7 performances of note from the Patriots’ eighth training camp practice

Here are the players that caught our eye, for better or worse, during the Patriots’ eighth training camp practice on Thursday.

Putting on full pads for a second straight day, the New England Patriots held another competitive and physical practice on Thursday. The offense looked solid yet again, with the defense offering plenty of resistance at times.

All in all, it was an entertaining session yet again — one that saw quite a few standout performances, for better or worse.

K Chad Ryland: The Patriots’ rookie kicker had a bad miss to end his last session of extended action on Tuesday, but he bounced back in style on Thursday. He went a perfect 9-for-9 from our perspective, with a long from around 45 yards out. His leg strength is obvious when compared to incumbent Nick Folk.

WR Malik Cunningham: Former college quarterback Malik Cunningham has had a quiet camp so far while learning another position. On Thursday, however, he had some good moments. He won both of his 1-on-1s — including one against Christian Gonzalez — and also pinned the ball deep at one point as a gunner on a punt drill.

WR Kendrick Bourne: While he is not lighting up the stat sheet yet, Bourne appears to be trending in the right direction after a rather quiet start to camp. He won his 1-on-1s against Myles Bryant and Quandre Mosley, and later caught three passes in 11-on-11s. Among those was an impressive toe-tap catch against Christian Gonzalez, even though the rookie seemingly losing his footing helped. Nonetheless, the arrow is pointing up for Bourne.

WR Demario Douglas: Rinse, repeat. Every day Douglas continues to build an even stronger case for the 53-man roster. On Thursday, he won both of his 1-on-1 reps against Marcus Jones before showcasing his trademark elusiveness in a tackling drill. Then, he went on to catch three passes in team drills. At this point, it’s business as usual for the rookie.

G Atonio Mafi: The Patriots’ fifth-round draft pick has looked good since pads came on earlier this week, and Thursday was more of the same. Not only was he a part of the starting offensive line again, filling the right guard spot usually occupied by Michael Onwenu, he also had a clean win versus Davon Godchaux in 1-on-1s.

G Bill Murray: Before Mafi took over as the top right guard, with Kody Russey on the left side, that role was filled by Bill Murray. A rough day on Wednesday that included losses in both his 1-on-1s saw him lose his spot in the starting lineup. How would he respond? Not particularly well, unfortunately. He ended up on the ground against Daniel Ekuale in 1-on-1s, and remained exclusively with the twos up front.

CB Jack Jones: You can add another chapter to what has been a disconcerting offseason for the second-year cornerback. After giving up a catch to Kendrick Bourne, Jones briefly chatted with cornerbacks coach Mike Pellegrino before seemingly voluntarily departing practice. It did not appear that Jones suffered any injury, nor that he was kicked out, because he was back on the sidelines about 20 minutes later to observe the rest of the session.

Also worth mentioning are Keion White, Isaiah Bolden and JuJu Smith-Schuster. White has elevated his game since pads come on, and he provided consistent pressure on Thursday; Bolden saw reps with the starting secondary after Jack Jones’ departure, breaking up a pass intended for DeVante Parker; Smith-Schuster continued to be his usual productive self and one of Mac Jones’ favorite targets.

The Patriots will be back for another day of work on Friday for their annual in-stadium practice. That one is not open for the general public, though, with only Foxborough residents and season ticket holders allowed in. Based on years past, they will likely see a lower-speed scrimmage.