Friday Patriots Notebook 7/19: News and Notes
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Some Patriots news and notes for this morning:
As we inch closer to the start of training camp, today represents a notable milestone as this year’s class of New England Patriots rookies reports to Gillette Stadium ahead of training camp. Here are some quick thoughts on this year’s group of first-year draft choices as things get set to kick off:
Drake Maye, QB – In what was still off time for players, Maye and his teammates didn’t exactly take much time off. The rookie has spent the last couple of weeks continuing to put in the work alongside veteran Jacoby Brissett, with the two holding throwing sessions with the majority of pass-catchers on offense. Maye made significant strides during the spring, putting in the work to improve his fundamentals, and many reports indicate the Patriots coaches have been pleased with his progress. Now the hope is he’ll continue building on that momentum during training camp. The big question with Maye will be at what point he finds his way into the starting line-up, with these next few weeks starting the process as he begins establishing himself here in the NFL.
Ja’Lynn Polk, WR – Polk has done all the right things and impressed throughout the spring, with the former Washington wideout putting together some solid performances during minicamp and OTAs. Polk is a big, physical receiver who was a key piece of the Huskies offense alongside teammate Rome Odunze, which saw him have plenty of success during his collegiate career. Now the question is going to be whether or not he can take his game to the next level, and whether or not he’ll help end the streak of highly drafted guys the Patriots have taken a shot at who haven’t panned out. Polk’s development is key, as teams who have drafted well there have been the most successful in recent years, and New England absolutely needs him to thrive with Maye in their new offense.
Caedan Wallace, OT – Wallace has garnered a lot of discussion when it comes to the Patriots’ situation at left tackle, but it remains to be seen if he’ll end up there. Wallace ended up back at his natural position of right tackle by the end of spring practices, which while some are upset, it feels like the former Penn State standout might be on the path to start on the right side heading into the season. That allows Mike Onwenu, who has been solid for years at right guard before having to step in at right tackle last season, to go back to his own natural position. If Wallace can start and play well, it would absolutely be a win for 2024.
Layden Robinson, G – Robinson is expected to remain at guard and he’s another player who had a good spring. Questions still remain on Cole Strange, who is recovering from knee surgery and isn’t expected to be ready for the start of the regular season. Robinson saw some time at guard and by the time camp ended, it was Sidy Sow who ended up at left guard in place of Strange. Robinson is a solid player and should be ready to step in at some point, so it should be interesting to see how he fares and whether or not his addition ultimately ends up leaving someone else on the outside looking in.
Javon Baker, WR – Baker got off to a good start this spring and the cocky wideout had some good moments. He’s an explosive player who caught the eyes of many media members who were on hand, with the rookie setting the stage for what should be a fun few weeks. Alongside Polk, Baker is expected to be part of a young nucleus to grow around Maye. The question is going to be how he performs when the pads come on and whether or not he can build off of that success heading into the season. He’s a fiery player with plenty of confidence, and it should be interesting to watch him competing out there next week.
Marcellas Dial Jr., DB – Dial had a reputation of being a sticky player, and his frame and style of play certainly made him an interesting selection. For a secondary that needs additional depth at cornerback, it’s going to be interesting to see Dial out there competing, as well as how he ultimately ends up fitting into this defense. For a player who was the only defensive player selected by the club in the 2024 Patriots Draft class this offseason, the spotlight will certainly be on him in the coming weeks.
Joe Milton III, QB – Milton saw his workload get scaled back in the spring, but his physical talents definitely make him an intriguing prospect. The question is simply going to be how well he picks up and executes the offense, and whether or not he can do enough over the next month to give the team enough confidence to conserve a roster spot for him. The feeling among several analysts seems to be that if the Patriots don’t want him, someone else might choose to claim and develop him, and that could complicate things depending on how this next month goes for him.
Jaheim Bell, TE – Bell remains a player who should be fun to watch. He was a player who did a fair amount for the Seminoles during his tenure at Florida State, and what’s interesting about Bell is the fact he’s a sure-handed receiver who was a perfect 8-of-8 catching the football on third down last season. That was an area the Patriots were deficient at last season, and they certainly need players who can make plays in key moments. Bell had a solid spring, and is a player who generated plenty of buzz in what limited action he’s already seen thus far. He may become this season’s late-round gem for the Patriots, making him a player who could provide a reliable target for Maye and possibly even a player they can move around and end up with a surprising amount of production from.
