MORSE: Patriots News and Notes from Training Camp
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Once the pads came on the Offensive line was winning the majority of one-on-0ne battles with the Defensive line. No surprise that Mike Onwenu is dominating. Evan Lazar has him at 11-0-1 in his matchups. Sidy Sow and Jayden Robinson are also showing well. In Friday’s practice they reduced the number of sacks to just two. However, earlier in the week, Phill Perry pointed out they gave up 7 sacks in 22 plays. Drake Maye had problems with down and distance plays. I don’t know where the problem lies. Is it the O-line just missing assignments, running backs missing the free blitzer, the QB not recognizing the blitz or the receivers not making the adjustment and adjusting their route to be a safety valve for the QB.
Don’t forget that Maye has only two years of College Football under his belt and lost a year of High School football to COVID. He also played in the ACC conference, which is the least competitive of the Power 5 conferences in College Football. Maye is just 21 years old. Compare that to Joe Milton who is 24 and played 5 years in the SEC. Reports from camp state that Maye still has that hitch in his throwing motion and his footwork isn’t where it should be. He needs to sit behind Jacoby Brissett and learn.
Peters is highly regarded even though he has never been a lead Offensive Line coach before this year. He coached the Offensive Line in the 2022 East/West Shrine game and has just 4 years’ experience in the NFL and is now the lead O line coach.
Peters utilizes what he calls the “Strike System”, form of blocking. “He’s very technical,” David Andrews said prior to training camp. “I think that’s something that’s been really impressive to me.” “He’s big about technique,” Chuks Okorafor said back in the spring. “I’ve had some coaches in the past whether it’s college or NFL, it’s just run and hit kind of deal. But he’s technique, hands, feet, everything.” according to Brian Hines from SB Nation
This is something to watch in the future if Scott Peters is still here as the OL coach. Caeden Wallace has size 10 ¾” hands and Layden Robinson has size 10 ½” hands. Wallace played in the East West Shrine game as a Tackle and Robinson was in the Senior Bowl. The hand size may come in handy with Peters combat style Strike System.
Just his presence on the field makes things different. Douglas started practice on Friday as a full participant and then donned the Red No Contact jersey. He was uncoverable. His TD in the Red Zone was a thing of beauty as he shook the DB at the line of scrimmage and then easily walked into the endzone. He stemmed the DB, knocking him off his coverage and then cut inside leaving the DB in his wake.
Rookies Javon Baker and Ja’Lynn Polk are having excellent camps.
Tyquan Thornton is turning heads at camp. Not only is he making plays, but it is who he is making them against. He caught two TDs Friday, and both were against Christian Gonzalez. Gonzalez has disappointed in camp so far and this is something to watch going into the Pre-Season games and Joint Practice.
Both Jacoby Brissett and Drake Maye completed over 75% of their passes on what was the best day of camp for the QBs. They were concentrating with no huddle, 2-minute offense and Red Zone work. Joe Milton only had a few throws and Bailey Zappe had none.
After 8 days of camp the little knocks are adding up. Jabrill Peppers, Marcus Jones and Joshuah Bledsoe were non-participants. The players on PUP still remain out (Strange, Bourne, Takitaki and Jake Andrews).
Andrews had an excused absence from two practices for personal reasons. The QBs really missed him. Nick Leverett filled in as the #1 Center and Atonio Mafi was the #2. Mafi was just flat out brutal. In his defense, he has little experience playing on the O-line has been at Offensive Guard. He is not a Center and can’t shotgun snap. Part of Drake Maye’s issues earlier this week were related to the poor play of Mafi.
Davon Godchaux signed a two-year contract extension. The Patriots had to do this because they have no other player that plays the Nose Tackle position. They lost Christian Barmore for an undetermined amount of time, that will probably the entire season. I am sure this signing ticked off Matt Judon as he is seeking a new contract. To Judon’s credit, he did show up for his 1st padded practice on Friday and was a full participant. That is the first for him since he held out of practices last season until he got his contract reworked. That doesn’t clear up the fact that he showed up 1st year head coach Jerod Mayo on Tuesday with his antics of coming on the field in street clothes and having a long, animated discussion with Mayo and then getting in a shouting match with Eliot Wolf before leaving the field.
Doug Kyed reported the Patriots were about to sign OT Kellen Diesch and waived UDFA Running back DeShaun Fenwick. The 6’7 1/8″ 302 lb Tackle, ran an impressive 4.89 40 at his Pro Day.
Diesch, 26, was an undrafted free agent with the Dolphins in 2022. He’s also been a member of the Bears and Steelers practice squads. In 2024, he was claimed off waivers by the Browns but was cut two days later due to a failed physical.
He played at Texas A&M and Arizona State in college and was named second-team All-Pac-12 Conference in 2020 and 2021.
The Patriots also added veteran DT Mike Purcell. The 33-year-old 9-year veteran stands 6’3” 305Lbs. In the last 5 years with Denver, he played in 16 games and started 10. The Wyoming grad had 23 tackles last year but is not much of a threat in the pass rush as he had only 3.5 for his career. Purcell played as an undersized Nose Tackle for Denver. The Patriots don’t have a backup Nose Tackle behind Godchaux.
Another addition to the Defensive Line is Josiah Bronson. Bronson is 27 and has 4 years’ experience. He stands 6’3″ and weighs 298 lbs.
Bronson has played 8 games in his career, with no starts. He has recorded 12 combined tackles, 1 tackle for loss, and 1 quarterback hit. Previously he played for the Cleveland Browns, New Orleans Saints, and Miami Dolphins.
AJ Thomas S from Western Michigan was an UDFA with Chicago in 2023 and signed with the 2024 UFL Champion Birmingham Stallions. He made the All UFL team and led the UFL in Interceptions. A tall DB, he stands 6’2″ 214 lbs and ran a 4.55 40-yard dash. The corresponding move was to release OT Tyrone Wheatley. The Patriots traded RB Pierre Strong to Cleveland in a desperation move to try and shore up the OT position. Wheatley is a complete bust having never played a minute in the NFL and played very little in college.
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Filling in for Baremore: I beleive Mike Purcell (Nose tackle) is actually 328lbs. The 305 was listed in a few spots on the internet, but so was the 328lbs. The eyeball test in terms of looking at Purcells highlights and his stature realtive to other lineman has Purcell at 328. That matters. His stats and comments from prior teams have him as a guy that will not penetrate and get in the backfield and will be an anchor at the line of scrimmage. But hey, that’s important and will help this year as the pats were thin at DT’s with… Read more »