We start where we left off last week.\u00a0 The 1st joint practice was extensively covered.<\/p>\n
8\/17 Joint Practice or should I say Round 2<\/strong><\/p>\n Tuesday Practice<\/p>\n Next play Wilkerson is hit out of bounds.\u00a0 Panthers coach shoves Wilkerson who turns and says something.\u00a0 Wilkerson gets jumped by several Panthers players.\u00a0 Patriots come to the aid of their teammate. Wilkerson, Bourne was thrown out.\u00a0 Only Kenny Robinson of Panthers was thrown out.<\/p>\n Wednesday Practice<\/strong><\/p>\n Kick-off \/ Return teams agree to run at \u00be speed.\u00a0 Kenny Robinson decides to run it full speed and knocks Kristian Wilkerson unconscious.\u00a0 He stands over the injured Wilkerson and taunts him. Patriots have words but it doesn\u2019t escalate.\u00a0 The next play is a sweep by McCaffrey towards the Patriots sideline.\u00a0 Deatrich Wise tackles McCaffrey near the sideline.\u00a0 McCaffrey takes exception and throws the ball at Wise which precipitates the brawl.\u00a0 Wise is surrounded by 5 Panthers players and driven back into the stands where a woman spectator is hit with a helmet.\u00a0 Where were Wise\u2019s teammates?\u00a0 They were trying not to escalate the situation.<\/p>\n I am not buying that it was an undisciplined reaction by the Patriots.\u00a0 They were standing up for their teammate.\u00a0 That\u2019s a good thing.\u00a0 The Panthers are garbage and their cheap-shot ways are going to make them the most penalized team in the league.<\/p>\n Mid-Training Camp 53 Man Roster Projection Update (really 56-man roster)<\/strong><\/p>\n I like the theory put forth by Greg Bedard of the 56-man roster.\u00a0 Three veterans will be cut, and since they do not have to pass through waivers, will hang around Foxboro to be signed back to the roster or the Practice Squad.\u00a0 The Patriots did this last year with Nick Folk and Brian Hoyer.<\/p>\n OFFENSE <\/strong>(25)<\/p>\n Quaterback<\/strong>\u00a0(3) M.Jones, B.Zappe, B.Hoyer<\/p>\n No Change<\/p>\n Runningback<\/strong> (4) D.Harris, R.Stevenson, T.Montgomery, P.Strong<\/p>\n I had Kevin Harris making the team but he has really done nothing in camp.\u00a0 The surprise has been Ty Montgomery and the versatility he can bring to the offense.\u00a0 Montgomery has been used in the 2-minute offense.<\/p>\n Wide Receiver<\/strong> (6) J.Meyers, D.Parker, T.Thornton, T.Nixon, N.Agholor, K. Wilkerson<\/p>\n In the Pre-camp projection, I had Agholor being traded to save money on the camp.\u00a0 In the last couple of weeks, he has been outstanding, showing quickness and the ability to make circus catches.\u00a0 \u00a0Tyquan Thornton has been further advanced than we were all led to believe.\u00a0 We knew he had speed and a pencil-thin body.\u00a0 He has shown excellent moves, an ability to beat DBs off the LOS, and the ability to adjust to passes in the air.\u00a0 However, the first real hit he takes and he is now injured with a shoulder problem (collarbone).\u00a0 He is looking at 8 weeks of recovery time which means he goes on short-term IR after he makes the 53-man roster.\u00a0 He has jumped to the #4 WR.\u00a0\u00a0 Has anyone seen Kendrick Bourne?\u00a0 I expect we are going to see his face on milk cartons this week!\u00a0 Chances are he will be traded.\u00a0 According to Phil Perry, several teams have inquired about Patriots receivers that might be cut.<\/p>\n Tre Nixon plays on Special Team and Bourne doesn\u2019t.\u00a0 If both players are even, the ST work is the deciding factor. Kristian Wilkerson may end up on IR because of that senseless hit by Panthers Kenny Robinson.\u00a0 He has a concussion and the team doesn\u2019t know how long he will be injured.\u00a0 He might be a candidate for making the 53-man roster and cutting a veteran player (Ferentz and Cody Davis come to mind).\u00a0 Then add Wilkerson to the recallable IR, and re-sign the veterans before the 1st<\/sup> game.\u00a0 Bourne was forced out of a rep in practice this week by an official that said his uniform wasn\u2019t up to the requirements (I think he wasn\u2019t wearing any knee pads).