme, and some defensive players simply beating the O-line - Strange had some tough reps. They were better with their more traditional run scheme.

More detail from another commentator here:

Patriots training camp Day 6: New offense stalls, Malcolm Butler rides coverage roller coaster

The Patriots practiced in pads for the first time Monday. Here’s everything that happened.

www.bostonherald.com

 

[RobertWeathers]

What really stood out here was Reiss saying Thornton wasn't just impressing with his straightline speed but also with his ball skills and his ability to change direction! That is huge. So many pure speed guys are one-dimensional and therefore not all that useful. But if you've got a speed guy who can also stop on a dime and change direction- then you really got something. Opens up the whole route tree. A guy like that is a weapon.

Very interesting - and encouraging, observations.

I take Reiss's commentary pretty seriously as hes been covering football and this team for a very long time.

 

[Boston Boxer]

Yup. Peyton Manning said as much during the Spygate saga. Terminology and audibles can change from week to week.

Also, haven't you considered the possibility that Joe Judge is intentionally doing this?

it didn't look like a play sheet but more of the days schedule. I think it is a non issue

 

[RobertWeathers]

Not to mention the cap relief if we could trade him.

Even if they eat some of it (50%) they'll save $5m.

 

[Zuma]

it didn't look like a play sheet but more of the days schedule. I think it is a non issue

Ahhh...that's good to know. Thanks !

 

[SHOWTIME15]

I wish people would stop posting tweets from Bedard. This is the same guy who said Gronk was not going to be any good coming out of U of Arizona...

 

[jimnance]

Very interesting - and encouraging, observations.

I take Reiss's commentary pretty seriously as hes been covering football and this team for a very long time.

I don't usually get carried away with anything I see/hear in preseason. I'm a regular season guy. Show me when it counts.
But I gotta admit this was the single most exciting thing I've read from tc. I knew Thornton had speed,good hands and jump ball ability. I did NOT know he could change direction with any skill/quickness.
His intelligence and work ethic are also reportedly plus. Excited to see just how much more progress he makes.
I wasn't expecting a huge contribution from him this season. I am now readjusting my outlook.

 

[BaconGrundleCandy]

I don't usually get carried away with anything I see/hear in preseason. I'm a regular season guy. Show me when it counts.
But I gotta admit this was the single most exciting thing I've read from tc. I knew Thornton had speed,good hands and jump ball ability. I did NOT know he could change direction with any skill/quickness.
His intelligence and work ethic are also reportedly plus. Excited to see just how much more progress he makes.
I wasn't expecting a huge contribution from him this season. I am now readjusting my outlook.

My biggest questions with him are route running/making everything look through same, being able to contribute on all areas of the field. Going against bigger stronger CB outside by himself. And going from Baylor to NEP offense.

I like his movements though. We'll see what happens but this is from draft night.

Multi sport athlete in HS. Track background, legit burner that can fly. From Florida

Big time speed with different gears. Different type of speed that makes DB think. Most impressive attribute I noticed here was his body control and balance. He can shift, turn and move without losing any mph. Big time blazer. Not the quickest it takes a second to hit top gear but he's got legit high 4.2, low 4.3 speed.

No problems getting out his breaks but he has to get stronger he's tiny. Plus stop & start ability though. Fluid athlete with good COD. Again plus balance and body control.

Fiesty, tough blocker, plus stalk blocker. Very good tracking ability, remains calm and poised throughout this phase and can make a play in a the air now & then but again he's smaller at 180.

Good hands but could get stronger at catch point. They're small so he has to get stronger there. You can see it effect deep shots in close quarters at times.

Underutilized on offense and could be a deep threat from the slot as well as on in-breaking routes. Used primarily as a vertical threat. He could definitely handle more on his plate. Natural ST/gunner, day one. Good spacial and field awareness, he's alert and ready all times.

He has to add more details in his route running though. Head/body fakes, working off leverage, changing up his tempo, stacking defenders. Route running needs some work for sure. Wasn't exposed to a full tree and might not at this level bc of his size. He absolutely knows what to do, natural separation but he has to make the routes his own. A lot of this comes with experience.

