2017 Pats Training Camp

[ifmanis5]

Training camp officially opens next week on July 26 with first practice the next day.

You can see the practice schedule here: http://www.patriots.com/trainingcamp

Two joint practices with the Jaguars August 7th and 8th and at the Texans Aug 15th and 16th.

Pre-season schedule:
Jaguars at Pats Aug 10th
Pats at Texans Aug 19th
Pats at Lions Aug 25h
Giants at Pats Aug 31st

Roster cut down day is September 2nd. Slightly different this year- there used to be a cut down from 90 to 75. That has been eliminated, only one cut down now from 90 to 53.

Camp battle story lines: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2722242-new-england-patriots-5-biggest-training-camp-battles

First real game of the season is in 50 days, Sept 7th when some kind of banner gets raised again. Time to defend the ring.

 

[dbn]

l game of the season is in 50 days, Sept 7th when some kind of banner gets raised again. Time to defend the ring.

What kind of banner!?! The "Tom & Gisele copper wedding anniversary!" banner? The "214 days without a workplace injury!" banner?

 

[InstaFace]

First real game of the season is in 50 days, Sept 7th when some kind of banner gets raised again. Time to defend the ring.

I hope it resembles the previous one.

Spoiler

 

[Hoodie Sleeves]

What kind of banner!?! The "Tom & Gisele copper wedding anniversary!" banner? The "214 days without a workplace injury!" banner?

Is it like the Colts "8 Game Winner" banner?

 

[SeoulSoxFan]

Pats release guard Chase Farris, leaving a spot open on the 90-man roster.

Signing Mangold would be the cherry on top of the icing on top of this delicious chocolate cake of an offseason.

 

[RedOctober3829]

Pats release guard Chase Farris, leaving a spot open on the 90-man roster.

Signing Mangold would be the cherry on top of the icing on top of this delicious chocolate cake of an offseason.

Well they do need interior OL depth now...

 

[SeoulSoxFan]

Well they do need interior OL depth now...

Reiss jumps in. MAKE IT SO, BB!!!

http://www.espn.com/blog/new-england-patriots/post/_/id/4804207/could-nick-mangold-be-just-what-the-patriots-are-looking-for-on-ol

So it makes sense to me that Mangold, who as of about a month ago was still getting physical therapy on his foot/ankle, is taking a patient approach at this time. He's a seasoned veteran who knows how to get himself ready for a season, and the idea of preserving himself by not going through a grind of a training camp might be enticing to him.

So in my opinion the Patriots and Mangold could be a match in the future -- which is true for a lot of teams -- but the timing probably isn't right for him right now.

 

[Saints Rest]

It seems that a depth interior lineman must have the ability to play center and either guard spot. We know Mangold can play center, but can he play either guard spot in this offense?

 

[Super Nomario]

I don't get the Mangold talk. They like Andrews enough to give him a new deal, and he can't play anywhere but C (Belichick has talked about how Andrews has basically been a C his whole life), so he's not a good fit as a backup. I don't think Mangold has played anywhere but C either, and he's 33. They could probably use a versatile veteran to compete with Karras for a backup job and maybe push the young guys a little, but Mangold doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

 

[ifmanis5]

Decent RB breakdown here with a Gillislee clip reel: http://www.patriots.com/news/2017/07/21/2017-patriots-training-camp-positional-preview-versatility-abounds-new-look?utm_content=buffer29822&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

Gillislee will be a tricky name to spell in the game threads. I hope this is the year they finally cut Bolden.

 

[edmunddantes]

Probably not cutting Bolden until another RB or other position can do all the work he does on special teams while acting as a somewhat serviceable back up to the spot they are officially listed on the roster as playing.

 

[dcmissle]

Saw the NBC promo for Thursday opener while watching The Open.

Glorious.

 

[Mugsy's Walk-Off Bunt]

Probably not cutting Bolden until another RB or other position can do all the work he does on special teams while acting as a somewhat serviceable back up to the spot they are officially listed on the roster as playing.

No idea if Bolden will get cut, but Burkhead has played a similar ST role during his career and is a far better player on offense. He's who Bolden has to worry about.

 

[RedOctober3829]

On Day One of #Patriots practice - one player of note not on the field is DE Rob Ninkovich #PatsCamp #wBZ

 

[DJnVa]

Seeing tweets that said no Ealy or Cardona either.

 

[Saints Rest]

According to BSJ, Branch is PUP -- but is "no cause for concern."