\u00a0 Belichick was furious over this and chewed out WR coach Troy Brown.\u00a0 Then Bourne gets tossed out for fighting.\u00a0 I think Belichick made an example of him by not letting him dress and holding him out of Friday\u2019s exhibition game.\u00a0 I don\u2019t think Bourne is long for this team.<\/p>\n Tight End<\/strong> (3) H.Henry, J.Smith, L. Jordan<\/p>\n I have added Humphrey as a Move TE.\u00a0 He had 5 catches on 6 targets for 71 yards and that great play diving to keep the punt from going into the end zone.<\/p>\n Center<\/strong> (2) D.Andrews, Russey<\/p>\n I have been back and forth on Russey.\u00a0 For most of camp, he just hasn\u2019t impressed.\u00a0 Then he went out last week and shines in the joint practice.\u00a0 His play in the game was terrific but unheralded.\u00a0 Ferentz is a solid veteran backup and will be cut and brought back before the 1st<\/sup> game.\u00a0 Surprised that Ferentz got the start at RG against Carolina.<\/p>\n Guard<\/strong> (3) M.Onwenu, A.Hambright, C.Strange<\/p>\n The Patriots needed a backup G and Arlington Hambright has stepped up and taken that position.\u00a0 Desjarlais was my pick in the Pre-Camp report.\u00a0 Hambright finished the game at Left Tackle, another plus for him.<\/p>\n Tackle<\/strong>\u00a0 (4) I.Wynn, T.Brown, Y.Cajuste, J.Herron.\u00a0 Herron has an injured knee and might be another candidate to be IR\u2019ed after making the 53-man roster.\u00a0 The injuries to Wynn and Herron concern me.\u00a0 Luckily Owenu can play RT.<\/p>\n DEFENSE<\/strong> (25)<\/p>\n Edge<\/strong> (1) D.Wise<\/p>\n No Change<\/p>\n Defensive Tackle\u00a0<\/strong> (5) L.Guy, C.Barmore, C.Davis, S.Roberts, D.Godchaux<\/p>\n This is a different team with Davis in the middle.\u00a0 He is a true space eater.\u00a0 I didn\u2019t want to keep 6 DLineman, since the team is rarely in a true 3-4 defense anymore.\u00a0 The majority of the time they are in these hybrid defenses to counter the three WR\/Running QB offenses.\u00a0 Roberts has just played his way onto the team.\u00a0 If cut he will never make it through waivers<\/p>\n Inside Linebacker<\/strong> (4) M.Wilson, R.McMillan, J.Tavai, J.Bentley<\/p>\n Wilson is more like one of our safeties (Peppers, Dugger, or Phillips).\u00a0 Tavai is making the team because of his Special Teams contribution.\u00a0 McMillan has had another good camp.\u00a0 I hope he can stay healthy.\u00a0 The improved speed in the LB corps is very noticeable.\u00a0 I had McGrone in my projection before camp.\u00a0 He has not shown up in practices.\u00a0 Candidate for PS. \u00a0\u00a0I saw an interesting theory this week (Mike Reiss?) about moving Bentley to the edge.<\/p>\n Outside Linebacker<\/strong> (3) M.Judon, A.Jennings, J.Uche<\/p>\n Jennings is one of the bigger surprises so far in camp.\u00a0 Ronnie Perkins was on my pre-camp projection, but he too has been invisible.\u00a0 He looks like a physical presence, but that just doesn\u2019t translate to the field.\u00a0 He has been tossed around by the O-lineman. \u00a0Don\u2019t forget that the 3 Strong Safeties play a hybrid linebacker.\u00a0 Mitchell has really come on but there is no room for him,\u00a0 Hopefully he can get through waivers and make his way to the Practice Squad.<\/p>\n Cornerback<\/strong> \u00a0(6) J.Mills, M.Jones, Ja.Jones, S. Wade, M.Bryant, Jo.Jones<\/p>\n What a competition this has been.\u00a0 The two rookie Jones boys have been more advanced than we were led to believe.\u00a0 Mills has been the best DB in camp.\u00a0 Jon Jones has been moved to the outside which has freed up Myles Bryant to the slot corner.\u00a0 Both Bryant and Marcus Jones can Punt Return.\u00a0 Bethel is outstanding on Special Teams.\u00a0 I am keeping Wade over Mitchell.\u00a0 The Pats gave up a 5th round pick for Wade to get Wade from Baltimore last season.\u00a0 I am cutting Justin Bethel since he is basically a Special Teams only player.\u00a0 The Jones boys, Humphrey, and Nixon can all vie for the gunner opposite Slater.