The 2021 Patriots' Preseason Camp

Some one asked about Ronnie Perkins. It has been rather lean picking about him.
That was me. Thanks. I was VERY excited when he was drafted and have been dying to hear how he's doing (even though I know OTAs are about learning the system, not competing.
 
So, it appears that Mac Jones has been throwing shorter passes than his competition at OTAs and that has been noted a few times and contrasted to Hoyer, who
hit on some deep passes this morning and was praised for it.

Throwing short and being conservative to create a base area to build on is exactly what Mac should be doing at this point, so I'm happier
reading that than if he was slinging it all over the field trying to be an instant Wonderboy. That is exactly how Brady got to stay on the field when he got his shot in year two. He
controlled the clock, found the open man, moved the sticks and didn't turn it over.

I'd look for a similar arc from Jones who probably knows exactly how Brady started his career here and will try to emulate that kind of development.

I won't be holding my breath looking for spectacular performances from him through training camp. All I want for now is him not to be lost and reports are
that he hasn't shown any signs of that. Bill said that he's got "a pretty good understanding of the things that we do", which is would not be particularly high praise from
one of the other 31 coaches in the league, but it's exactly what we need to hear this early.
Agree. Build you're base carefully.
 
I think that there would be more interest if we didn't already have a number of good players who figure to line up
at Edge and are similar in size, etc. Uche, Winovich and Judon to name 3 and we can only play so many.

I think Barmore should get more snaps simply because he is the biggest guy we have on D and there isn't the same
level of competition.

If Perkins ends up playing a ton this season then I'll be mildly surprised, but it's shaping up to be the best pass rush we've
had in a long time even if he doesn't.

Based on what little I've seen of him, highlight clips and so forth, Perkins plays a lot like Uche.
It is good to see that fresh legs can come in with out the talent dropping off to much.
 
i'll be intersted in how zuber does. he's my dark horse @wr. liked what i saw last year.

There's a lot to like about Zuber.
He plays smart to help the QB, soft hands, extends for balls off target and plays faster than his 40 time. It's really too bad he's not faster - 4.61 40 is more LB than WR territory.
4.61 is a knockout punch for a WR. He has potential as a 5th receiver and return specialist but roster spots will be highly competitive towards the bottom. If he makes
it he'll do it the hard way.
 
"Mac Jones was 6 of 8 and looked better today. He went third in all but one period, but that's deceiving because he spent quite a bit of time with and against starters. The defense threw a lot at him, too, with sub-package formations. Bill Belichick is clearly working him." -- Jeff Howe

Howe is a pretty savvy dude and that was an interesting observation.

One very interesting part of TC/preseason is how Bill will experiment with new guys to test them and ratchet up the pressure. It's a little different with Mac because he was drafted, presumably, to be the heir apparent, but he will sometimes put borderline roster guys through the wringer. He does that in a noticeable way to somebody almost every year.

I like to tell the story about what he did to Matthew Slater in the final preseason game of his rookie season. He played him in all 3 phases all night long. I don't know
how many snaps there were altogether, but Slater played DB, WR and STs and I don't know if he ever came off the field. It was fascinating to watch and
not a perfect night for the kid, but he survived it and made the team, which was no sure thing at the time. I don't know if I've ever seen a Patriot look so tired at the
end of a game, but he proved that he is a gamer and if I ever get a chance I'd like to ask him about that night.

You know how you know when Bill likes a rookie? When he tortures them.
 
There's a lot to like about Zuber.
He plays smart to help the QB, soft hands, extends for balls off target and plays faster than his 40 time. It's really too bad he's not faster - 4.61 40 is more LB than WR territory.
4.61 is a knockout punch for a WR. He has potential as a 5th receiver and return specialist but roster spots will be highly competitive towards the bottom. If he makes
it he'll do it the hard way.
boldinesque?
 
"Mac Jones was 6 of 8 and looked better today. He went third in all but one period, but that's deceiving because he spent quite a bit of time with and against starters. The defense threw a lot at him, too, with sub-package formations. Bill Belichick is clearly working him." -- Jeff Howe

Howe is a pretty savvy dude and that was an interesting observation.

One very interesting part of TC/preseason is how Bill will experiment with new guys to test them and ratchet up the pressure. It's a little different with Mac because he was drafted, presumably, to be the heir apparent, but he will sometimes put borderline roster guys through the wringer. He does that in a noticeable way to somebody almost every year.