 

[tims4wins]

Cardona is on Navy duty

 

[Norm loves Vera]

Ryan Hannable‏Verified account @RyanHannable 11m11 minutes ago




Gronk on TB12: Every time he gets on the field he deserves standing ovation from the fans. I would be one of them in the crowd doing it too.

Per Hannable:

Gronk on TB12: Every time he gets on the field he deserves standing ovation from the fans. I would be one of them in the crowd doing it too

 

[soxfan121]

Ryan Hannable‏Verified account @RyanHannable 11m11 minutes ago




Gronk on TB12: Every time he gets on the field he deserves standing ovation from the fans. I would be one of them in the crowd doing it too.

Per Hannable:

Gronk on TB12: Every time he gets on the field he deserves standing ovation from the fans. I would be one of them in the crowd doing it too

Cheer for him now because he's one awkward fall from never getting back on the field again.

Unless he went to the Jonas Salk of backs. In which case, he'll play forever.

 

[mwonow]

EVERYONE seems to be in the best shape of their lives!

http://www.patriots.com/news/2017/07/27/camp-blogservations-energetic-gronkowski-dominates-day-1

Even a shoutout for Hightower for tossing a medicine ball during rehab work

 

[Kenny F'ing Powers]

I just got butterflies at 10pm at night while lying in bed realizing the season is fucking coming and it's going to be magnificent.

 

[SeoulSoxFan]

So, Ealy was held out of the practice on day 1. He's back on day 2. Per Reiss:

DE Kony Ealy answered questions from reporters for the first time in training camp, and naturally, one of the first was why he was held out of Thursday's opening session. He said it wasn't injury-related, before adding, "You have to ask Coach Bill. Me and him had something going on, or whatever. Other than that just happy to be back out here, and ready to go," said Ealy, who had also missed the final stretch of spring practices. Asked if he was OK with everything, Ealy said, "Of course. Am I going to go against what Coach Belichick says? No. … At the end of the day, my job is to come here and do everything I need to do for the team and do the right things on and off the field."

Oof. I'd put Ealy lasting through the camp at about 60%.

 

[InstaFace]

From what I recall, players can initially have some adjustment friction to getting with the program. They need to get there and fast, of course, but they don't need to be 100% With The Program from day 1, necessarily.

I read the last 3 words of that quote as having more significance than the rest. We don't know what the off-the-field thing was, it probably wasn't a Jonas Gray or Malcolm Butler style slip-up, but probably not much more severe than that.

 

[SeoulSoxFan]

I read the last 3 words of that quote as having more significance than the rest. We don't know what the off-the-field thing was, it probably wasn't a Jonas Gray or Malcolm Butler style slip-up, but probably not much more severe than that.

Hope not. I was a bit concerned about how he was viewed in Carolina. This is not exactly a smooth start but we're just getting started.

 

[RedOctober3829]

Ninkovich absent again.

 

[ifmanis5]

Injury averted:
Jim McBride‏Verified account @globejimmcbride 40m40 minutes ago
League source confirms knee injury suffered by #Patriots safety Duron Harmon at camp today is not considered serious.

 

[Ed Hillel]

Ninkovich absent again.

Any chance he and Ealy are feuding?

 

[tims4wins]

Any chance he and Ealy are feuding?

Tom E. Curran‏Verified account @tomecurran 1h1 hour ago

He's considering retirement. Will be 34 in February. We've contexted all week on it

 

[Ed Hillel]

Tom E. Curran‏Verified account @tomecurran 1h1 hour ago

He's considering retirement. Will be 34 in February. We've contexted all week on it

Contexted all week?

Anyway, if he's thinking it and not showing up at this point he's likely done. Hell of a second half of a career, that's for sure.

 

[Van Everyman]

Contexted all week?

That nightly round table on CSNNE is turning Curran's brain into mush.

 

[BigSoxFan]

Contexted all week?

Anyway, if he's thinking it and not showing up at this point he's likely done. Hell of a second half of a career, that's for sure.

Seems headed that way but I guess we'll have to see. Looked to be slowing down a bit last year so I think the time is probably right for some fresh blood at DE. Really need Ealy to step up if Nink is, in fact, done. Certainly an opportunity for Rivers and Wise to make an impact this year.

 

[Papelbon's Poutine]

He couldn't have figured this out a little sooner?

 

[tims4wins]

He couldn't have figured this out a little sooner?

Seems like a common theme for veterans around the league

 

[twibnotes]

Any of you folks ever attend training camp?

Thinking of going tomorrow and wondering how early one needs to be to get a decent seat (camp starts at 9:15 am)

 

[RedOctober3829]

Any of you folks ever attend training camp?

