Attendance

Good news on the attendance front, as CB Shawn Springs returned to the practice field Monday afternoon. WR Randy Moss was also out there after missing the morning workout.

The long list of absentees included: P Chris Hanson, RB Sammy Morris, LB Paris Lenon, LB Tedy Bruschi, OL Stephen Neal, OL Rich Ohrnberger, OL George Bussey, NT Vince Wilfork, OL Sebastian Vollmer, TE Alex Smith, WR Wes Welker, TE Benjamin Watson, TE Tyson DeVree, DL Myron Pryor, DL Ty Warren, DL Jarvis Green, and DL MikeWright. WR Brandon Tate remains on NFI and OL Mark LeVoir is the lone player left on PUP.

A number of the missing players who were in uniform this morning were most likely not there this afternoon due to managed practice time for the veterans. The lone exception might be Vollmer, who’s only a rookie. He was getting significant reps in the morning practice, so, for his sake, let’s hope nothing serious kept him from taking part this afternoon.

Welker’s extended absence is a bit of an eyebrow-raiser at this point, as is the sudden disappearance of Morris – the latter particularly so in light of the signing today of free agent running back Chris Taylor. We’ll be monitoring their situations closely on Tuesday and into Thursday’s contest against Cincinnati.

Noteworthy plays/observations

* In a one-on-one pass coverage drill, TE David Thomas made a tremendous move to get open against LB Adalius Thomas. Thomas ran about 15 yards into the end zone, with LB Adalius Thomas trailing him by a step. David Thomas head-faked right, then left, before deciding to go right. The linebacker bought what the tight end was selling, and David Thomas made the reception for the score. The juke move worked so well because on their previous encounter, Thomas simply faked left before going right and the other Thomas had him covered perfectly.

* LB Jerod Mayo was unstoppable in the one-on-one pass-rush drill versus the running backs. He bulled his way into the backfield each time his number was called.

* LB Gary Guyton made a nice effort to break up a Tom Brady pass during 11-on-11 work. Brady was trying to find TE Chris Baker on a 10-yard hook pattern to the left hash. Guyton came racing over from the opposite side and extended his arm at the last moment to knock the ball away.

* WR Joey Galloway and QB Kevin O’Connell hooked up for an crowd-pleasing 60-yard touchdown pass during scout team work. Galloway ran a deep post pattern, easily distancing himself from safety Jamar Love. O’Connell saw the open man and lofted a perfect, arching spiral Galloway’s way. The veteran wideout hauled in the pass around the 10-yard line and galloped into the end zone.

* Springs nearly came up with an interception of Brady during the team offense/team defense period. Brady’s intended target was WR Greg Lewis, who was surrounded by three blue jerseys, one of whom was Springs. He jumped in front of Lewis, but the ball bounced off Springs’ hands.

* Later, with Brady back under center running the no-huddle, Galloway dropped what would have been a 30-yard TD pass on the left side of the end zone. The ball simply went through his hands.

* For the second straight day, the weather in Foxborough was oppressively hot and humid, but the Pats continued to practice in full pads. Thankfully, there was not a repeat of Sunday’s session, which saw a number of players either carted off or treated on the sidelines for heat-related issues.

* Tomorrow is the final scheduled day of training camp. Two practices are again on the agenda, starting at 9:30 a.m. and 3:45 p.m., and the weather is again expected to be muggy. The PFW crew will be on-air with PFW in Progress at noon on Patriots.com to recap the Eagles game and the Tuesday morning practice, as well as look ahead to the preseason home opener against the Bengals.

Day 19 of training camp featured another full pads practice – the 17th time in 24 practices the team has been in full gear. The weather remained oppressive with temperatures soaring into the 90s for the second straight day. That was a big topic following the workout after a couple of players had issues dealing with the conditions on Sunday.

-The team announced a few personnel moves immediately after practice. The most noteworthy was the trading of defensive lineman Le Kevin Smith to Denver. Smith was actually in uniform with his teammates but was escorted back to the locker room just before the start of practice after he’d been traded.

Bill Belichick did not indicate specifically what compensation the Patriots would receive in return, but the coach did say it could be related to the Derrick Burgess acquisition from Oakland earlier in camp. Belichick said at the time that the deal would be finalized at a later date, and various reports indicated the Patriots had sent a third- and fourth-round pick to the Raiders with the latter becoming a fifth-rounder if/when the team could acquire one. FoxSports.com reports the deal was Smith and a seventh-round pick to Denver for a fifth-round pick. If that’s the case, the Patriots likely retained the fourth-rounder from the Burgess trade and sent the newly acquired fifth to the Broncos.

-Also, the team signed running back Chris Taylor, who spent parts of two seasons with Houston but has been out of football since last October. The 5-11, 220-pound former Indiana Hoosier has played in seven career games and carried the ball 42 times for 160 yards and a touchdown. With Sammy Morris missing practice the last two days, perhaps Belichick felt Taylor could add some depth in practice. The coach said he’d like to have six running backs in camp and has gotten by with five thus far. Taylor took part in the morning workout.

