What Patriots Captain Doesn’t Want To See In Packers Joint Practices

FOXBORO, Mass. — Just as they did last summer, the Patriots will follow up their first preseason game with a round of joint practices against an unfamiliar opponent this week.

Matthew Slater hopes the similarities end there.

A year ago, New England hosted the Carolina Panthers for what proved to be a pair of drama-filled and dangerous practices outside Gillette Stadium. Over two days, eight players were ejected, one was carted off the field (then-Patriots receiver Kristian Wilkerson) and several legitimate fights broke out, including a full-scale brawl that spilled over into the fan bleachers.

It got so bad that Slater, New England’s longtime special teams captain, publicly questioned whether joint practices are even worthwhile.

“I don’t know what we expect,” Slater said at the time. “I know we were trying to come out here and get better and compete, but ever since I’ve been in the league, you see joint practices and there are fights.”

Now, with the Patriots set to travel to Green Bay on Tuesday for two practices with the Packers, Slater is preaching the importance of discipline and keeping a cool head.

“You want to be smart when you have these practices,” the 37-year-old said Sunday after the Patriots’ 14th training camp practice. “We’ve seen these practices get out of hand the last couple of years here and then around the league. We want to be smart and use it as an opportunity to improve our football team, and I’m sure Green Bay feels the same way.”

The Packers already completed one round of joint practices with the Cincinnati Bengals last week, and post-whistle scuffling was a problem in those. A practice last Wednesday featured two separate fights, both involving Green Bay guard Elgton Jenkins.

When you put 180 players together on a practice field, all of whom have spent weeks matching up against the same teammates, tempers are bound to flare. But Slater wants to ensure a bit of shoving and trash-talking doesn’t devolve into fists flying.

“I expect us to go in there and get some quality work,” he said. “I expect them to demonstrate a lot of professionalism, and we’ll do the same. We’ll take this opportunity and challenge our football team to grow.”