Burdge: What I'm Watching For In Patriots' Preseason
One big thing I'm looking at during the Patriots' training camp and preseason
By Lucy Burdge – Aug 1, 2022, 8:00pm
NFL training camp is finally underway and it is off to an optimistic start for the Patriots. Bill Belichick spent his summer “relaxing” and Matthew Slater said “you almost feel like a kid going back to school after summer vacation” as he feels the “excitement of a new opportunity, new ch allenges, and the journey that lies ahead.”
As the promise of a brand new season filled the air the first few days of training camp, there is one big thing I'm looking for above everything else during this preseason for New England: the development of Mac Jones.
The quarterback is in his second year and the sophomore slump is something I was a bit concerned about heading into this season. However, Belichick's comments about Jones heading into training camp calmed any worry about that. The Patriots coach stated he has seen “dramatic improvement” in Jones from last season.
“He's made tremendous strides,” Belichick said. “He did a great job last year, but he's starting from a much, much higher point this year from where he started last year. His offseason work has been significant, and I think everyone recognizes how well he prepares and how much further along he was than a year ago.”
You can even hear it in Jones' voice when he spoke to the media at the start of camp. I was struck by how much more mature and confident he sounded in that audio as he becomes more comfortable in his position as a leader on this team.
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