FOXBORO, Mass. — Learning the New England Patriots’ playbook isn’t easy, especially for wide receivers. The list of draft picks and free agent wideouts who weren’t able to grasp it and/or make a significant on-field impact is long.
But wide receiver Chris Hogan, who signed a three-year deal worth $12 million with the Patriots in the offseason, already is making great progress early in training camp.
“It didn’t really faze me. A new playbook for me was exciting because I was able — I’m learning a lot in this offense,” Hogan said after Saturday’s practice at Gillette Stadium. “You’ve just got to stay on top of your stuff. You can’t go home and not review your stuff and not look at it. You have to stay on top of that, go home every night and review your playbook because the tempo out here is fast.
“If you’re not able to play fast, then it doesn’t look good. You don’t want to put that on tape. I make sure that I’m accountable and that I know what I’m doing on the field. … There’s a lot for me to learn, but I like where I’m heading right now.”
Hogan has played well in the first couple of practices in camp and made a touchdown grab over Malcolm Butler, New England’s No. 1 cornerback, in one of the drills Saturday.
Training camp always is an important time to impress the coaches and earn more opportunities in the preseason. This time, in particular, is even more critical for Hogan because the team’s top two receivers, Julian Edelman and Danny Amendola, aren’t yet taking part in drills because of injuries.
That situation has allowed Hogan to stand out more, and it’s an opportunity he’s hoping to seize.
“Any chance you get to be the field and get an opportunity to catch, run, whatever it is — whenever you’re on this field, everything is being evaluated,” Hogan said. “You need to make the most of any opportunity you get.”
Thumbnail photo via Mark L. Baer/USA TODAY Sports ImagesÂ