Thinking of going tomorrow and wondering how early one needs to be to get a decent seat (camp starts at 9:15 am)

Very early. There's somewhere between 25-20,000 ppl expected.

 

[dynomite]

Welcome back for the 2017 season all!

Contexted all week?

Anyway, if he's thinking it and not showing up at this point he's likely done. Hell of a second half of a career, that's for sure.

Agreed.

Now there's a mystery press conference scheduled for tomorrow. Lots of speculation that it's Nink's retirement.

Also to the point about his replacements per @ZachCoxNESN:

If Ninkovich does decide to hang it up, the Pats' depth chart a D-end would look like:

Flowers
Ealy
Grissom
Rivers (R)
Wise (R)
Kidder (R)

 

[Ale Xander]

Any idea what times the August 7/8 Jags joint practices are?

 

[Mugsy's Walk-Off Bunt]

It wouldn't be the worst idea to do what the PFW guys were kicking around the other day - revisit Dwight Freeney on a one-year deal?

 

[ifmanis5]

Where's Marvelous Marvin Hagler these days you ask?

 

[SeoulSoxFan]

Has BB ever praised draft classes like this?

@MikeReiss
"Our last 2 draft classes are 2 of our best classes in terms of guys that buy in ... " -- Bill Belichick on @SiriusXMNFL.

 

[Mugsy's Jock]

Was just listening to Sirius NFL channel, which is at Pats camp all day today. And I enjoyed imagining Bill Polian squirming his way through it.

 

[InstaFace]

Has BB ever praised draft classes like this?

@MikeReiss
"Our last 2 draft classes are 2 of our best classes in terms of guys that buy in ... " -- Bill Belichick on @SiriusXMNFL.

I'd say it just goes to his comments about how his pattern-recognition has gotten better over the years, and he's more able to distinguish between personalities that will fit and those that won't. He's basically playing Madden on Easy mode at this point.

 

[Super Nomario]

I'd say it just goes to his comments about how his pattern-recognition has gotten better over the years, and he's more able to distinguish between personalities that will fit and those that won't. He's basically playing Madden on Easy mode at this point.

Of course, "two years" places the cutoff at just after Dominique Easley, the worst failure in Belichick's entire tenure at getting buy-in from a talented youngster. Did he learn a lesson from Easley, or is just that they've done a better job the last two years?

 

[Pxer]

Fwiw, they didn't pick in the 1st round either year. Maybe some of the lack of buy in is skewed by higher picks.

 

[MarkBT]

2016 is already looking like a great draft, especially if Cy Jones can turn the corner and become a contributor in the defensive backfield and on S/T. Thuney, Brissett, Valentine, Mitchell, Roberts, & Karras all had 'moments' (in various capacities) on a SB winning team, and all seem to have the right attitude to become players or assets in the future.

 

[Super Nomario]

Of course, "two years" places the cutoff at just after Dominique Easley, the worst failure in Belichick's entire tenure at getting buy-in from a talented youngster. Did he learn a lesson from Easley, or is just that they've done a better job the last two years?

I should note that I'm dumb and forgot about the 2015 draft, which has been pretty successful (Malcom Brown, Trey Flowers, Shaq Mason, Joe Cardona)

 

[Reverend]

I'd say it just goes to his comments about how his pattern-recognition has gotten better over the years, and he's more able to distinguish between personalities that will fit and those that won't. He's basically playing Madden on Easy mode at this point.

I would go a step... not further, but, in a Belichickian direction?

I think, as many here do obviously, that many of his statements about the team are actually too the team.

One thing that the guys in those draft classes share is that they grew up in their football lives seeing Belichick as a football god. They might not even have liked him, but then he's just Aries instead of Athena.

But, like, think about it, what it means to them to hear that. That they're Belichick guys. That they're Patriots.

Belichick wants another back-to-back. And this kind of talk? They'll go to war for him.

This could be a great season, guys. Knock wood and strap in.

 

[StupendousMan]

Aries:



Ares:


Belichick might prefer being compared to the version with the 'i', actually...

 

[Saints Rest]

Aries:

View attachment 16654

Ares:
View attachment 16655

Belichick might prefer being compared to the version with the 'i', actually...

I think of Belichick as more GOAT than Ram.

 

[TheoShmeo]

I should note that I'm dumb and forgot about the 2015 draft, which has been pretty successful (Malcom Brown, Trey Flowers, Shaq Mason, Joe Cardona)

Butler was, as I assume you know, an UDFA. I think you mean the 2015 rookie class...and it was.