<\/p>\n Strong Safety<\/strong> (4) K.Dugger, A.Phillips, J.Bledsoe, J.Peppers,<\/p>\n This is the strongest group on the team.\u00a0 The Patriots will be cutting DBs that will be picked up by other teams.\u00a0 Bledsoe has been a big surprise because we had not seen anything of him last year.\u00a0 Bledsoe was hurt and came back to practice and showed well in that time, but was not activated.<\/p>\n Free Safety<\/strong> (2) D.McCourty, B.Schooler,<\/p>\n Cody Davis is a candidate to be cut and brought back.\u00a0 He led the team in Special Teams tackles.\u00a0 Schooler is being groomed as the next Special Teams ace and has been compared to Nate Ebner.\u00a0 Davis and Slater have been spending a lot of time with him.\u00a0 I had Schooler making the team in my pre-camp projection.\u00a0 If he makes the team he will continue the streak of having a UDFA making the team for 19 straight years.<\/p>\n SPECIAL TEAMS<\/strong> (3)<\/p>\n K<\/strong> N.Folk P<\/strong> J.Bailey ST<\/strong> Slater<\/p>\n J.Cardona the long snapper will be cut and because he is a veteran does not have to clear waivers.\u00a0 He isn\u2019t going anywhere.\u00a0 He will be re-signed before the 1st<\/sup> game.<\/p>\n Total players: 53<\/p>\n after 53 Man roster is established<\/p>\n Thornton to IR\u00a0\u00a0 Davis re-signed<\/p>\n Herron to IR\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Ferentz re-signed<\/p>\n Wilkerson to IR Cardona re-signed<\/p>\n Note: DT Daniel Ekuale is facing a 4 game suspension.\u00a0 I believe he has to make the 53-man roster before he can start serving his suspension.\u00a0 \u00a0I presently don’t have him making the team.<\/p>\n Created with Pats Picker: http:\/\/patsfans.com\/patspicker<\/p>\n Game Observations<\/strong><\/p>\n The general observation is that the starting offense should have done better against Carolina backups.\u00a0 Mac Jones was way off his game and with exception of the 45-yard bomb that he dropped in the bucket to Nelson Agholor he was way off target.\u00a0 One pass play that was not Jone’s fault came off a pass over the middle on a delay route by Stevenson out of the backfield.\u00a0 It appeared to be Stevenson\u2019s fault for not looking back fast enough.\u00a0 The offensive line was a mishmash of players.\u00a0 Trent Brown was given the night off (not injury related) had Cajuste at LT, Strange LG, Andrews C, Ferentz RG, and Owenu RT.<\/p>\n Starting Defense looked good and held Carolina backups to 3 points.\u00a0 That FG was set up by a 21-yard catch by TE Ricci with Tavai nowhere near him in coverage.\u00a0 Tavai is a liability on defense and is strictly a Special Team player in my opinion. \u00a0To add injury to insult, Barmore was called (rightfully so) for roughing the QB with a completely unnecessary hit when the QB was in his way to get downfield.\u00a0 That is the kind of undisciplined play that will get the team in trouble.\u00a0 Later Ferentz was called for a late hit that was borderline at the end of a play.\u00a0 I can live with that kind of hit, showing the Patriots are trying to play to the whistle.<\/p>\n The second and Third team defenses played exceptionally well.\u00a0 In total, the Defense gave up only 192 yards.\u00a0 They had 5 sacks, 2 INTs, and a fumble recovery.<\/p>\n Note:\u00a0 Kendrick Bourne made the trip to Las Vegas.\u00a0 Heat in Las Vegas could be a factor.\u00a0 Tuesday through Thursday, 102 -105.\u00a0 Practices are scheduled for around 11:45 EST.<\/p>\n Transactions<\/strong>: Malcolm Butler and Joejuan Williams go on IR.\u00a0 Devin Hafford and Jalen Elliott were cut to get down to 83 players.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" We start where we left off last week.\u00a0 The 1st joint practice was extensively covered.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":23,"featured_media":42412,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-42436","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-patriots-news"],"yoast_head":"\n\n
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