The smell of football was finally in the air again on Wednesday, as the New England Patriots returned to the field for their first official day of training camp.
There was a different buzz in the air, despite all of the gloom and doom talk throughout the offseason. The attendance was great, and Patriots newcomer JuJu Smith-Schuster served as the team’s personal hype man on the field.
Overall, it was a lively atmosphere that ultimately put the excitement for the return of football into perspective.
There was also a sense of normalcy with Bill O’Brien calling the offense. The team looked as energized as ever, and the fans were happy to see them kick-start their journey towards the regular season opener against the NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles in September.
Here are seven takeaways from the Patriots’ first training camp practice:
Ty Montgomery moves to wide receiver
An early training camp surprise was veteran running back Ty Montgomery taking snaps with the receivers, and no, this isn’t likely to be a one-time thing. A quick look at the Patriots’ official roster page shows that his position has actually been changed to wideout.
Montgomery was initially believed to be the Patriots’ top running back option behind Rhamondre Stevenson for predominantly third-down situations. So him moving to receiver changes things at both positions.
It makes the need even greater for the Patriots to add a veteran running back to the mix, unless they’re ready to promote Kevin Harris or Pierre Strong Jr. The move also adds more competition to the slot receiver position, which also has rookies Demario Douglas and Kayshon Boutte vying for reps behind JuJu Smith-Schuster.
Ty Montgomery just makes plays in training camp practices. Pick/flat route and a contested catch for two TDs in red zone work. #Patriots
— Evan Lazar (@ezlazar) July 26, 2023
Keep in mind, Belichick could just as easily move Montgomery back to running back at the next practice. He wasn’t completely left out in passing plays out of the backfield.
This could all simply be a situation of Belichick feeling out options, but the actual positional title change is noteworthy.
Added emphasis on red zone work
There’s no secret that the Patriots were the worst team in the entire league in red zone touchdown scoring percentage last season. That was obviously in mind with the way the Patriots’ first day of training camp was structured on Wednesday.
Every play was in the low red zone with the Patriots clearly aiming to get better in that area of the field.
Biggest takeaway from first practice of Patriots training camp: Every play was in the low red-zone.
When you finish 2022 last in the NFL in red-zone efficiency, that is a good place to start when turning the page to 2023.
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) July 26, 2023
Ty Montgomery’s short area quickness and footwork could come in handy as a receiver. The team also hopes to get big contributions from tight ends Hunter Henry and Mike Gesicki.
There’s no competing in the AFC East if all the Patriots do is kick field goals. They have to find a way to consistently get touchdowns to put some pressure on opposing teams, while keeping that same pressure off their own defense.
Christian Gonzalez continues working with top unit
Rookie cornerback Christian Gonzalez was right back to working with the top unit after spending time on the field with the group during the spring.
He got beat on a play in the low red zone by tight end Hunter Henry for a touchdown, but for the most part, he fit right in and looked like he belonged on the field, which is saying a lot for a rookie.
Notable that rookie CB Christian Gonzalez was immediately in the mix. Got beat by Henry for a TD in low red zone work. But also had a high IQ moment passing off two inside routes with Myles Bryant. #Patriots
— Evan Lazar (@ezlazar) July 26, 2023
Gonzalez will only get better through repetition and experience. The ceiling is exceptionally high for the first-round draft pick, who has all of the physical traits to be a dominant player in the defensive backfield for years to come.
Defensive backfield for the Patriots is suffocating
Good luck throwing balls against this Patriots secondary.
It didn’t take quarterback Mac Jones long to experience the tight throwing windows when he was picked off in the red zone by safety Kyle Dugger.
First INT of camp: Kyle Dugger gets Mac Jones on first pass of initial red-zone drill (intended for Mike Gesicki).
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) July 26, 2023
This is a contract year for Dugger, who could become one of the hottest free agents on the market if the Patriots fail to come to a long-term extension with him. It would be surprising to see the team let it get to that point considering the kind of impact playmaker Dugger can be on the football field.
Some of that was already on display at Wednesday’s practice. But it wasn’t just Dugger. Patriots defenders did a tremendous job of sticking to receivers and forcing tough throws from the quarterbacks.
New faces on the offensive front
Veteran offensive tackle Riley Reiff remained entrenched across from Trent Brown at the right tackle position in his first training camp practice with the Patriots.
There have been questions regarding who will step into the role left by former first-round draft pick Isaiah Wynn, who signed with the Miami Dolphins in the offseason. So far, that player has been 34-year-old Reiff, who has 149 NFL starts to his name.
It makes sense that the Patriots would turn to experience to keep Mac Jones upright, but age and attrition could quickly transform that into a short-term plan.
Along with Reiff, Bill Murray was also working in at the vacant right offensive guard spot left behind by the injured Michael Onwenu.
Today was the first time we'd seen Trent Brown in team drills, and the Patriots appear to be keeping him at left tackle. Riley Reiff was the top option at RT.
Bill Murray continued to be the preferred choice at RG with Mike Onwenu on PUP.
— Zack Cox (@ZackCoxNESN) July 26, 2023
Murray went from being drafted into the league as a defensive lineman to switching positions last season and earning reps with the starting offensive line in only a year’s time. It’s an incredible success story that isn’t getting enough attention.
Demario Douglas worked in with the primary receivers
Sixth-round draft pick Demario Douglas has gone under the radar with the Patriots drafting former LSU standout wide receiver Kayshon Boutte in the same round.
But Douglas was the one working in with the other top receivers on the roster in the first day of training camp. It could be an early indication of how he’s being viewed by the coaching staff at the moment.
The Patriots have always prioritized smart slot receivers with good hands, short area quickness and strong route running. Douglas checks all of those boxes and more for New England.
He even got a little one-on-one coaching from Belichick when fielding a punt.
Things that don’t get old: Bill Belichick saddled up with 6th-round WR Demario Douglas to give him some 1-on-1 coaching tips on fielding a punt.
At 71, the Patriots coach still LOVES special teams.
— Henry McKenna (@henrycmckenna) July 26, 2023
Hunter Henry connection with Mac Jones is still on the rise
After backpedaling a bit last season, the growing connection between tight end Hunter Henry and quarterback Mac Jones seems to be back on the table.
Jones hit Henry for two touchdowns during Wednesday’s practice.
All red-zone work for the Patriots on Day 1 of training camp. Mac Jones went 1-for-3 with an INT in 7-on-7s and 4-for-7 in 11s.
Jones had the most success throwing to Hunter Henry, who had two TDs.
Bailey Zappe: 2/3 in 7s; 2/8 in 11s
Trace McSorley: 1/3; 2/7
— Zack Cox (@ZackCoxNESN) July 26, 2023
Bill O’Brien is a coach with a long history of getting the most out of the tight end position. That isn’t likely to change with the Patriots having both Henry and Mike Gesicki in the offense this season.
Both being on the field at the same time will give Jones a better opportunity to exploit mismatches against opposing defenses. That was clearly on display when he was targeting Henry in the red zone at practice.
