Tag: Ty Montgomery

5 takeaways from Day 2 of Patriots training camp practice

5 takeaways from Day 2 of Patriots training camp

The New England Patriots were back on the practice field on Thursday for Day 2 of training camp.

In many ways, it felt like a carryover from Wednesday’s practice with the team focusing more on red zone work. Coach Bill Belichick mentioned the first week was an extension of minicamp and OTAs, but the team is expected to up the intensity and bring out the pads next week.

The story of the day was once again about the defense dominating. Granted, quarterback Mac Jones and the offense had a few nice plays in 11-on-11s, but for the most part, they struggled against a stingy Patriots defense that appeared tough to fend off at every level.

Here are six takeaways from Day 2 of Patriots training camp:

Rhamondre Stevenson highly underrated in Patriots Madden 24 RB ratings

Madden definitely got this one wrong with Rhamondre Stevenson

Player ratings for EA Sports’ “Madden NFL 24” have been trickling out, and New England Patriots fans are already upset with the overall rating given to running back Rhamondre Stevenson.

The Patriots’ lead back was given an 80 rating, despite rushing for 1,040 yards and five touchdowns last season. He also hauled in 69 receptions for 421 yards and one touchdown.

Not only did Stevenson not rank in the top-20 of rated NFL running backs, but he almost fell to 30th in the league as officially the 28th-ranked running back in the entire game.

Ouch.

To make matters worse, the game even has rookie Bijan Robinson rated ahead of him, even though the former Texas standout has yet to take his first official NFL snap. Make it make sense, somebody?

Stevenson will have a chance to show the game creators just how wrong they are when suiting up for his third season as the official starter for the Patriots.

James Robinson is also listed as a Patriot, but he was waived by the team back in June. So keep that in mind when perusing these official running back ratings for New England.

3 fantasy football sleepers for Patriots in 2023

Here are three potential fantasy football sleepers for the Patriots

There are three New England Patriots players that offer some high upside that fans may want to snag later in fantasy football drafts.

Like I mentioned in a previous article, there is no need to select them all, but grabbing one at the end of the draft might be a smart play in deeper leagues.

The Patriots have a history of having low fantasy numbers for their skill players, but with Bill O’Brien back in the fold, the three players on this list might offer some higher upside if the offense ends up clicking in 2023.

I wouldn’t consider drafting these players as more than bench players for fantasy. I’d also lean towards taking them after Round 10, if possible.

Here are three fantasy football sleepers for the Patriots:

10 biggest OTAs and minicamp standouts for Patriots

Who stood out the most for the Patriots during the spring practices?

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:

Reading the room: Evaluating running backs on Patriots’ roster

Not having Damien Harris on the roster opens the door for a new star to emerge at the Patriots’ running back position.

After the departure of Damien Harris, the New England Patriots have a wide open running backs room behind budding star Rhamondre Stevenson.

Some teams like similar scheme fit running backs, and some like having situational backs who have different roles. Meanwhile, other teams like clones of their top guy so the game plan stays the same.

It’ll be hard to predict just exactly what the Patriots do, but one thing is for sure: They like to have variety and flexibility. This is why we started this series. It was so we could look at the position group with a wider lens, rather than just wanting four running backs on the roster.

Today, we’re diving into what roles the running backs play and why the Patriots philosophically have them on the roster in 2023.

3 unexpected Patriots players who could make a big impact in 2023

Here are three Patriots players you should be keeping an eye on in 2023.

There is still hope that the New England Patriots will add to their wide receiver core by signing former All-Pro wideout DeAndre Hopkins, as they have been long linked to him since rumors first began on his availability.

Whether that’s a mere dream or reality is up for debate. But one thing we do know is there are some under-the-radar players currently on the roster that could end up making a big impact in 2023.

These players aren’t being talked about enough, and that could all change at some point this season. A breakout showing from any of the players on this list would do wonders for the Patriots and their playoff chances.

