5 standouts from Patriots training camp practice with Eagles

The New England Patriots opened up their pair of scheduled joint training camp practices with the Philadelphia Eagles on Wednesday.

Fans of the team can probably remember how bad things were the last time the Patriots and Eagles met up for joint practices. New England‘s offense was getting dominated so badly that they could barely even get a play off.

It’s amazing how much can change in two years.

The Patriots’ offense rolled with quarterback Drake Maye under center, and the defense forced multiple turnovers during the competitive team period. An entire summer of iron sharpening iron, with the Patriots’ elite defense going head-to-head with the significantly improved offense, paid off in a major way.

Here are the five standouts from Day 19 of training camp practice:

Patriots quarterback Drake Maye was on a heater at Wednesday’s training camp practice. At one point, Maye had 13 straight completions against the Eagles’ defense. He ultimately finished the practice going 16-of-19, throwing into the teeth of one of the best defenses in the NFL. This did not look like the same Patriots offense that imploded in the Super Bowl last season.

A.J. Brown looked like the best wide receiver on the football field. The three-time All-Pro wide receiver caught all nine of his targets during the competitive team period. He bedeviled his former teammates throughout the entire practice and showed why he’s still one of the best in the league.

Patriots second-year safety Craig Woodson got his hands on two interceptions at Wednesday’s practice. The Patriots’ secondary, including Woodson, made life difficult for Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, who turned the ball over three times during the practice. Kevin Byard, who led the league in interceptions last season, had to be happy watching his young teammate generate multiple takeaways.

This practice was a solid test for the Patriots’ offensive line, which has parts from the same unit that got rolled on in the Super Bowl. It was a solid day overall for the blocking up front. The running game got going early during the 11-on-11 team period, and Maye had more time to throw from the pocket.

Will Campbell has clearly improved on the left side, and Jared Wilson has been better since moving back to center. The team also signed former first-round pick guard Alijah Vera-Tucker in the offseason. New England’s offensive line is no longer a pushover.

Patriots kicker Andy Borregales has looked better with Julian Ashby back at long snapper. The second-year specialist missed three field goals in last week’s preseason opener against the Indianapolis Colts with Ashby out of the game. However, he went 4-for-5 kicking at Wednesday’s practice, along with capping off a pair of two-minute drills with makes from around 53 yards and 57 yards.

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This article originally appeared on Patriots Wire: 5 standouts from Patriots training camp practice with Eagles