FOXBORO, Mass. — Malcolm Butler was not in attendance Thursday as the New England Patriots wrapped up their three-day mandatory minicamp.
Butler, defensive lineman Lawrence Guy and offensive tackle Andrew Jelks all were absent, with Guy missing his second consecutive practice and Jelks missing his third in a row.
Defensive end Kony Ealy exited practice midway through the session, walking slowly off the field and toward the locker room after the first round of 11-on-11 drills. He wasn’t accompanied by a coach or member of the training staff, and the reason for his early departure was unclear.
Linebacker Dont’a Hightower, wide receiver Malcolm Mitchell and defensive tackle Alan Branch all attended practice did not participate in drills, as was the case throughout minicamp.
The Patriots will hold three more days of organized team activities next week before breaking for the summer. Training camp will begin during the final week of July.
Thumbnail photo via Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports Images
