FOXBORO, Mass. — The biggest takeaway from Day 2 of New England Patriots minicamp: Everyone could feel their hands after Wednesday’s two-hour session.
The sun was shining, the wind was blowing, and it actually felt like June. That wasn’t the case Tuesday on Day 1 with temperatures in the high 40s and rain was falling throughout the session.
The better weather also brought improved quarterback play, though the defense still had plenty of standout moments.
Here’s our full list of observations from Day 1 of minicamp.
— Quarterback Tom Brady was 24-of-32 and 13-0f-18 in 11-on-11 drills. Backup Jimmy Garoppolo was 16-of-26 with an interception overall and 9-of-18 in 11s. Jacoby Brissett was 22-of-33 overall and 11-of-17 in 11s.
— Linebacker Kyle Van Noy picked off Garoppolo in 7-on-7 drills. The Patriots’ defense got their hands on 11 passes during team drills. Rookie cornerback Dwayne Thomas had two pass breakups, while cornerbacks Malcolm Butler, Eric Rowe, Justin Coleman, Stephon Gilmore and D.J. Killings, defensive end Kony Ealy, defensive tackle Josh Augusta and safety Damarius Travis had one pass defensed each.
— Defensive lineman Lawrence Guy and offensive tackle Andrew Jelks were the only absences in practice. Offensive tackle Nate Solder returned after missing Tuesday’s practice.
— Wide receiver Malcolm Mitchell, linebacker Dont’a Hightower and defensive tackle Alan Branch worked on the lower field away from teammates. Safety Duron Harmon, who previously had been working on the lower field, participated more fully Wednesday.
— Running back Rex Burkhead, wide receivers Andrew Hawkins, Julian Edelman and DeAndrew White and tight end Dwayne Allen dropped passes.
— Undrafted rookie cornerback Kenny Moore was upgraded to veteran team drills, working against Brady and Garoppolo, after breaking up two passes Tuesday. Fellow rookie cornerbacks Thomas and Killings worked against Brissett.
— Burkhead and wide receiver Austin Carr tied for the team lead with six catches apiece in team drills. Wide receivers Chris Hogan and Danny Amendola each had five while running back James White and tight end Jacob Hollister had four.
— Wideout Brandin Cooks caught a deep pass from Brady during 7-on-7s which could be a sign of things to come during the 2017 season. Safety Devin McCourty said after the practice that Cooks’ speed is the first thing that stands out about the Patriots newcomer.
Thumbnail photo via Aaron Doster/USA TODAY Sports Images
