Top pick Wynn eager to jump in line
FOXBORO — On Thursday night, several Patriots rookies officially achieved their NFL dreams.
Running back Ralph Webb scored two touchdowns and a pair of twopoint conversions. Linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley was all over the field, recording six tackles, two for a loss. Quarterback Danny Etling threw only five passes (and lost a fumble), but still said his first taste of NFL action was a “pretty awesome moment.”
And then there’s offensive tackle Isaiah Wynn, the team’s top pick at No. 21 overall. Wynn surprisingly did not play in the preseason opener against the Washington Redskins.
“I knew that was going to be the case,” Wynn said yesterday. “Coach (Bill Belichick) talked to me about it.”
And the reason for it? “You’d have to ask him,” Wynn said. “That’s something for him.”
Interestingly, Wynn experienced an uptick in snaps over the past two practices. While he spent the first few weeks of training camp as the backup to left tackle Trent Brown, Wynn recently has been in a rotation with LaAdrian Waddle at right tackle. The starter at that spot, Marcus Cannon, is out due to injury.
Wynn has no experience playing on the right side, and acknowledged there is an adjustment involved.
“You get so dominant with your left,” Wynn said. “It’s like if you’re right handed, then try writing with your left.”
Wynn believes he’s made progress, and is eager to get in a game.
“Yeah, of course, just to see where I level up and see how far I’ve come since the beginning of camp, since the beginning of OTAs,” Wynn said. “I’m anxious.”
Davis shows promise
Second-year defensive end Keionta Davis has worked his way into the rotation at defensive end, taking a significant number of reps on the left side. He also works as an interior rusher in sub-defenses.
Davis went undrafted out of Tennessee-Chattanooga after doctors discovered a bulging disc in his back. Davis, who could have gone in the middle-to-late rounds of the 2017 draft, remained unsigned until the Patriots inked him last August. They carried him on the roster through the summer before moving him to the non-football injury list.
After sitting out all of last season, Davis is pushing for a roster spot.
“He’s made a lot of progress,” Belichick said. “He’s a versatile player, has got good physical skills, played well at Chattanooga. As you said, he didn’t really get a chance to do much last year other than train, but he’s trained hard, he’s in good condition, he’s getting his timing and reps back on the football side of it.”
Davis still learned during his rookie season.
“Being around these guys,” he said, “like Adam (Butler) and Deatrich (Wise), then the older guys like (Dont’a) Hightower and Trey Flowers, them teaching me the game as much as possible, and just listening to the coaches and sitting in on meetings, learning plays, learning techniques. It was really about just being a sponge.”
Davis played 24 snaps in the preseason opener.
Jones moves up
Third-year cornerback Jonathan Jones is making up for lost time. Jones spent the beginning of training camp on the physically-unable-to-perform list (PUP), and has emerged as the top option at slot corner in recent practices.
This shouldn’t come as a surprise. Jones made strides in his second season before landing on injured reserve with an ankle injury following the AFC divisional round win over Tennessee. He’s undersized at 5-foot-10, 190 pounds, but possesses the requisite speed and agility to match up with slot receivers.
After coming off the PUP last week, Jones is “just trying to get back into the groove. (I’m) trying to improve, trying to catch with up these guys. They’ve been working, working really hard, and just trying to get in with them and compete. You have to show up and compete and I’ve been working in rehab, and playing football is different, so getting out here and actually getting a chance to play football is a good feeling.”
Another wrinkle in the cornerback battle: On his 31st birthday, Jason McCourty received the majority of reps at the No. 2 spot opposite Stephon Gilmore. In previous practices, Eric Rowe was in that spot.
McCourty made the most of his opportunity, intercepting a Tom Brady pass in one-on-one drills. The pass was intended for receiver Phillip Dorsett, who failed to make a play on the ball.
Injury update
Running back Sony Michel, running back Rex Burkhead, offensive tackle Marcus Cannon, wide receiver Matthew Slater and linebacker Harvey Langi missed practice. Michel and Cannon have been absent for seven straight.
Wide receivers Kenny Britt and Cordarrelle Patterson did not participate in one-on-one sessions or team drills. Patterson spent the entire practice on the lower field, which is designated for players rehabbing from injury. This was his first time on the lower field.
Defensive end Trey Flowers remained limited and did not participate in team or positional drills.
Rookie corner Duke Dawson exited early and headed to the lower field.