- 2 days ago
On Tuesday's edition of Felger and Mazz, the guys were joined by Greg Bedard of the Boston Sports Journal. While discussing how the Patriots' performance in the team's second padded practice, Bedard explained why there's reasons that fans should be optimistic about the team.
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00:00Greg Bernard, Boston Sports Journal. How was the O-line looking today? Any better?
00:04What's up, guys? I thought the offensive line was decent today.
00:10Like you said, I mean, what's interesting is Morgan Moses, he took part in one-on-ones,
00:15but then did not take part in team. I do think he's one of these guys,
00:19I think Christian Barmore is also there, that they're sort of watching his reps and stuff like that.
00:26So I'm not overly concerned about that. At least he got some work in today.
00:31But I thought the offensive line was pretty good today.
00:33I mean, you know, I totaled up the one-on-ones and their loss rate was only 24%.
00:40They were 16-9 and 12 draws, which as an offensive lineman, you'll take a draw.
00:47They only lost nine reps out of whatever that is. That would be 28, 37 reps.
00:54So, and I thought, you know, look, these past two days in pads, it seems like Vrabel's setting sort of a physical tone.
01:04You know, today wasn't as run-heavy as yesterday, but it was a lot of red zone again, low red zone.
01:11So, you know, a lot of physical work, not a whole lot of just, you know, drop-back passing.
01:17But I think so far, you know, it's been fine.
01:21I haven't been worried like I have in the past where I'm just like, holy crap, this is horrendous.
01:29You know, I think they're off to a good, solid start.
01:31And, yeah, I'm okay with it.
01:35So, Greg, can you compare that at all to last year?
01:37In other words, and use your numbers.
01:39In other words, the pass-blocking success rate, can you at all compare that to last year?
01:46Was it horrible last year?
01:47Do you remember that?
01:49No.
01:51Usually the, you know, the way that I do it, like, you know, as far as the offensive line goes,
01:56I just measure them by loss rate, where I view the pass rushers by, you know, win rate.
02:03Like, so it's easier for the offensive linemen to, quote, win their rep because it's either they win it or they draw.
02:10Then, you know, they're really doing their job.
02:13So, normally the offensive line is ahead.
02:15I would have to look back and see where it is last year.
02:18But usually, on the whole, the offensive line does better than the defensive line in these one-on-ones.
02:24But just thinking about it and, you know, where we've been the past couple years,
02:30I do think that it is better this year so far.
02:33So, you're just saying that based on your instinct, what you've seen?
02:37Yeah.
02:37Okay.
02:38So, here's my question because I just said to these guys, take Vrabel out of it.
02:43And I know that's hard.
02:44I understand he's part of the equation.
02:46But it feels to me like a lot of the optimism and, you know, the vibes around the team are built around Vrabel.
02:53I'm talking about the actual team on the field.
02:55In the first two days of padded practices, there have been fumbled snaps at center.
03:00According to Beatle, Will Campbell got ragdolled in the pass game by Keon White yesterday.
03:06Ragdolled him.
03:07Ragdolled him.
03:08Okay.
03:09Christian Gonzalez walked off the field with a tissue injury and has a hamstring strain,
03:15the severity of which is unclear.
03:17I know they're saying, or indications are, it's not super bad.
03:20I'm just wondering, how much better has it really been on the field other than we all love the coach?
03:30Again, that's hard to say, Maz.
03:33I mean, I know we go through this every year.
03:35Like, you guys overreact to, like, two training camp practices where they're working on certain things.
03:41Yeah, Will Campbell had a tough find.
03:43First of all, I didn't put it as a decisive loss.
03:45I didn't think he got ragdolled.
03:46He got, against Keon White, who was a big, strong guy, his first one-on-one rep in the NFL in pads.
03:54He got a good initial punch on him.
03:56Keon White got his hands on him, you know, grabbed his jersey and pulled him down.
04:00I didn't think he'd get ragdolled.
04:02I mean, that's just, you know, one of those things that goes on.
04:04Why don't we talk about the fact that, you know, that Will Campbell and Jared Wilson were both undefeated in their reps today.
04:12Will Campbell beat Keon White.
04:14He beat Kayla Vaughn Chason.
04:17Jared Wilson beat Christian Barmore twice.
04:20There were other reporters that had another rep that he won against Milton Williams.
