Harmon values team’s support
PATRIOTS NOTEBOOK
FOXBORO — Duron Harmon said he’s learned a lot in wake of the March incident in which he was denied entry into Costa Rica for trying to bring marijuana into the country.
He was appreciative of the organization’s support, but he also knows he could have made a better choice.
“It was a dumb incident. I definitely could have not been in that incident,” Harmon said. “The whole organization — players, everybody — has been supportive, letting me know they have my back. It’s been easier to get through, knowing you have the support from Mr. (Robert) Kraft, coach (Bill) Belichick and the rest of team.”
Harmon also understands, having been voted a captain for the first time last season, how those kind of mistakes can’t happen.
“As a captain last year, I’m looked at as a leader. I’m looked at as someone who is supposed to think before I do a lot of things,” Harmon said. “At that moment, I didn’t think.
“I know I’m not on the same microscope as everybody else . . . . I’m on a different microscope than other people on my team, because I’m looked upon to lead. It’s an incident I’ve learned dramatically from, and continue to show growth and leadership from.”
Harmon gave up his No. 30 to Jason McCourty and is now wearing the No. 21 jersey previously worn by Malcolm Butler. Why did he choose Butler’s number?
“There is no story really, I just wanted a change after the Super Bowl. I was looking at where I was as a player and as a person and I just thought it was the point for me to change,” he said. “Once Jason got here, it was just kind of a voice to let me know it was certain to be. So I just went on and gave the number to Jason and literally 21 was the best-looking number we had to offer so I just went with that.”
Harmon, meanwhile, wasn’t bothered by the absences of Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski.
“Every year there are a few people who don’t come. You wish everybody was here, but it is what it is,” he said. “We have to focus on who is here, we have to focus on getting better and that is what we are trying to do. When they come they come, but right now we have to focus on what needs to be focused on and that is getting better every day.
“I know those guys personally, whether they are here on not they are getting everything they have to get ready for the football season,” he went on. “All we can do literally is focus on what we can focus on right now, and that is coming out here and improve each and every day and get better and worry about the guys we have here right now.”
Along with Brady and Gronkowski, there were several others missing — including wide receiver Malcolm Mitchell, who was present on Monday but wasn’t yesterday. Also not present on the field were defensive backs David Jones and Jonathan Jones, running back Brandon Bolden, linebacker Dont’a Hightower, offensive lineman Joe Thuney, wide receiver Cody Hollister and defensive lineman Trey Flowers.
Squirrel nugget
Wide receiver Julian Edelman was a limited participant. He took some punts and did a few offensive drills. Coming back from ACL surgery, he looked pretty good.
“It’s been amazing man, the little squirrel with his competitiveness and him getting him back out there,” Harmon said of Edelman. “Having him out there brings leadership to this team, he brings excitement to this team and he brings an aggressive nature to this team. Having him out here makes the team better.”
Good early signals
Rookie quarterback Danny Etling, the seventhround pick out of LSU, was poised in the pocket during his second OTA session.
“I’m just trying to take it one day at a time, one meeting at a time, one snap at a time, continue to try and progress and learn the system and just keep trying to work hard and try and become the player that I want to be,” said Etling. “The main thing is just being more consistent.”
With Brady absent, Etling’s been getting his pointers from backup Brian Hoyer.
“He’s been great so far,” Etling said. “He’s been pulling me aside when I can and when we run a rep or run a play or have a meeting, just giving me helpful advice, just continuing on how to operate the system and how to become more consistent and how to do my job better.”