Rookie a little out there
Injuries limit Mitchell’s chance to show stuff
PATRIOTS NOTEBOOK
FOXBORO — Malcolm Mitchell’s foundation is rich with resources essential for long-term success.
But as the Patriots wide receiver learned through the first half of his rookie season, it takes awhile to build a complete product.
The fourth-round pick has six catches for 82 yards but hasn’t caught a pass since Week 5, partly because of his place on the depth chart but also because he was held out against the Bills with a hamstring injury.
Patriots wide receivers coach Chad O’Shea has been pleased with Mitchell’s start but explained the injuries have held him back.
“I think the first thing is Malcolm just needs to be out there consistently,” O’Shea said. “He’s had a couple injuries, so it’s more so of him just being out there consistently because he does have a lot of the things that we covet as a wide receiver here in New England. He is smart. He works hard. He has got great ball skills. He is a good route-runner. There are a lot of things that are very positive about Malcolm. He just needs to be out there consistently for those things to show up.”
Mitchell missed a day here and there in training camp, and he injured his hamstring against the Browns, which limited his practice availability the past three weeks. He started off fairly well with four catches for 75 yards in his first three games but has been limited to two receptions for 7 yards since.
Like any rookie receiver, Mitchell knew the system would be tough to master.
“It was challenging, as it should be,” he said. “You give it all you’ve got, and I think if you do that, you’ll put yourself in the best situation to win.
“I try to go out there and do the best I can every play. If I make a mistake, it’s not because I’m not trying. I just have to not make any.”
NU man in town
Tight end Matt Lengel hopes his second tour of the Bay State lasts longer than the first.
Lengel, who was signed off the Bengals practice squad yesterday, played for Northeastern’s final football team in 2009 before the program folded. So he skipped town after the first semester of his freshman year to play for Eastern Kentucky.
“It was great,” Lengel said of his time in Boston. “I loved it. I enjoyed it. The city was great. Right where Northeastern is was a great area of Boston. It was exciting. My parents loved it. They loved coming up to games and everything and fell in love with the area.”
Lengel isn’t unfamiliar with the Patriots. In Week 6, he worked as Rob Gronkowski for the Bengals scout team, and now he’ll learn first-hand from the man himself during his mandatory three-week stay on the Pats’ 53-man roster.
“When you want to improve your game, you kind of see what other guys do, and you want to take little bits and pieces from guys’ games who have proven to be successful,” said Lengel, who is on an active roster for the first time in his twoyear career.
“I tried to do that a little bit with Tyler ( Eifert in Cincinnati), and I was trying to replicate Gronk as well as I could because obviously he is what he is. I tried to watch him and take a couple things when I was there to help out the defense, what he would do, his head movements and all that kind of stuff.
“Just tried to help out the defense as much as possible, but it helps me out, too.”
Hogan calls in sick
Wide receiver Chris Hogan missed practice because of an illness, according to a source. Since it was the final workout of the bye week, the Patriots told him to stay home and rest so he also wouldn’t affect any teammates. The players are now off until Monday. . . .
Dion Lewis was again present for practice. Rookie quarterback Jacoby Brissett, who traveled with the team to Buffalo last weekend, wore his jersey to practice but didn’t participate because he is on injured reserve. The Pats want him to observe as much as possible. . . .
The Patriots only practiced for about an hour. Their first practice of the week lasted about 15 minutes Tuesday, so Bill Belichick went easy on them before their vacation.