04:24I had that for a different player.
04:26But, like, you know, let's just, like, take it down a notch.
04:30I mean, it's like three days into practice.
04:33Like, and so far.
04:34But you're asking me, is the optimism just Vrabel?
04:38No.
04:39I would not say that.
04:40I mean, let's also talk about the fact that an optimistic thing to talk about would be today, until Garrett Bradbury went down with a minor injury towards the end of practice, you know, knowing a veteran center, he'll be back out there tomorrow.
04:55But, really, what it looked like today is we got our first real look where Jared Wilson was the starting left guard on this team.
05:03And we're talking about two rookies drafted that were starting on the left side who looked pretty good.
05:10And, you know, other optimism, yes, I'm optimistic because of Vrabel and Josh McDaniels and all these veteran coaches who know their schemes.
05:18A lot of them have worked together.
05:20But I also look at the guys that they brought in, very similar to what the commanders did last year.
05:26You know, not the biggest names in free agency.
05:29But these guys are good football players who these coaches know and should help them raise the level at a lot of positions on this team.
05:38And you combine all that, plus with the schedule, yeah, there's some optimism.
05:44But I would not make this just about Mike Vrabel.
05:47If people are doing that, you know, that's a mistake.
05:50And I would invite you guys to come down here and see it for yourself.
05:54I was there Saturday.
05:55With everything that you listed in terms of everything you're optimistic about, I didn't hear you say the quarterback.
06:00How's he been?
06:02You know, again, I don't really pay much attention until the paths go on.
06:08And yesterday, I think they ran 41 plays.
06:11And, you know, there were very few pass plays today.
06:16Let me check what I have.
06:17Now, I will say, Drake May got off to a bad start today.
06:20He missed his first five passes, and he was spraying the ball all over the place.
06:25He threw low to Hunter Henry.
06:27He overthrew Kyle Williams.
06:31You know, what else did he do?
06:32Because I have it written here.
06:33Sorry.
06:34He threw a pass that was easily broken up by Christian Ellis to Henry.
06:38He fumbled a snap with Bradbury.
06:40And, you know, right after that, Vrabel kicked the first unit off the field.
06:43He told them.
06:44I mean, because that's like the third fumbled snap that they've had in camp.
06:47The first one that didn't involve Jared Wilson.
06:49But May also had some moments of brilliance today.
06:53I mean, he had a great back shoulder to Kyle Williams that he dropped.
06:57It was a tough catch to make.
06:58He had back-to-back touchdowns to Kyle Williams and Diggs.
07:02The one to Diggs was, you know, a thing of beauty.
07:05Now, May probably made it a little bit more difficult, almost ran into the back of a blocker.
07:10But Diggs came across the field.
07:13This is in a low red zone, so a lot of traffic.
07:17And May threw it with great touch and anticipation and found Diggs.
07:21And so he started off 0 for 5, but he finished 5 for 7, I think, with three touchdowns after that.
07:27So I think May's doing fine.
07:30It's going to be, you know, a work in progress.
07:32But I think, you know, I'm encouraged by what I've seen pretty much by all sides of the ball.
07:40You know, the cornerback thing is not great.
07:42And you hope Carlton Davis and Gonzalez are back at some point.
07:47But, you know, I'm fairly optimistic so far in camp.
07:51Do you think Wilson's better at center or left guard?
07:56I think he's really good at both.
07:58You know, I was encouraged by, and basically what happened was, is that Wilson pretty much ascended to starting left guard.
08:08And then Caden Wallace and Cole Strange split the backup duties, which meant that Cole Strange basically dropped to third.
08:15And he did not have a good practice today.
08:17He had a tough one-on-one rep where he did get ragdolled to the ground.
08:23I think Wilson could be really good at both.
08:25But, you know, are they going to have an answer at left guard to allow him to ascend at center over Bradbury?
08:34You know, I have my doubts about that.
08:36But I've been very impressed with Jared Wilson so far.
08:39That kid is a starter in this league, and I don't care what position you put him at.
08:44What's the deal with the exchanges keep going on between the centers?
08:47And Wilson's been a part of that.
08:49Yeah, Wilson had a couple of them.
08:51Bradbury had one today.
08:53You know, it could just be people getting used to things.
08:57You know, what's interesting is, like, there have been no issues on shotgun snaps.