Other rookies set to compete in the coming days are:
DEFENSE:
Steele Chambers, LB
Jontrey Hunter, LB
John Morgan III, DE
Jotham Russell, DE
Dell Pettus, S
Mikey Victor, CB
Kaleb Ford-Dement, CB
NOTES: Not much noise was made on these guys during the spring, which makes sense given that they weren’t in pads and couldn’t do much hitting. Victor’s name was one that came up a couple of times, so it should be interesting to see how he performs out there with his peers when the pads come on.
OFFENSE:
JaQuae Jackson WR
David Wallis, WR
Jacob Warren, TE
Deshaun Fenwick, RB
Terrell Jennings, RB
Charles Turner III, C
Zuri Henry, OT
NOTES: Fenwick’s name was one that was mentioned a fair amount, with the rookie expected to possibly make a case for himself on the Patriots running back depth chart. Veteran Antonio Gibson is the player who many believe should compliment Rhamondre Stevenson, while JaMycal Hasty is reportedly another name who impressed during the spring. Whether or not Fenwick can break into this group remains to be seen, but it will definitely be something to keep an eye on.
Former Patriots wide receiver Danny Amendola was obviously a key player during the club’s late-era Super Bowl runs, and it sounds like he’s being honored back at his alma mater. The former wideout posted on Instagram that he’s being inducted into the Texas Tech Hall of Fame this week, which is certainly well-deserved. “The fearless attitude of the Red Raider family has been lit inside my bones since the second I walked on campus,” wrote Amendola. “It taught me that the only thing coming to the rescue is the chip we place firmly on our shoulders. Such an honor to be inducted in the Texas Tech Hall of Fame. Forever grateful. Forever a Red Raider. GUNS UP.” Amendola wore #20 during his tenure in college, finishing his collegiate career with 2,246 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns over his four seasons, including his senior year where he caught 109 passes for 1,245 yards and six touchdowns. … The Patriots posted a “first-day” compilation of photos showing the rookies holding a small chalkboard as they arrived at the stadium. These are always kind of fun and given the significance of this season, it will be cool to look back at these in a few years, depending on how Maye and his fellow first-year players develop. … Stephon Gilmore remains a player without a team heading into training camp, which is something he’s confident will change at some point. “There are still some good corners and safeties out there like Justin Simmons and myself that are still not signed. Honestly, I’m still being patient and staying ready until teams see what they have in training camp; but you mean to tell me among 32 teams that there are 64 starting corners that are better than me? I don’t think that. Gilmore told Josina Anderson. “If teams want to win, I think they should sign the best players. I know I’m still a starter in this league. I started games last year, but the season doesn’t start until September, we got a while.” … Mike Masala of the Sporting News had a good bit from Mike Vrabel, capturing a fun story from a recent appearance by Vrabel on Pardon My Take. Vrabel recounted a story that more or less summed up what Harrison brought to the table with his new team. “So, Bill comes up with this idea that he’s going to sign Rodney Harrison after the Chargers let him go,” Vrabel said. “He comes in, and it’s like the first day of pads. Kevin Faulk runs one of his option routes, and I try to cover him and Tedy [Bruschi] tries to cover him, and we can’t cover him. So, he catches it, and he turns up, and Rodney comes and knocks the [expletive] out of him. And, everybody [went wild], and this is when we had like 8,000 fans. It wasn’t a cheap shot, and Faulk gets up and kinda throws the ball, and Rodney’s like ‘[expletive] you.’ And, then, Dante Scarnecchia, little Scar, he’s like ‘Take care of your teammate. You can’t do that.’ Rodney goes, ‘[Expletive] you too.’ And, me and Tedy looked at each other like, ‘I think we got a dude right here.”‘
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If in 2-3 seasons, Maye becomes a top 10 caliber QB, this draft will be a huge success. He’s got the build to hold up in the NFL for 10+ years. QB is the hardest position to fill. It’s why the Jets and many teams go decades without a good QB. I had heard most GMs hope for 2 starters out of their draft, and 3 starters is an exceptional draft. Plus a few special teamers and or backups. A lot of them won’t be in the NFL in 3 years. The draft is indeed the way to build, however,… Read more »