FOXBORO -- About 24 hours before the Patriots donned pads for the first time in training camp, things got a little heated.
After a run-of-the-mill handoff to Rhamondre Stevenson during an 11-on-11 period -- the play looked like it was blown up for no gain by defensive tackle Daniel Ekuale -- there was a brief skirmish between the offense and defense. David Andrews lost his helmet. Sidy Sow had to readjust his shoulder pads. Chukwuma Okorafor and Davon Godchaux were near the center of the pushing and shoving.
And things continued to get a little loose from there.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Boston sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
After a pair of Jacoby Brissett incompletions, Deatrich Wise seemed to contact Brissett in the backfield as the quarterback began his throwing motion. That's a no-no with passers in red jerseys, and Wise acknowledged as much after the play, tapping his chest and raising his hand as if to say, "My fault."
Two plays later, with Drake Maye on the field, it looked like the offense had a substitution issue and had to re-huddle. Moments later, rookie guard Layden Robinson committed a false start penalty and had to be sent for a lap.
It was a stretch worth noting, in part, because new head coach Jerod Mayo handled it differently than his predecessor might have.
MORE PATRIOTS
In previous years, when camp practices inevitably got a little too physical or disorganized, Bill Belichick would often gather the team and emphatically remind them of his expectations. There were moments when he would send the entire roster, coaches included, for a lap or two just to send a message.
Mayo handled things differently Sunday. The practice continued and things eventually tightened up without a stop in the action. During the next competitive period, Brissett and Maye combined to complete six of their next seven attempts, with the one incompletion coming as a result of a K.J. Osborn drop.
It's too early in Mayo's tenure to judge from afar which way is the right way of doing things when practices get sideways. But the way in which he approached things Sunday felt different for the Patriots, allowing players to get themselves in line in real time.
Will that continue when pads come on Monday if and when a similar situation presents itself?
If so, add it to the list of camp elements -- including later start times, music throughout and more competitive team periods -- Mayo may handle differently than his old boss.
Stock Up
Javon Baker, wide receiver
For the third straight day, the rookie receiver out of Central Florida lands in our Stock Up column. And Sunday might've been his best day yet.
He started slow, not looking for a back-shoulder attempt from Jacoby Brissett during 1-on-1s, but he heated up from there. Later in the same 1-on-1 period, Baker put a nifty move on Christian Gonzalez on a deep over route for a long gain. A few plays later, he beat Mikey Victor and laid out to make a diving grab on a Jacoby Brissett pass deep down the left sideline.
Later, in 11-on-11 work, Baker reeled in a crossing route from Drake Maye that looked like it would've been a long catch-and-run in a live situation. If Baker can continue to make explosive plays in practice -- he hauled in the longest play of the day on Friday, catching a touchdown on a 60-yard throw from Joe Milton -- he may end up a contributing piece to the Patriots offense sooner than his fourth-round pedigree would suggest.
Deatrich Wise, defensive end
While Wise may have gotten a little too close to Brissett on one rep, he still did actually get close to the quarterback. That's the goal. And it was one of two would-be sacks for Wise in the practice. He had another later in the session where both he and Ekuale got into the backfield early on. Brissett eventually dumped it off to Antonio Gibson, but had the rep been live, he likely would've been swallowed up by Wise's long arms.
Wise also had a pass batted at the line of scrimmage. He was third on the team in pressures last season, per Pro Football Focus, and though a few camp practices looks like he has a chance to be one of their most disruptive players up front yet again.
Antonio Gibson, running back
Speaking of Gibson... He is officially off the non-football injury list after participating in his first training camp practice as a member of the Patriots. The veteran running back showed good quickness at times, putting a move on linebacker Jahlani Tavai in 1-on-1s that would've led to a holding penalty.
With Gibson healthy and available, he should see time ahead of most other backs on the roster other than Rhamondre Stevenson. There will be plenty of work to go around for players at that position when pads are introduced -- and when the running game becomes more of a focus -- on Monday.
Stock Down
Patriots offensive line
For the second time in the last three practices, the big boys up front for the Patriots offense land in the Stock Down column. Layden Robinson's false start and subsequent lap might've been the most obvious of their miscues, but there were others. There appeared to be multiple run-stuffs, three sacks, and Atonio Mafi fired two wayward snaps back to Bailey Zappe late in the practice.
For the second consecutive day, the Patriots started the day with Caedan Wallace at left tackle with Chukwuma Okorafor on the opposite end of the line at right tackle. We'll see if this unit can generate a little more positive momentum -- and get closer to discovering their top-five grouping -- with the pads on.
K.J. Osborn, wide receiver
There was a play during a late 7-on-7 period where it looked as though Drake Maye made a good decision to try to protect one of his wideouts. Throwing a slant to Osborn, Maye appeared to try to lead his receiver away from linebacker Jahlani Tavai who was looming in the middle of the field. The pass was on Osborn's back shoulder pad but catchable. It ricocheted off its intended target and fell incomplete.
Another attempt to Osborn, this one during 11-on-11 work, was broken up by Alex Austin. Osborn also had the football punched out of his grasp by Brenden Schooler during a ball-security drill.
It wasn't all bad for the veteran free-agent add, though. He flashed his hands late to catch an in-the-bucket throw from Brissett during 1-on-1s. He also got a step on Marcus Jones deep down the field and might've had a long gain had Maye not overthrown him by a yard or two.
Joe Milton, quarterback
After two practices in the Stock Up column, Milton seemed to have a tougher day Sunday. He completed just one of his first five competitive attempts. In that stretch, on back-to-back passes, Milton gifted an interception to linebacker Joe Giles-Harris who was lurking underneath near the line of scrimmage.
Moments later, Milton sailed a throw to tight end La'Michael Pettway that probably should've been caught but was zipped unnecessarily over Pettway's head.
Milton and Bailey Zappe split competitive reps today, each getting nine snaps total in 11-on-11 and 7-on-7 periods.