Trey Flowers Standing Out At Recent Patriots Training Camp Practices

By Doug Kyed

August 10, 2016

FOXBORO, Mass. — Young New England Patriots pass rushers have a few extra weeks to prove they deserve a roster spot and a role after Rob Ninkovich’s triceps injury.

Trey Flowers, a 2015 fourth-round pick who played just one game last season before being placed on injured reserve with a shoulder injury, has been standing out in practice at the right time.

During full-contact team drills, Flowers is getting into the backfield more than any other Patriots pass rusher. He primarily rushes from the edge, but he’s added interior pressure to his arsenal.

“He didn’t play a lot inside in college,” Patriots head coach Bill Belichick said last week. “I think there was one game against LSU when he was in there, but for the most part he was on the edge, so that’s an adjustment that he’s making. He’s definitely getting better at it. He has quickness and, again, the play-strength, and I would say the mentality to play in there.

“It’s just going to come down to experience and getting comfortable. It’s a little bit different. You’re not working against as long of a guy usually at guard, and maybe not as athletic a guy as the ones that play tackle, but there is less space. … So, it’s a little bit different but he’s making progress on it.”

The Patriots likely will use three or four edge defenders on the line of scrimmage on third down this season since they don’t have an interior pass rushing specialist, like Dominique Easley, on their roster anymore.

Flowers also could be used on early downs because of his strong run defense.

“That was a strength of his at Arkansas, and for not a tall guy, he has long arms, he has some length as a player even though his stature is not exceptionally long, but he has long arms and he plays the run well,” Belichick said. “He’s a tough kid. All of those guys — Rob, Jabaal (Sheard), Chris (Long), Shea (McClellin), Geneo (Grissom), Rufus (Johnson) — they’re all pretty stout out there, got good playing strength, good length. So, that end position in the running game, so far, I’d say that hasn’t been the major problem for us.”

Flowers hasn’t been able to fully show his ability in the running game or passing game in training camp because defenders can’t tackle or sack the quarterback. So, Flowers is itching to get on the field in the Patriots’ preseason opener Thursday against the New Orleans Saints.

“It’s real life. Some of those sacks that you think that you probably had when you pulled up or something, you can actually go in and be engaged and take that extra two more steps to judge a game, judge your real quickness to the ball,” Flowers said. “It’s definitely important.”

The NFL’s best guards, No. 1: Marshal Yanda, Ravens

By Chris Burke

July 13, 2016

Offensive tackle is a premium position in the NFL—just check out any free-agent binge lest you need a reminder. Center has enjoyed an increase in love of late, too, as more and more offenses look to push the tempo and more and more defenses try to counter by attacking the A-gaps.

Lost in the shuffle a bit is the guard position, despite the fact that NFL guards on the whole are only getting better as a group. Spread offenses have impacted the guard spot, just as they have everywhere else, by upping the demand for mobile blockers. There are still an ample number of “phone booth” guards—borderline immovable objects who are at their best working one-on-one within narrow spaces. But on the whole, that model is dwindling in favor of guards who can get to the edge or cover expanding space in a zone scheme. Thanks to an infusion of talent from the last several drafts, the level of guard performance across the league is about as high as it’s been in some time. Here are the best of the best:

No. 1: Marshal Yanda, Ravens

The 31-year-old is one of the best offensive linemen in football, period. Up until Brandon Brooks signed a five-year, $40 million deal with Philadelphia in March, Yanda was the league’s highest-paid right guard. He’s been named an All-Pro for two years running and a Pro Bowler five straight times, and has missed just two games since 2009. Last season, Yanda allowed one half-sack—one—in more than 740 snaps in pass protection. Refs flagged him for exactly one holding call in each of the past two seasons, and both penalties were declined. Several players on this list are proficient in both run and pass blocking, but Yanda is absolutely dominant at both.

Patriots Practice Observations: A.J. Derby, Martellus Bennett Standing Out

By Doug Kyed

August 8, 2016

FOXBORO, Mass. — Bill Belichick wasn’t lying when he said the Patriots have their deepest group of tight ends since the head coach came to New England in 2000.

Rob Gronkowski continues to dominate training camp, despite some issues with drops, and Martellus Bennett has shown smooth route running and soft hands this summer. Bennett caught three passes during 11-on-11s Monday.

A.J. Derby, selected in the sixth round of the 2015 NFL Draft but placed on injured reserve early last August, has stood out in three straight practices now. He caught two passes, including a contested grab over safety Patrick Chung on Monday.

Derby could have an uphill battle to crack the 53-man roster over veteran Clay Harbor, who returned to practice Monday, but he has impressive size and athleticism at 6-foot-5, 255 pounds. The former college quarterback ran a 4.72-second 40-yard dash at his pro day last March with a 6.99-second 3-cone.

Here’s what else stood out at training camp Monday:

— Quarterback Tom Brady went 13 of 20 during 11-on-11s. He spread the ball around, hitting Chris Harper and James White three times, Julian Edelman and Rob Gronkowski twice and Brandon Bolden, Chris Hogan and Derby once apiece.
— Linebacker Jamie Collins broke up a pass from Brady. Gronkowski and White each had drops.
— Backup QB Jimmy Garoppolo went 14 of 21 with an interception.
— Bennett caught three passes from Garoppolo, Edelman, Gronkowski and Hogan caught two and Derby, Harper, Bolden and Harbor caught one.
— Edelman looked as fast as ever beating cornerback Justin Coleman on an end zone fade from Brady during 11-on-11s. Edelman celebrated with a Gronk-esque spike.
— Rookie linebacker Kamu Grugier-Hill intercepted Garoppolo. Rookie cornerback Jonathan Jones recorded a pass breakup.
— Third-string QB Jacoby Brissett didn’t attempt a pass in 11-on-11s. He has just two pass attempts in the last three practices.
— Hogan, Edelman, Harper, DeAndre Carter and cornerbacks Cyrus Jones and V’Angelo Bentley got reps catching punts.
— The starting offensive line consisted of Nate Solder, Joe Thuney, David Andrews, Josh Kline and Marcus Cannon.
— The Patriots look to be experimenting with rotating their defensive line according to the offense’s personnel grouping. Jabaal Sheard, Rob Ninkovich, Chris Long, Markus Kuhn, Malcom Brown, Alan Branch and Terrance Knighton all are getting first-team reps.
— Branch suffered what looked to be a lower left leg injury and didn’t finish practice. He stayed on the field, however.
— Running back Tyler Gaffney is getting a lot of carries with the first team. He’s never made it this far into camp without suffering a season-ending injury. It will be interesting to see how he fares in the preseason.
— Center Bryan Stork returned to practice but didn’t work in team drills. The Patriots are experimenting heavily with Ted Karras and Josh Kline at center.