Patriots Training Camp Observations: Everything We Saw On Day 12

FOXBORO, Mass. -- The New England Patriots took the field for one final training camp tune-up Tuesday afternoon. Up next: Thursday night's preseason opener against the Houston Texans.

Here's everything we observed on Day 12 of Patriots camp:

ATTIRE
Full pads.

ATTENDANCE
Old friend Trey Flowers signed Tuesday morning, but the Patriots are easing the defensive end after he played in just four games for Miami last season (and seven in each of the previous two with Detroit). The two-time Super Bowl winner was present but did not practice.

Special teamer Matthew Slater returned after missing the previous three practices. The rest of New England's absent list was unchanged from Monday:

G Cole Strange
G Mike Onwenu
WR/RB Ty Montgomery
OT Calvin Anderson
OL Bill Murray
ST Cody Davis

QB REPORT
Mac Jones: 8-for-11 in 11-on-11s

Bailey Zappe: 4-for-4

Trace McSorley: 2-for-2

Malik Cunningham: 4-for-5

ASSORTED OBSERVATIONS
-- Bill Belichick said the Patriots' inexperienced players will see the most playing time Thursday, and this practice seemed to be preparing them for that.

Jones took the most 11-on-11 reps of any QB, but he and many of the offensive regulars didn't see the field until after New England's other three signal-callers had their turns.

Belichick wouldn't reveal his exact personnel plans for the preseason opener, but our guess is Jones, JuJu Smith-Schuster, DeVante Parker, Kendrick Bourne, Mike Gesicki, Hunter Henry and Rhamondre Stevenson all get the night off.

-- Don't expect to see many of the Patriots' veteran defenders, either. Defensive end Deatrich Wise said after practice that he doesn't think he will play against the Texans.

Deatrich Wise said he doesn’t expect to play Thursday night. A lot of vets will probably get the night off. pic.twitter.com/pHvSbOfs5h

— Zack Cox (@zm_cox) August 8, 2023

-- One positive development for the starting offense: Trent Brown took competitive, fully padded reps in 11-on-11s for the first time in training camp. The big left tackle appears to be making progress as he works his way back from an injury that's limited him for much of the summer.

-- Cunningham took reps at quarterback for the second straight day. It would be fun to see him get some run there Thursday night after Zappe and McSorley.

The undrafted rookie was a highly productive rushing QB at Louisville and had some opportunities to show off his speed and quickness this week. Three of his four completions Tuesday were short, on-the-move passes to reserve wideout Tre Nixon. The other was a dump-off to running back Pierre Strong.

-- The play of the day -- and perhaps the summer -- was a twisting, leaping one-handed touchdown reception by Gesicki. The tight end was triple-covered on the play, but he managed to corral a pass from Jones and get both feet down in the back of the end zone with just inches to spare.

It was the second standout grab in a three-practice span for Gesicki, who also beat Jabrill Peppers for a one-hander down the right sideline on Sunday.

-- Demario Douglas continued his reign of dominance in receiver/cornerback 1-on-1s. The sixth-round rookie improved his overall camp record in those drills to a perfect 7-0 by scoring wins over Christian Gonzalez and Myles Bryant.

Douglas' route against Bryant was especially lethal, creating 5-plus yards of separation from the veteran defensive back for an easy touchdown.

No player has done more this summer to boost his stock than Douglas, who looks like a near-lock to make the 53-man roster.

-- Jack Jones registered yet another pass breakup, swatting down a Mac Jones deep ball intended for Kendrick Bourne in 11-on-11s.

By our count, the second-year cornerback broke up at least one pass in team drills (7-on-7s and 11-on-11s) in seven of the team's 11 competitive camp practices. His talent is obvious. This could be a huge season for Jones if off-the-field issues don't derail him.

That, of course, is a big "if" for a player who's run afoul of team rules and/or the law at each of his last three football stops. Jones, whose bizarre exit from practice last week remained unexplained as of Tuesday, is due back in court next Friday in connection with his June arrest at Logan Airport.

-- Bryant, Douglas, Marcus Jones and Kayshon Boutte all took turns returning punts. Bryant, Douglas and Jones have been mainstays in that role this summer, but Boutte joining them was a new development.

The rookie wideout definitely boosted his stock in Week 2 of training camp with a string of strong practices, highlighted by a spectacular one-handed touchdown catch Tuesday that rivaled Gesicki's for the best of camp.

-- Rookies, rejoice: New England's first-year players finally will receive their official, position-appropriate numbers ahead of Thursday's game. That means no more No. 50 for Gonzalez, No. 60 for Douglas, No. 64 for Cunningham, etc.

We could see Gonzalez become the first Patriots player ever to wear No. 0. The NFL changed its rules this offseason to allow players to don that distinctive digit, and no New England veteran claimed it this offseason.

Gonzalez, the Patriots' first-round draft pick, sported No. 0 at Oregon.

-- Torrential rain hammered parts of Massachusetts on Tuesday, but the Patriots lucked out. The sky was bright and sunny by the time practice began, with temperatures climbing into the low 80s.

UP NEXT
Kickoff for Thursday's Patriots-Texans exhibition at Gillette Stadium is set for 7 p.m. ET.