09:00I thought, you know, Wilson with a guy who's only played center for one year, that would be more of an issue.
09:05That hasn't been an issue.
09:06You know, yesterday with Wilson, not only did they have a fumbled snap, but there were at least two or three other exchanges between May and Wilson where May was, like, juggling the ball, going back to handoff or what have you.
09:18Um, it's probably them just having to get used to each other.
09:23With the weather that it's been, it could be something like ass sweat or something because you go through that stuff.
09:28You might need some talcum powder and things like that or a towel back there.
09:33Um, it's all an adjustment period, but it is early.
09:35All right, I got one more for you, Greg, and I like playing this game of take so-and-so out of the equation and tell me what it is.
09:42Yeah, wonderful.
09:43Okay, so the wide receiving core takes Steph Diggs out because it feels to me like there have been some positive reporting about Booty and about Pop Douglas.
09:53Those two guys have both looked pretty good, and I think they both were off-season award winners, if I'm not mistaken.
10:00I might be wrong about Booty.
10:01Okay, I know Douglas was.
10:02I thought I heard that about Booty, too, but maybe I'm wrong.
10:04In any case, do you see a noticeable improvement in both of those guys, just one of them?
10:10Or, like, are they viable options to you potentially to be, and when I say viable, you know what I mean.
10:17Are they becoming legit NFL receivers?
10:21Booty has surprised me.
10:23I think he's been one of the surprises of camp.
10:26You know, I think both of those guys have improved.
10:28You know, it's tough to tell whether, you know, because we've been over this before, you know, how much of a mess the coaching was last year and, you know, on the offense, especially in the wide receiver room.
10:41So, you know, how much damage did that do to those guys?
10:46I mean, you know, Booty was a guy that I thought didn't have much of a chance to make this team.
10:52Now I think he's, as of right now, he's on this team.
10:57How will things change when Matt Collins comes back?
11:01You know, I think Bourne has been good.
11:03I think it's been good, you know, so far.
11:07And, you know, you put Diggs as sort of the cherry on top, and I think it's, I've been, you know, like a lot of things on this team, I've been encouraged by the start of these wide receivers in this offense.
11:20I'm very disappointed, Greg.
11:22I know.
11:23Very disappointed.
11:24Again, I think a lot of it's viable.
11:27I do.
11:27I think a lot of it's viable.
11:28And I'm not picking on you specifically.
11:30I'm just telling you, I think that based on some of the stuff that's come out of there, that, you know, there is some stuff that's hanging on from last year.
11:41I know.
11:41Sorry to ruin your program about, you know, pushing the panic button on the Patriots already.
11:48I will add something you guys will find interesting.
11:51And I don't want to get too much into it because we're not allowed to discuss X's and O's.
11:56But let's just say that, you know, we saw Drake Mays' legs used today in a couple of different ways that you wouldn't expect from a Josh McDaniels offense or traditional Josh McDaniels offense.
12:07Maybe more, you know, like Cam Newton.
12:09But it was encouraging.
12:11And I also thought, you know, along with the offensive line talk, I thought the running game was pretty good today.
12:17I mean, I had I had touchdowns for in the running game for Travion Henderson, Lan Larrison, Ramondre Stevenson, Travion Williams.
12:29You know, so I thought I thought there was more good stuff in this practice.
12:33Of course, you know, you're going up against the defense without the two starting cornerbacks.
12:36So that's going to make a difference.
12:38But, you know, I thought today was a good day of work.
12:41All right.
12:42New wrinkles for Drake May in that offense with Josh McDaniels.
12:45Interesting.
12:45Nothing gets me is that nothing gets me excited like a good handoff, Greg.
12:49Greg Bedard, Boston Sports Journal.
12:51When did the Big Boy Tuesday start for real?
12:53A couple of weeks?
12:53I thought I I thought I heard the 12th.
12:55OK, is when we go the full full Monty.
12:58Is that thumbs up on that, Jimmy?
12:59Is that OK?
13:00Jimmy just gave me the thumbs up.
13:01OK.
13:01All right.
13:02Well, we'll continue to get maybe some check ins before then.
13:04Greg Bedard, Boston Sports Journal, again, giving us the live look at camp for the Patriots today.
13:08Thanks, Greg.
13:09See you, guys.
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