Pats Pulpit
Recapping everything that happened on Day 7 of Patriots training camp.
The New England Patriots were back to work on Wednesday for their seventh training camp practice of the summer and third in a row. The increasing number of practices, including back-to-back sessions in full pads on Monday and Tuesday, have left their mark on the team: Wednesday saw several new additions to the list of absentees, as well as other previous full participants joining the ranks of those limited.
Participation and availability were not the only big stories coming out of Foxborough on Wednesday, though. Here is what went down on the fields behind Gillette Stadium.
Attire: Shoulder pads and shorts
Duration: ca. 105 minutes (10:15-12 p.m. ET)
Conditions: Sunny, temperatures in the 90s
It was another steamy hot day in Foxborough as the Patriots rocked just shoulder pads after two straight days of full pads. New England also moved out of the red area in team work to work in between the 20s.
Absent: CB Christian Gonzalez, WR Demeer Blankumsee*, RB Trayveon Williams*, OL Garrett Bradbury*, OT Yasir Durant*, DL Joshua Farmer, LB Jahlani Tavai, WR Mack Hollins (PUP), OT Vederian Lowe (PUP)
Limited: CB Carlton Davis III, LB Harold Landry, DL Christian Barmore
Departed: RB Antonio Gibson, DE Keion White, OL Sidy Sow
There were several new faces absent on Wednesday, including offensive linemen Garrett Bradbury and Yasir Durant, who both left Tuesday’s session early due to injury. Demeer Blankumsee and Trayveon Williams were additional new absences as the Patriots will need to create a roster spot for newly-signed center Alec Lindstorm.
New England did see Sidy Sow, Antonio Gibson, and Keion White leave the field early as well, but only Sow seemed visibly shaken up. The latter two, meanwhile, did not visit the medical shed before departing.
Prior to practice, head coach Mike Vrabel noted that some veterans such as Harold Landry would have different plans moving forward when it comes to their workload.
“Really just trying to put this thing all together and make sure that everybody that needs to get to work for evaluation purposes, a lot of different reasons,” Vrabel explained. “Sometimes it is health-related, but also, I feel like Harold won’t be out there or Morgan [Moses] may come out for individual or some players may come out for team. Try to just give everybody what they need for the season.”
O-line in focus: With Garrett Bradbury sidelined after being rolled up on to end Tuesday’s practice, Ben Brown took over as the starting center with Jared Wilson continuing to be first up at left guard — where the rookie remained impressive. It is fair to wonder if a pair of poor snaps through camp to date led to Wilson sticking at guard over his natural center position.
Along the second unit, now-former starting left guard Cole Strange lined up at center for the first time this summer and had one high snap. Caedan Wallace continued...
