Patriots training camp, Day 3: Back at it

Boston Globe

3 days ago

Safety Jabrill Peppers, who wears No. 5, joked, 'I keep telling him to take that No. 5 off. But he told me to go check in on the Patriots Hall of Fame. There's nothing I can say to come back from that.'
Fair enough! Here's what to know for Friday.
Friday's training camp schedule
Friday's practice is open to fans, with access beginning at 9:15 a.m. If you'll be one of the many in attendance at Gillette, here are some tips:
▪ Pick a low vantage point for individual drills, a high one for team drills.
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▪ Memorize the roster and jersey numbers cold.
▪ Take note of the pairings and combinations.
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▪ Grade the one-on-one battles, and be descriptive.
▪ Take note of the game situations.
▪ Listen to what the coaches are telling the players.
At 9:45 a.m., head coach Mike Vrabel will talk to the media. Practice begins at 10 a.m., and a handful of players will speak to reporters after.
What to know about the Patriots
▪ The Patriots' offensive line doesn't want to talk about last season. 'It's a new year,' right guard Michael Onwenu said. 'We're excited about this year.'
As Yang notes: 'The offensive line, unable to effectively pass protect or run block consistently, has been a pain point for the Patriots amid their rebuild. Last season,
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'Those statistics mean that Patriots offensive linemen were among the worst in the NFL in both sustaining their blocks for longer than 2.5 seconds on passing plays and creating open lanes on designed running plays. They also ceded the highest pressure rate on dropbacks (40.7 percent), according to NFL Next Gen Stats.' Ouch.
▪ Christian Barmore spent much of Thursday working out on his own. The defensive tackle was out much of last season with blood clot issues. Barmore, who is listed at 315 pounds, said he played between 315 and 325 the last two years. He's aiming to be between 300 and 305 by the start of the season, working with director of sports performance Frank Piraino. 'I feel lighter, and I feel way quicker,' Barmore explained. 'And feel like I move way better. It's the best I've felt moving since I've been in the league. So, I feel really well.'
▪ Former Patriots linebacker Rob Ninkovich was a special guest at Thursday's practice.
▪ No practice again for Ja'Lynn Polk, who remains sidelined for undisclosed reasons. The sooner Polk can return to the field, the better his chances of making the 53-man roster. He's competing for a spot alongside Javon Baker, Kendrick Bourne, Kayshon Boutte, and undrafted rookie Efton Chism.
▪ Cornerback Carlton Davis also was not spotted during Thursday's practice. Davis opened training camp on NFI but practiced Wednesday. His availability is worth monitoring, as the 28-year-old has never played a complete NFL season.
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▪ Tight end Austin Hooper, wide receiver Mack Hollins, and tackle Vederian Lowe also remained sidelined for the second straight day while on PUP. Undrafted rookie defensive tackle Jahvaree Ritzie was a new absence.
Katie McInerney can be reached at