I had a high 4th on him. Again surprised where we took not necessarily the prospect.

 

[RobertWeathers]

I don't usually get carried away with anything I see/hear in preseason. I'm a regular season guy. Show me when it counts.
But I gotta admit this was the single most exciting thing I've read from tc. I knew Thornton had speed,good hands and jump ball ability. I did NOT know he could change direction with any skill/quickness.
His intelligence and work ethic are also reportedly plus. Excited to see just how much more progress he makes.
I wasn't expecting a huge contribution from him this season. I am now readjusting my outlook.

Agree. With vets such as Jakobi, Nelson, Kendrick and Parker he might be relegated to WR5 as they have more experience and they typically don't see a lot of snaps.

I'm still slotting him as a minor contributor with 15-20 catches, an a couple of TDs.

Him sitting behind veteran WRs in 2022 isn't a bad thing.

If he breaks though and plays quite a bit, we could be on to something special with the kid ala Deion Branch in 02

 

[Sam Bam Cunningham]

it didn't look like a play sheet but more of the days schedule. I think it is a non issue

Huge nothing-burger. Haters looking for any excuse to put Judge or Patricia down.
They are both good coaches.

 

[Zuma]

What really stood out here was Reiss saying Thornton wasn't just impressing with his straightline speed but also with his ball skills and his ability to change direction! That is huge. So many pure speed guys are one-dimensional and therefore not all that useful. But if you've got a speed guy who can also stop on a dime and change direction- then you really got something. Opens up the whole route tree. A guy like that is a weapon.

I agree and Reiss is no slouch at evaluating. Changing direction quickly is huge.

 

[Hammer of Thor]

I agree and Reiss is no slouch at evaluating. Changing direction quickly is huge.

Just hitting the breaks a bit here — those were not Reiss‘s observations, but rather what Ross Douglas (one of the WR coaches) relayed to him. Douglas was saying that they were impressed with his ball skills and change of direction skills. Douglas didn’t have to say that, of course, but I’m hoping this reflects the truth rather than the coaches pumping a guy up to the media.

 

[borg]

Jerry Thornton mentioned this today. Has this been discussed?

"The offensive line looks to be set, with Isaiah Wynn and Trent Brown switching sides, Wynn to the right and Brown now on the left.'

Letters from Patriots Camp 2022: Volume 3

--It's not often that I go to three Patriots practices before camp is even a week old. But today, with the team in CBA-allowable full pads for the first time, it felt like a dereliction of duty to not...

www.barstoolsports.com

 

[Zuma]

Just hitting the breaks a bit here — those were not Reiss‘s observations, but rather what Ross Douglas (one of the WR coaches) relayed to him. Douglas was saying that they were impressed with his ball skills and change of direction skills. Douglas didn’t have to say that, of course, but I’m hoping this reflects the truth rather than the coaches pumping a guy up to the media.

Ahhh ...OK. Thanks for the info I think we will know a lot more during pre-season.

 

[Wozzy]

To nobody in particular...

Strange, Dejarlais and Russey had their welcome to the NFL moment facing Barmore in one on one drills.

1/1 drills between lineman is always a disadvantage for O-Linemen, they have no help on either side of them like they usually would. Team's practice this because it's hard, because it improves linemen. Practice is for working on weaknesses...

Barmore is a load for anyone and everyone.

It's impressive pads are on and Thornton is still making plays, that was a big concern with his slight frame.

Marcus Jones is making PBU's in the middle of the field, the kid is lightning quick and checks that "add speed" box they needed filled.

Mills and Mitchell look like the solid technician CB's they are. Malcolm Butler is fighting, the guy has heart, we'll see if it's enough.

Ty Montgomery should take Brandon Bolden's spot as that 5th RB who everyone discounts as a special teamer but who is extremely talented and does everything well.

I'm glad Zappe is getting these reps, overload that kid and see if he can take it, like they did with Mac.

Can't get too high or low about individual practices, one needs to look at the complete body of preseason work... it's way too early for definitive statements.