I like to tell the story about what he did to Matthew Slater in the final preseason game of his rookie season. He played him in all 3 phases all night long. I don't know
how many snaps there were altogether, but Slater played DB, WR and STs and I don't know if he ever came off the field. It was fascinating to watch and
not a perfect night for the kid, but he survived it and made the team, which was no sure thing at the time. I don't know if I've ever seen a Patriot look so tired at the
end of a game, but he proved that he is a gamer and if I ever get a chance I'd like to ask him about that night.

You know how you know when Bill likes a rookie? When he tortures them.

I think that was when Slates was rooming with Edelman? They both made a pledge to do whatever it took to get on that team.
 
Mac has received his nickname from Cam.

It is Mac & Cheese.

You're welcome.

Here is the rest of today's pc from Mac.


View: https://youtu.be/Y_1SAOZh8sQ


"There's a lot going on in my brain right now when I'm back there [at QB]..."
"You're just trying to see everything. Sometimes you see too much and then you see nothing."
"I'll figure it out..."
"I have to think faster"

Brain freeze sucks.
I remember Cam saying the exact same things last year.

BB is throwing a lot at the kid right now. He's running the same offensive play 3, maybe 4 times in a row, but BB's changing up coverages to see if Jones can make the correct reads
and execute properly. Getting to the point where he can read defenses and know within seconds where the ball should go will take time. Most of his plays are within a yard or 2 of the LOS right now. It gets harder. There's a long way to go, guys. I can't imagine.

BB is definitely testing Mac.
 
I think that was when Slates was rooming with Edelman? They both made a pledge to do whatever it took to get on that team.

I don't know, but in those two guys you have perfect examples of what can happen to players who come into the league with little notice
but are determined to make it.

Slater was a 5th rounder out of UCLA in '08 and didn't even start for them at WR. He played some DB, was mostly notable as a KR and was considered a WTF pick at the time. Nobody
understood drafting a guy to be an ST'er in the 5th round, but was he worth it. Hell, yes.

Jules came the next year as a 7th rounder and everybody knows how that worked out.

Two of the best Patriots ever, but I can remember people griping about both for being scrubs well into their careers.

Maybe someday people will talk about Will Sherman or Tre Nixon the way people do now about Slater and Jules.
 
I knew nothing about Tre Nixon until he was drafted, but when I read up on him I really liked what I saw. Then I learned that he was Ernie's pick and now I'm really hoping he makes the team.

This was an incredible draft for me. I went into the draft hoping for (and toally focused on) Mac Jones, though I would have been good with Trey Lance. Then we not only got Jones, but also Barmore and Perkins. Stevenson I had never heard of but when I researched him I forgot all about AJ Dillon.

That's five guys I'm excited about in one draft!
 
I don't know, but in those two guys you have perfect examples of what can happen to players who come into the league with little notice
but are determined to make it.

Slater was a 5th rounder out of UCLA in '08 and didn't even start for them at WR. He played some DB, was mostly notable as a KR and was considered a WTF pick at the time. Nobody
understood drafting a guy to be an ST'er in the 5th round, but was he worth it. Hell, yes.

Jules came the next year as a 7th rounder and everybody knows how that worked out.

Two of the best Patriots ever, but I can remember people griping about both for being scrubs well into their careers.

Maybe someday people will talk about Will Sherman or Tre Nixon the way people do now about Slater and Jules.

Just did a google on it and they roomed together for the 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 seasons! In fact, when Slater got married, Jules asked him if he could take a room in the Slaters new house, Slaters wife put a stop to it :LOL: But apparently they both encouraged the other when rooming together, going over the playbooks, motivating each other etc etc And Jules dad was a huge Jackie Slater fan so when Jackie came to visit one Christmas, Jules kept him up all night getting him to recap those Ram years.

You're right, I can't think of two finer Patriot players that those two guys. Slater is one of the all time great human beings full stop.

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View: https://twitter.com/MikeReiss/status/1092977178285871104?s=20
 
I really love that moment with Slater hugs Edelman. One of the best moments of that Super Bowl.
 
Lazar on most recent Pats' OTA practice

Hearing Hoyer was the best Qb on the field makes me want to vomit. Lol
 
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