Pats deal for Ravens’ rookie corner Wade
The Patriots acquired Ravens rookie cornerback Shaun Wade via trade Thursday, a league source confirmed to the Herald.
Wade, a fifth-round pick out of Ohio State, was considered a roster bubble candidate in Baltimore. The Ravens are loaded at cornerback, where they field one of the league’s best trios with Marlon Humphrey, Marcus Peters and Tavon Young. The Pats sent a 2022 seventh-round pick and a 2023 fifth-rounder back to Baltimore, per multiple reports.
Wade is expected to help the Patriots alleviate their depth woes, with the ongoing absence of two-time AllPro Stephon Gilmore and possibly top nickelback Jonathan Jones, who left Thursday’s practice with an apparent injury. Without Gilmore and Jones, the Pats have fielded J.C. Jackson and
Joejuan Williams at outside corner and tasked newcomer Jalen Mills with covering the slot. Williams is expected to be on the Patriots’ roster bubble.
Wade was a consensus All-American in his last season at Ohio State, where he led the Buckeyes with two interceptions and four pass breakups. Scouts saw a decline in his play from 2019, when he broke out as a sophomore starter recording an interception, two forced fumbles and eight pass breakups. He stands at 6-foot-1 and 195 pounds and would fill the roster spot vacated by running back
Sony Michel, who was traded to the Rams on Tuesday.
It’s unclear whether the Patriots view Wade, 22, as an outside corner or nickelback. He produced his best college tape covering the slot and then struggled defending the perimeter in 2020.
Still, Wade would presumably vault all of the Patriots’ backup corners on the current depth chart: Michael Jackson, Dee Virgin, D’Angelo Ross and potentially Williams, a 2019 secondround pick. According to Pro Football Focus, Wade has taken 25 coverage snaps during the preseason and allowed a QB rating of 0.0. He also snatched one interception against the Saints last week.
The NFL Network first reported Wade’s trade to New England.
Belichick mum on QB timetable decision
Hurry up and wait.
To all those waiting on Bill Belichick to name a starting quarterback for the Patriots’ season opener against Miami in two and a half weeks, that is the coach’s best advice.
“I don’t have a timetable on that, so can’t tell you,” Belichick said during a morning press conference Thursday. “I’m not sure. Not sure exactly how that will go.”
Cam Newton returned to practice Thursday after a five-day absence for violating the league’s COVID-19 protocols for players who are not fully vaccinated. His return followed the most impressive performance by a Patriots quarterback all summer Wednesday, when Mac Jones completed 33 of 39 passes during the first of two joint sessions with the Giants.
Newton led off the first team drill in Thursday’s practice, taking three reps before ceding to the rookie,
who also took three reps.
Then Jones struggled mightily during 11-on-11 work, while Newton directed a smooth touchdown drive in limited action. The Patriots will hold their final training camp practice today before Sunday’s preseason finale at the Giants.
Their regular-season opener against Miami is scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 12, at 4:25 p.m. from Gillette Stadium.
Judon, Uche bond growing
By the look of practice Thursday, it would have been easy to mistake Josh Uche for Matt Judon.
Judon, the highest-paid defender in franchise history, was signed last spring to wreak havoc on the edge. The two-time Pro Bowler racked up 54 QB hits over the past two seasons in Baltimore. He’s been a rock so far in New England.
Except Thursday, it was Uche tearing into the backfield. He registered three would-be sacks of Giants quarterback Daniel Jones and drew a holding penalty,
applying the exact type of pressure Judon is expected to bring this year.
After practice, Patriots linebacker Donta’ Hightower shared the two have more in common than their on-field production. They have a budding relationship, one energetic pass rusher rising to meet another.
“(Uche)’s like a little Judon, almost. Honestly, that’s big brother, little brother,” Hightower said. “He brings a lot of energy. A different energy. A younger, generational energy. But I love it. He’s a hard worker. He’s always asking questions. It’s never a dull moment around Uche, I’ll say that.”
Jones studying up on Patriots defense
The Patriots’ offensive playbook is hard enough to learn for veterans and rookies alike. But apparently, that’s not enough for Mac Jones.
According to Hightower, the rookie has been studying the Pats’ defensive system lately to get an insideout understanding of what he’s facing every day in practice.
“He works hard. Real smart dude. He’s going to go over the edge,” Hightower said.
“I’ve been impressed with him in OTAs and how hard he works. Actually found out (Wednesday) he’s been looking at some of the defensive plays so he can kind of conceptually see how he kind of work,” Hightower said. “I give him credit for that, because not a lot of young guys would see that as an opportunity and he did that on his own.”