Who stood out during the Patriots’ practice on Tuesday, for better or worse.
For a second day in a row, the New England Patriots put on full pads and noticeably cranked up the intensity compared to the early portions of training camp. Part of it was the session being the longest to date of this year’s camp.
You can recap the action here. And as always, here is out list of standout performers from today’s practice.
Standout of the day
OL Jared Wilson: The Patriots’ third-round draft pick has been involved with the starting offense at both left guard and center throughout camp so far. Tuesday still marked a potential turning point in the competition for the starting roles: in a change of procedure, Wilson was the first left guard up ahead of Cole Strange both in a 1-on-1 blocking drill and later during 11-on-11 work. While Strange and tackle-turned-guard Caedan Wallace were also integrated into the mix, the change in order seems noteworthy.
Wilson did not only stand out due to his seemingly elevated role, he also looked pristine in 1-on-1s. Despite facing Christian Barmore twice and Milton Williams once, the youngster went a flawless 3-0.
Other performances of note
WR Stefon Diggs: Diggs was relatively quiet over the last few practices, but he was actively involved on Tuesday. While his first target in a 7-on-7 drill was broken up by Marcus Jones, he bounced back strongly. A go-to weapon for Drake Maye in 11-on-11s, he caught all three of his targets and scored two touchdowns On those particular plays, he got the better of Craig Woodson and D.J. James, respectively, near the back end line. On the second score, he managed to out-leap James and still get both his feet down in bounds.
WR Kyle Williams: Speaking of players who were quiet recently, third-round rookie Kyle Williams had a good day as well. He did drop one pass — a back-shoulder attempt from Drake Maye — but later rebounded when he hauled in an over-the-shoulder fade from his quarterback for a touchdown. Williams also saw increased action with the starting offense, filling the top X-receiver role that had previously been occupied by Kayshon Boutte.
C Garrett Bradbury: The Patriots’ starting center had a mostly forgettable day. He looked suspect in 1-on-1s against Khyiris Tonga, getting beaten on two reps. Later, he and Drake Maye were unable to complete an exchange resulting in a fumble — the third such play thus far in camp (although the first two came with Jared Wilson in the lineup). To make matters worse, Bradbury got rolled up on during a run play although he seems to have avoided a significant injury.
DT Khyiris Tonga: The clear winner of his 1-on-1 matchups with Garrett Bradbury, Tonga had a strong day outside of individual matchups as well. The No. 3 defensive tackle next to Christian Barmore and Milton Williams, he ran with the stating defense on occasion and proved himself a force against the run. Tonga registered one run stuff on the day, and is well on his way to making the roster as a key part of the team’s early-down defense.
K Andres Borregales: One day after not taking any kicking reps, the Patriots’ rookie was called upon to carry the load on Tuesday. Like Parker Romo the previous practice, Borregales also attempted six kicks. And like his challenger, he also was flawless going a perfect 6-for-6 from between 30 and 52 yards out.
Other players worth mentioning include Javon Baker, who had a touchdown from Joshua Dobbs but also had a mental faux pas later when he lined up in the wrong spot. D.J. James continues to be heavily involved in the cornerback mix, especially with starting outside cornerbacks Christian Gonzalez and Carlton Davis both absent.
The Patriots will return to the practice fields on Wednesday for what will be their third straight practice of the week and seventh overall this summer. Doors will open at 9:15 a.m. ET, with practice set to kickoff exactly an hour later.