FOXBORO — The Patriots put the pads on for the first time last Monday. They’ve had six practices in soupy, 90-plus-degree heat. All were nearly two hours long. Five of them were in full pads.
Following a mandated day off Sunday (teams are limited from practicing more than three days in a row) the pads were back on and the Patriots were full contact — tackling to the ground in some portions of practice.
Jerod Mayo’s first camp has so far been more physically taxing than the ones Bill Belichick ran the past two seasons (at least). Where’s that going to lead? Dunno. But the player-empowering Mayo clearly isn’t giving his team a free ride physically.
So he leads my Stock Watch.
Editor’s Note: Patriots Insider Phil Perry also contributed to Monday’s Stock Watch. His contributions are noted after Curran’s for each section.
Stock Up (Curran)
Jerod Mayo, head coach
It’s been a good week for Mayo in terms of setting a tone and dealing with adversity. Along with the aforementioned grueling practices, the team’s trending up on offense in terms of efficiency and production. The pre-snap penalties, the slowness at the line of scrimmage, the steady image of the defense winning snap after snap? It’s all gone away for the most part. It’s not clockwork and most every running play looks like 30 people crowding into a subway as the doors close. But there are wins.
Additionally, Mayo negotiated the hard spot the Matthew Judon contract impasse put him in, getting Judon to leave practice when he wasn’t taking part, having a day cooling off period and then getting Judon back onto the field. That’s no small feat in 2024’s NFL for coach or player. Mayo also had to deal with the news of Christian Barmore’s medical situation and the awkwardness of Davon Godchaux getting a deal while Judon was still pissed off. The next checkpoint is a big one: first preseason game on Thursday.
Kayshon Boutte, wide receiver
Know what? In two years of watching Kayshon Boutte, he’s never failed to impress me. He’s out there, practice after practice. He runs precise routes, catches virtually everything that hits his hands and has some of the best body control I’ve seen on a Patriots receiver in a long time. DeMario Douglas is shiftier and faster. Ja’Lynn Polk seems a little more sudden. Kendrick Bourne’s got better length and experience. Javon Baker’s probably going to be more dangerous downfield. But Boutte is just stunningly consistent.
On Monday, he did what he does most every practice: Plucked passes. The highlight was a red zone snare of a throw from Joe Milton that had a vapor trail attached in 1-on-1s. In a heavy day for the running game, I felt it worth singling out Boutte’s consistency and production because when it comes down to it, it’s probably him vs. Tyquan Thornton for the final receiver spot on the roster.
Run defense
There’s a whole lot of nothing going on at the line of scrimmage for the Patriots running backs. If you like the Patriots, you’re hoping that’s because the collection of front-seven defenders are gumming things up so badly there’s nowhere to go. You’re really hoping it ISN’T because the offensive line remains leaky. It’s probably a bit of both.
Stock Up (Perry)
Davon Godchaux, defensive tackle
The veteran defensive tackle had two run stuffs, including a rep where he beat a Mike Onwenu block to tackle Antonio Gibson. The Patriots defense was very good Monday against the run, and Godchaux was right there in the middle for a number of stuffs.
Godchaux also powered Caedan Wallace back and into Drake Maye’s lap — Wallace’s back actually bumped into Maye — in an 11-on-11 period.
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Anfernee Jennings, linebacker
Tight ends couldn’t block Jennings in the one-on-one period. He bullied Mitchell Wilcox and then proved to be too strong for Austin Hooper.
Jennings is more run-stuffer than pass-rusher, but if he’s aligned against a tight end, he should be expected to win that battle more often than not. And he did Monday.
Ja’Whaun Bentley, linebacker
Yet another stout run-game player who showed up on Monday, Bentley also had a couple of impressive plays against the pass.
He picked off a Jacoby Brissett offering on the goal line after Kyle Dugger deflected the football into the air. He also tipped a Brissett pass at the line of scrimmage for an incompletion late in the workout.
Stock Down (Curran)
Christian Gonzalez, cornerback
No crisis, but the Patriots’ best corner was beaten for a touchdown in the red zone by Tyquan Thornton on a dart from Jacoby Brissett. That play came in the midst of several running plays and Gonzalez seemed to be caught peeking on play-action.
It brought to mind this quote from Mayo last week when asked who will be depth behind Gonzalez at corner:
“Once again, those guys have to earn a role on this team. And it’s not really just defense. You want your corners to be able to play special teams as well, so the battles will continue. Even with Gonzo, he has to go out here each and every day and push it. I always tell these guys that success is rented and not owned, and the rent is due every day, and that applies to Gonzo as well.”
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Dell Pettus, safety
The stoutly-built, 5-foot-11, 200-pound undrafted rookie from Troy has had a string of good practices. But when he jumped on the back of an already-secured Hunter Henry during a full-contact rep and drove him to the ground, I had to deduct points.
Obviously, there was a green light for physicality. But not on a guy who’s wrapped up. Not on one of the team’s most important offensive players. Made no sense. Oddly, there was no response from anyone on the offense. Maybe it was all fair game, no harm done. If so, they might want to revisit that.
Stock Down (Perry)
Keion White, defensive end
The second-year pass-rusher was defeated twice in one-on-one reps by Mike Onwenu, once hitting the turf after taking a jarring punch from the big-money right guard. He also was sealed by guard Michael Jordan for a nice Gibson run earlier in the session.
But it wasn’t all bad for White, who has had a strong camp overall. He had a nice pass-rush rep later in the practice, sacking Joe Milton off a game with Matthew Judon. He also pancaked Jahlani Tavai at the goal line when inserted as a fullback for the offense.
“We haven’t talked about it yet,” White said, “but I for sure will give him [expletive] about it.”
Zuri Henry, offensive tackle
The undrafted offensive tackle out of UTEP has been taking reps with the second team lately because players at that position have become unavailable. With Chukwuma Okorafor out on Monday, that meant Calvin Anderson played right tackle (opposite left tackle Vederian Lowe) and opened up a spot for Henry on the second team.
Henry was on the scene for a Kevin Harris stuffed run, and later found himself with the third offensive line unit. At one point, he seemed to let Armon Watts into the backfield, which led to a Bailey Zappe sack. He also was in the area for White’s sack of Milton.