10 biggest OTAs and minicamp standouts for Patriots

The New England Patriots have finished up the last of their spring practices and will be taking the next few weeks off before returning in late July for training camp.

Even though the players weren’t in pads, things clearly got competitive on the practice field. Just ask Anfernee Jennings, Christian Barmore and Cole Strange, who were all involved in a brief dust-up during organized team activities.

We didn’t get a full course meal, but we were able to feast on enough appetizers to know this team is ready for training camp. The defense could be a real juggernaut in 2023, and the additional playmakers, particularly the rookies, could play a major role right out of the gates.

Meanwhile, the offense has shown real strides in the spring practices. This is no longer the predicted train wreck unit is was last year around this time.

Here are the 10 biggest standouts during the spring practices for the Patriots:

Christian Gonzalez

The hype looks to be real for rookie first-round draft pick Christian Gonzalez.

Like so many others, I went into the 2023 NFL draft with the former Oregon defensive standout as the No. 1 cornerback on the board. So it was surprising to still see him sitting there at No. 17 when the Patriots were on the clock. We could one day look back at that pick as one of the biggest steals of the entire draft.

Gonzalez has come as advertised on the practice field with multiple players and even a legend singing his praises. He has size, technique and rare playmaking abilities. How many defensive players can make these kinds of catches?

Marte Mapu

In a league full of athletic freaks, Marte Mapu still feels like a unicorn.

Patriots star linebacker Matthew Judon actually used that word when describing some of the Patriots’ defensive players, including Mapu. The rookie third-round draft pick has worked in at both linebacker and safety during the spring practices.

“It’s his speed and how big he is. He runs like a free safety, but he stands like a linebacker or an edge player,” said Judon, when speaking with media members about Mapu. “That’s another guy that can play on all three levels.”

There could be some stiff competition for McCourty’s vacant free safety spot on the backend of the defense, and despite his youth and inexperience, Mapu could play himself into plenty of on-field opportunities right out of the gates.

Ty Montgomery

After being knocked out of the 2022 season early with injuries, Ty Montgomery returned to spring practices looking absolutely shredded.

He’s obviously been putting in a lot of work behind the scenes, and it’s clearly paying off with him now slotted in as the No. 2 running back behind Rhamondre Stevenson. His presence is a big reason why the Patriots felt so comfortable moving on from James Robinson.

Montgomery has been a reliable security blanket receiver for the quarterbacks on must-have-it downs. The same should hold true during the season as well, while also taking some of the pressure off Stevenson to be the do-everything running back.

Tyquan Thornton

Tyquan Thornton had media members buzzing after getting a taste of what he could potentially look like in his second year as an NFL receiver. He looked much more decisive and confident in his routes, and it all fed into his already explosive playmaking potential.

There was a play at OTAs when he turned on the jet engines and left defensive back Myles Bryant far in the rearview to haul in a long touchdown pass from Mac Jones.

Thornton’s presence on the roster might have been the reason why the Patriots didn’t reach for another receiver high in the 2023 NFL draft. They’re still holding out hope that their second-year wideout can finally take flight on offense,

Health will obviously be something to monitor when it comes to Thornton, who missed minicamp with a “soft tissue injury.”

Mac Jones

This is a make-or-break year for Mac Jones.

There’s no need in dancing around the reality facing the Patriots’ third-year quarterback. The 2022 season was a catastrophe on the offensive side of the ball, but a finger could easily be pointed at the coaching staff with Matt Patricia and Joe Judge running things.

There won’t be any finger-pointing with Bill O’Brien overtaking the offense in 2023. Jones doesn’t have to be the next Tom Brady, but he does need to show significant strides after falling off a cliff last season. Fortunately, things have been leaning in the right direction for the 24-year-old quarterback throughout the spring practices.

He looks more settled in the offense, and there’s already a great comfort level he’s beginning to show with O’Brien’s play-calling. It hasn’t always been perfect on the field. How could it be when Jones is constantly matching up against one of the best defenses in the league?

Yet, the former Alabama product could be well on his way towards a strong bounce-back year with the Patriots.

Jack Jones

Jack Jones’ recent legal drama is even more disappointing considering he’s been one of the Patriots’ most highlighted defensive players on the field this spring.

Christian Gonzalez’s arrival has sort of pushed Jones to the background. But even in the 2022 season, there were flashes that Jones could add something special to the secondary as long as he stayed on the field.

The same has been the case during the spring practices with him showing up with multiple plays on the ball. Jones’ emergence as a standout cornerback even allowed the Patriots to kick Jonathan Jones back into the slot, like the team did when they had Stephon Gilmore and J.C. Jackson flanking the outside a few years back.

Mike Gesicki

Patriots newly-signed tight end Mike Gesicki has found an immediate connection with Mac Jones on the field. That’s a good thing considering the team hoped for something similar with Jonnu Smith, who was traded in the offseason to the Atlanta Falcons.

Gesicki is basically a wide receiver in a tight end’s body. He doesn’t offer much as a blocker, but he can line up and help create mismatches across the board for the Patriots.

Some of the questions at receiver could ultimately be solved by a more productive tight ends room, which Gesicki expects to play a major role in this season.

Bill Murray

With Patriots starting guard Michael Onwenu out, Bill Murray was one of the offensive lineman that stepped up to help fill the void during spring practices. It’s incredible to think that Murray just made the transition from defensive line to the offensive line last summer.

It’s a testament to the hard work he’s put in behind the scenes. Even coach Bill Belichick was singing his praises to media members.

It isn’t just Murray’s potential for growth, but it’s his willingness to do whatever the team needs him to do that is starting to make him a fan favorite on the roster.

Hunter Henry

Along with Mike Gesicki, Hunter Henry has also been making routine plays on the practice field. It’s no surprise considering Henry has been one of Mac Jones’ most reliable receiving targets for the last two seasons.

The hope is that he can be even more effective with Gesicki in the offense. Another serious pass-catching threat at tight end could keep opposing defenses from keying in on him. This being a contract year for Henry should only motivate him in his efforts to bring the Patriots offense back to prominence.

Bill O’Brien’s love for utilizing tight end sets means there will be endless opportunities for Henry and Gesicki to both make plays.

Christian Barmore

Christian Barmore should top any list of potential breakout candidates in 2023. Injuries put a damper on his 2022 season, but there’s no questioning his elite potential when he’s on the field.

Barmore is a handful on the defensive front and could draw double teams, which will open up opportunities for others on the defense. He has been a force on the practice field, batting down passes and battling his way into the offensive backfield for would-be sacks.

That sustained effort this season could birth a new defensive star for the Patriots.

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Story originally appeared on Patriots Wire