6 performances of note from the Patriots’ first training camp practice

Here are the players that caught our eye, for better or worse, during the first training camp practice of the summer.

The New England Patriots’ first training camp practice of the summer is in the books, and it was an eventful one. While the team is currently in a “ramp up” stage that neither includes pads nor live tackling, fans were treated to quite a bit of competitive work on Wednesday.

With the team focusing on low red zone work — an area of struggle in 2022 — there were plenty of touchdowns, a lot of good defensive football, and everything in between. With that said, let’s take a look at some performances of note.

RB Ty Montgomery. While he spent much of the day working with the wide receivers, Montgomery continues to be heavily featured regardless of his label. He projects as an offensive jack of all trades, and as such was the most productive pass catcher on Wednesday: the second-year Patriot, who missed most of 2022 with a shoulder injury, was the recipient of four touchdowns. One of those was an impressive contested catch versus rookie Marte Mapu.

TE Hunter Henry. 2022 was a down year for the entire Patriots offense, and Henry was no exception. However, if spring and the first practice of summer are an indication he might be in line for a bounce-back season. On Wednesday, he was heavily involved as part of New England’s two-tight end attack, catching touchdowns from Mac Jones over defensive backs Christian Gonzalez and Kyle Dugger.

G Bill Murray. With starting right guard Michael Onwenu still recovering from offseason ankle surgery — he was placed on the physically unable to perform list last week — the Patriots turned to Bill Murray to fill his spot in the lineup. Players obviously did not wear full pads yet, so there is no way to full evaluate his performance. However, the fact that he lined up with the starters is a positive for a player who moved from defense to offense just one year ago and has received plenty of praise for his work at the new position.

WR Demario Douglas. At one point during the session, starting quarterback Mac Jones spent some time with the Patriots’ top receiving options. Also with them was sixth-round rookie Demario Douglas. While that in itself might not be a sign of things to come, it was noteworthy to see him among the likes of JuJu Smith-Schuster, DeVante Parker, and company — especially after Douglas already looked solid during spring practices. At this early point, he appears to be a frontrunner for the fifth wide receiver spot.

CB Myles Bryant. The Patriots brought Bryant back as a restricted free agent earlier this offseason, and he was running with the starting defense on Wednesday. His status as the top slot cornerback was noteworthy, but the fourth-year man also performed well. He had a pass breakup when he beat Tyquan Thornton at the catch point, and also showed some nice chemistry with rookie outside cornerback Christian Gonzalez on one rep.

QB Trace McSorley. Whereas the first five players all made this list due to their positive contributions, Trace McSorley stood out for different reasons. It was only one practice, sure, but the third-string quarterback did not have his best day. The free agency acquisition, who is competing for a practice squad spot, was all over the place on his 10 combined passing attempts in team drills. Not the start you would want from a roster bubble player.

Other players worth mentioning include safety Kyle Dugger, who recorded an interception on Mac Jones’ first pass in competitive team drills, as well as Christian Gonzalez. The Patriots’ first-round pick once again saw extensive action with the top defense, lining up as an outside cornerback.

He and the rest of the team will be back on the practice fields on Thursday morning for another 9:30 a.m. ET session.