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Tweets of Note: Patriots Camp Catch-up

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Things are about to get real at Patriots training camp next week. With the Jags coming to town for joint practices and then the preseason kicking off against them on Thursday night, the preseason is about to begin. With that comes “real” football and some actual film to break down which will be a welcome departure from relying on camp reports.

The team has gotten a bit dinged up in recent days and as a result Bill Belichick has been pulling back a bit, especially on important veteran starters. I’m sure the entire team is looking forward to competing against the Jags, and those practices should see the intensity shoot back up.

The Pats will be practicing both Friday and Saturday, then will have Sunday off prior to the joint practices that start on Monday.

Let’s take a quick look at the biggest storylines in camp right now…

First you must enjoy watching poor Tom Brady struggle to throw deep passes here:

Sad, eh?


Burkhead has been kind of under the radar but seem to get consistent praise. He also saw time on the top kick coverage unit on Thursday, adding to my belief that he’s going to take Brandon Bolden’s roster spot. Burkhead’s versatility has stood out, and it makes you wonder how devastating it will be when the Pats roll four balanced backs throughout the game. All should stay fresh, which not only helps over the course of the game and season, but also protects against injury. The pass-catching back role is vital in this offense and right now it looks like at least three of the four can play that role.


I really can’t wait to see these two not only against the Jags in practice but especially in the game. While I still have my doubts about Langi playing a role on defense this season, I’m starting to wonder if Wise is the starting left defensive end on September 7th against the Chiefs. If he continues his trajectory it’s hard not to see him at least being a significant part of the rotation. It will depend on how Kony Ealy and Geneo Grissom do in the coming weeks, but it’s hard not to feel the Wise buzz at this point.


One of the biggest storylines heading into camp, it appears that Rowe and Jonathan Jones are the co-favorites to play the slot role. I say co-favorites because I don’t think this is a winner takes all scenario. Both have different skillsets (specifically Rowe’s size vs. Jones’ quickness) so both could be utilized in different kinds of matchups. Where does this leave Cyrus Jones is the big question. Jones has had a pretty good camp by most accounts, but it still hasn’t been enough to have him playing significant time with the starters. We can’t lose site of how shifty he is with the ball in his hands. If he can earn the trust of the coaching staff he could be one explosive punt return in the preseason away from turning some heads.


At this point the health of the team is at the forefront. You don’t want injuries now that will linger into the season, so for guys like Edelman especially, it’s a good move to pull back. Belichick seems to have evolved somewhat when it comes to protecting specific guys from injury. Amendola, Edelman and Gronk all seem to be on a protection plan and it makes a ton of sense.

Lastly, I re-launched the Boomtower tee yesterday with big news that Dont’a Hightower, Boomtower himself, is now on board with the shirt! Grab one today!