Two practices.
That’s all the Patriots decided they needed from their mandatory minicamp, a scheduled three-day stretch they capped with a surprise paintball outing Wednesday before sending players into their summer break. Before then, more than 80 players reported for practices on Monday and Tuesday, the most competitive and intense sessions of the spring. Mac Jones led the offense for all but one period of team drills, while the defense predictably had the upper hand.
What else did we learn from that practice and Monday’s session? Here were the top four takeaways from Foxboro:
1. Mac Jones is in command
If it’s a quarterback controversy you’re looking for, sit tight. The Patriots offense still belongs to Mac Jones.
Jones looked comfortable at the controls of Bill O’Brien’s system, a hybrid of the old Patriots playbook and the offense he ran at Alabama. Jones feathered a few pinpoint downfield throws to tightly covered receivers, made checks at the line and smoothly pivoted to his checkdowns when his initial reads were covered on both days. Jones also out-performed backup Bailey Zappe, despite throwing a couple interceptions during team drills.
The offense’s timing and organization — even without JuJu Smith-Schuster, Trent Brown and others — was far ahead of where the Patriots were most of last spring and summer under Matt Patricia and Joe Judge. Eventually, when the likes of Smith-Schuster, Brown and Tyquan Thornton return, O’Brien’s offense should hum. And when it does, Jones will be at the center of it all.
2. Jack Jones leaping in Year 2
The best player on the field during minicamp? That’s an easy call: Jack Jones.
The second-year corner snared three interceptions over two practices, including an 11-on-11 period Tuesday when his starting defense faced the Patriots’ scout-team offense and he picked Trace McSorley. Earlier on Tuesday, Jones peeled off his assigned receiver to intercept a deep ball from Mac Jones. He finished the day without allowing a single catch in team drills.
Overall, Jones demonstrated all of the raw coverage talent that made him a worthy gamble in the 2022 draft. If he can stay out of trouble — after finishing last season on the suspended list — the Pats’ supposedly shaky cornerback depth may be much firmer thanks to him.
3. Offensive tackle is a glaring problem
Once Brown failed to report for minicamp Monday (due to reported travel issues), the Patriots started Calvin Anderson and Conor McDermott at offensive tackle. Once Brown returned Tuesday, the Patriots sent him off at the start of team drills, and he never returned.
Less than ideal.
The 6-foot-8, 380-pounder is the Pats’ only surefire starting-caliber tackle on the roster. Meanwhile Anderson, a swing tackle in Denver who signed as a free agent this offseason, let up a sack in team drills Tuesday. His backup, Riley Reiff, couldn’t get snaps ahead of McDermott in practice. Last year, McDermott was the Patriots’ fourth offensive tackle upon signing before moving into an emergency starting role down the stretch.
And that's it. Unless fourth-round rookie Sidy Sow makes the cut. Sow, a five-year college starter at Eastern Michigan, last played offensive tackle in a game in 2018. But that's exactly where the Patriots were forced to play him this week given the state of the position, one of the most critical on the roster.
4. There's a place for DeAndre Hopkins
Without Smith-Schuster and Thornton, DeVante Parker and Kendrick Bourne took virtually all of the wide receiver snaps with the first-team offense during team drills. Parker snatched a few highlight grabs Tuesday, including a 25-yard touchdown over Jonathan Jones during 7-on-7s. As for Bourne, well ...
He went catch-less. And none of the receivers behind him flashed enough either day to warrant consideration as a potential sleeper to make the roster. The Patriots still project to have a below-average receiving corps heading into the season — unless Hopkins signs.
His arrival would completely change the dynamic of this offense. A proven No. 1 option who runs with a certain gravity through opposing secondaries, drawing extra defensive attention in a way that hasn't been seen in Foxboro since Rob Gronkowski. Hopkins would also put the rest of the Patriots' receiving depth into proper order, with Smith-Schuster becoming the No. 2 receiver, Parker the No. 3 option and Bourne and Thornton fighting to be first off the bench.
The Patriots have an open roster spot, a need at the position and money to spend. Now, will Hopkins sign on the dotted line?
