Patriots Blog: LaFell Turns Heads With Great Catch On Deep Ball
FOXBORO (CBS) -- Week 2 of training camp is in full swing, and this is where the evaluation begins for the New England Patriots.
Head coach Bill Belichick said in his morning press conference on Tuesday that it's time to start filling seats on the bus. There are only so many positions on the roster, so players will have to start making an impression now.
- Drill of the day on Tuesday: The Pats did a new drill to which no one had seen before. Players laid on their backs, head to head. One player has the ball the other is the defender. The whistle blows and they have to get up and the player with the ball has to try to get past the defender. It was a very physical drill that brought a ton of excitement from the crowd.
- Play of the day on Tuesday: Newcomer Brandon Lafell beat two defenders for a great catch on a deep ball. He's starting to get more and more comfortable with the plays, and is showing that he could be a solid addition to this team.
LaFell Talks Catch, Learning Patriots' System:
- Alfonzo Dennard was in uniform and made his first appearance of camp after being activated from the PUP. He seemed to jump right in.
- Former Pats offensive coordinator Charlie Weiss was on hand. He watched and then afterwards had words with Tom Brady.
Gronk Talks Again
For the second time this training camp, Rob Gronkowski spoke to the media. He talked about staying focused and listening to the trainers --which is nothing new. Maybe the biggest take away was the honesty on his status.
Gronkowski mentioned that he's been able to put more and more weight on his leg. He has not seen any contact drills this camp, but he's been off to the side and worked one-on-one with Tom Brady and Darrelle Revis.
Next up for Gronk is lining up on the contact drills and beating his man off the line. He also said he needs to take a couple of hits in practice before getting hit in a game.
Gronkowski also said he understands that players may target his legs to get him down. He knows he has to do a much better job of protecting himself, while staying physical in every play.
I think that is something that we can all agree.
Tommy Kelly Ready To Practice
Tommy Kelly had an interesting conversation with the media on Tuesday. The defensive tackle is never one to mince words, but he's always honest and respectful.
Kelly is coming back from a knee injury and he hasn't seen any action yet in practice. The D-lineman says he gets that the staff is being cautious and they have his best interest in mind, but he also said he feels great and needs to get out there and be part of the mix.
Kelly mentioned that as a veteran, he can't just roll out of bed and play. He needs to mix it up and work on his technique, which is the major reason why he loves practicing.
Let's hope he can get out there soon. Tommy Kelly is a good guy and solid player, and it would be a shame if inactivity makes him a camp casualty.
Follow Levan Reid on Twitter @LevanReid.
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