5 leftover notes and highlights from Patriots’ OTAs on Wednesday

Wednesday’s open OTAs session for the Patriots didn’t disappoint.

The smell of football was in the air on Wednesday as the New England Patriots opened up their first OTAs practice to media members.

It was the first real opportunity for outsiders to see the players on the 2023 roster practice against one another on the field.

No, it wasn’t a padded practice, but given the many changes the Patriots have endured in the offseason, both with coaching and player personnel, it was exciting to get a sneak peek ahead of training camp later this summer.

There were 11 players that were held out of practice, including rookie first-round draft pick Christian Gonzalez. So those hoping to get a close-up of the No. 17 overall pick of the 2023 NFL draft will have to wait a little while longer.

Here are five takeaways from Wednesday’s OTAs practice:

5 under-the-radar Patriots players that could break out in 2023

Don’t sleep on these five Patriots players for a big 2023 season.

The New England Patriots might have the hardest schedule in the NFL, but they also have the league’s most intriguing roster heading into the 2023 regular season.

That isn’t to suggest they’re going to be the most talented group right out of the gates. They could ultimately fall flat, lose the AFC East division and miss the postseason for a second consecutive year.

But in terms of the acquired new talent and potential for growth from previous talent, the Patriots are quietly in a position to make some noise if they put the pieces together on the football field.

We’re dealing with the latter today and pinpointing those not-so-obvious areas of potential growth for the Patriots. Here are five of the team’s under-the-radar breakout candidates:

Ivan Fears has high expectations for Patriots RB Ty Montgomery

Former Patriots RB coach Ivan Fears sees a defined role for Ty Montgomery in New England.

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The New England Patriots need all hands on deck for the 2023 season, and that includes running back Ty Montgomery.

Montgomery was thought of as a potential key piece for the running back room last season, but his year was cut short when he suffered a knee injury in Week 1 against the Miami Dolphins. It ended up being a season-ending injury, and he was placed on injured reserve.

Montgomery’s return will be a welcome development for Rhamondre Stevenson, who was forced to carry most of the load in 2022. Stevenson exceeded 90 percent of the snaps three times over the course of the season.

The Patriots will have several capable backs in the room in addition to Stevenson. The addition of James Robinson in free agency and Montgomery should provide New England with the versatility and depth they didn’t have last season.

Former running backs coach Ivan Fears is optimistic about Montgomery’s return to the organization, as he spoke about it on the “6 Rings & Football Things” podcast, as transcribed by Mike Reiss.

“I think he has a great chance to be the third-down back and take some of the load off Rhamondre [Stevenson], so [Rhamondre] can be fresh when we really need him on first and second down carrying the ball as the featured guy,” said Fears. “We need some help for Rhamondre, and I think Ty is looking really good right now. He’s healthy.”

Montgomery’s role will be an intriguing one, as he tries to work his way back from injury and into the rotation fully.

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Patriots reportedly working with specific group of RBs at Shrine Bowl

The Patriots reportedly wanted to work with a certain group of running backs at the Shrine Bowl.

The New England Patriots’ coaching staff is busy at work helping with the Shrine Bowl. They are also reportedly looking at a specific type of running back for the future.

New England reportedly wanted to coach scat-back type running backs. Those backs were assigned to New England’s West team, and the bigger backs were assigned to the East team, which is led by the Atlanta Falcons.

This would certainly be a departure from what New England has looked for in recent years at the position. Damien Harris is more of a physical running back, while Rhamondre Stevenson is an all-around back.

New England does have depth at the position. However, the depth is questionable in terms of injuries and experience. Ty Montgomery suffered a season-ending injury in Week 1, while rookie Pierre Strong Jr. had 10 carries but did not develop a permanent role in the backfield.

This could represent a style shift, as offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien takes over the unit.

Scat backs are becoming more prevalent in the NFL, as more teams gravitate towards offensive playmakers. New England’s work with them during the Shrine Bowl may give us a hint into what the organization’s draft plans are in April.

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