After an off-day on Saturday, Patriots players were back on the practice field on Sunday for day four of their 2024 training camp.
With Monday being the team’s first practice in full pads, the vibe of Sunday’s practice was a little less intense. We saw a lot of drills showcasing the skill positions, including a one-on-one session between the wide receivers and defensive backs that produced the biggest highlights of the day.
And those highlights led to a lively crowd that appeared to be the largest the Patriots have drawn through four practices. This could have coincided with Sunday’s practice being the first to have taken place on a weekend.
But nonetheless, the wide receivers were on center stage, and they put on a show.
Standout wideouts from Sunday were rookies Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker, second-year player Kayshon Boutte, and 25-year-old veteran Jalen Reagor.
Polk had three catches on the day, and it continues to look like a real connection is developing between him and rookie quarterback Drake Maye.
Baker had an impressive over-the-shoulder catch on a go-route over cornerback Mickey Victor that had the crowd on their feet.
Boutte also sent the crowd into a roar with an over-the-shoulder grab off his own, his coming deep down field while fading towards the sideline over second-year standout cornerback Christian Gonzalez.
And for Reagor, he continued his impressive training camp with a highlight reel catch of his own during one-on-ones, along with winning reps throughout the seven-on-sevens and 11-on-11s.
“We got some dogs,” said second-year wideout DeMario Douglas, who has been limited so far this camp with a hand injury. “I mean, if [the defense] puts the attention on me, them dogs gonna eat.
“Everybody stepping up. I can’t point like one person out. I feel like everybody stepping up and playing different positions.”
Douglas told the media that his position group has some added motivation, as he saw their rookies reposting a ranking on Instagram that had the Patriots ranked dead-last at wideout in the NFL.
“It motivate me, for sure,” said Douglas. “And I see it motivate others, too. But I feel like, you know, if the younger guys feel that way, it’s gonna do nothing but motivate us, too.
“After I saw that on their Instagram, I said ‘I know this is gonna be a dog world this year.’ That’s how I know it’s gonna be nice this year. Way better than we did last year. Don’t get me wrong, we had some receivers. But, I feel like this is a whole different room.”
One wide receiver who might be on the outside-looking-in at the end of camp is Tyquan Thornton, who struggled to have an impact on the field during his first two seasons in the NFL after being drafted 50th overall in 2022. But even with that roster uncertainty, Thornton has a positive outlook towards the young wideouts who may end up taking his job.
“We got some competitive rookies, man. I ain’t gonna lie,” said Thornton. “They’re eager to learn, you know, and get out there and show what they can do.”
We’ll see if the wide receivers’ positive momentum from Sunday carries over into Monday’s full pads practice.
Because as the legendary boxer Mike Tyson famously said:
“Everyone has a plan ’till they get punched in the face.”
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