-To make room for Taylor, the Patriots released cornerback Mike Richardson and also placed wide receiver Shun White on the reserve/military list, where he joined his former Navy teammates Tyree Barnes and Eric Kettani, both of whom participated in spring drills with the Patriots.

-There was a lengthy list of players missing the practice: Chris Hanson, Shawn Springs, Morris, Paris Lenon, Rich Ohrnberger, George Bussey, Randy Moss, Wes Welker, Benjamin Watson, Tyson DeVree, Richard Seymour, Shawn Crable and Mike Wright. Brandon Tate (NFI) and Mark LeVoir (PUP) remained out as well.

-After a scary day on Sunday when Logan Mankins and Rich Ohrnberger had to be taken off the field for heat-related reasons, Mankins was back in action under similar conditions Monday. He joked after practice that he was “alive and well” and had simply suffered from cramps that had his “knees not working.” Much of the post-practice interviews dealt with the intense heat and several players, including Mankins, discussed the need to stay hydrated.
 
-The running game once again was in focus for the morning workout as the team did quite a bit of hitting in 9-on-7 drills and again during the team periods. The practice even closed out with some goal-line work. The defense featured both 4-3 and 3-4 looks with Ty Warren, Vince Wilfork and Jarvis Green manning the front three in the latter. When the Patriots switched to four-man fronts, Myron Pryor was inserted next to Wilfork inside. The drills were also noteworthy because they featured starters against starters, which isn’t always the case during training camp.

-Rookie Sebastian “Sea Bass” Vollmer took some reps at right tackle for the first time I can recall. Vollmer had been getting regular reps on the left side, both in place of Matt Light and behind him with the second group. On Monday he served as the swing tackle, lining up in place of Nick Kaczur on the right side for one play, moving to the left side for the next and then rotating out. Given Belichick’s words about the difficulty of playing both sides earlier in camp, that has to be considered a good sign for the rookie out of Houston.

-The second unit also had some rotating with tackles Wesley Britt and Ryan O’Callaghan working on both sides.

-Tedy Bruschi was back in action for the second straight day. He worked with the second group at inside linebacker next to Eric Alexander while Jerod Mayo and Gary Guyton worked together in earlier reps. Guyton seamed to struggle a bit in the running game, having a difficult time taking on guards and getting off blocks. Most of his work last year was as a sub package cover linebacker so it’s understandable that his adjustment to every-down play may take a while.

-While the 9-on-7 drills are mostly about line play, Fred Taylor looked real sharp while running through some pretty sizable holes. Taylor, who did not play in the preseason opener, also received significant praise from Belichick after practice for his work ethic and preparedness off the field.

-The kickoff and kickoff return units got some work with a variety of players receiving reps as the return men. The pairings included Matthew Slater and Laurence Maroney, Terrence Wheatley and Julian Edelman, Terrence Nunn and Greg Lewis and Kevin Faulk also rotated in throughout.

-There wasn’t a tremendous amount of passing going on but Tom Brady did find some time toss the pigskin a bit. He hit Sam Aiken on a beautiful deep crossing route that was executed to perfection during a team period. Aiken broke open behind a safety and Brady’s pass was already in mid-flight. The wideout made the catch in stride and would have had a sizable gain.

-The goal-line work was hard to monitor considering it took place in the end zone opposite from the media tent (coincidence … I think not). Brady and the offense got off to a good start with a nice play-action touchdown to David Thomas but things were slanted toward the defense from there. Maroney was stuffed off the right side and then Fred Taylor couldn’t find the end zone off left tackle. On the next play, Taylor appeared to be stopped short, again trying to hit it off left tackle. Brady had to go back to the air to find the end zone again, this time hooking up with tight end Alex Smith.

-Those of you reading our updates know we’ve been very impressed with rookie receiver Terrence Nunn. He’s made virtually every possible catch during practice, and on Monday he turned in another one. Running a deep route down the left sideline, he was covered tightly by Leigh Bodden and James Sanders. Brian Hoyer’s throw took him to the outside near the sideline and Nunn was forced to dive. It didn’t look like he landed in bounds, but Nunn made a terrific catch while completely parallel to the ground. I don’t know if there’s room for this guy, but aside from his mishandled kickoff in Philly, he’s made very few mistakes this summer.

The 23rd practice of Patriots training camp was a tough one for the team. Playing in muggy, high-80-degree weather, the players took part in one of their more rigorous outings this summer … and the weather took its toll.

By the end of the session, during team offense versus team defense, many players began to look listless. In fact, two offensive linemen (Logan Mankins and rookie Rich Ohrnberger) had to be carted off the field and back to the locker room on separate occasions to receive treatment.

Attendance

LB Tedy Bruschi, absent since the first day of camp, was back in full pads with the rest of his Patriots teammates on Sunday. LS Nathan Hodel, who didn’t play against the Eagles, was also back in uniform Sunday.

CB Jonathan Wilhite was at practice as well, although he reverted to wearing the red, no-contact jersey that he’s sported in a recent practice.

The list of missing players was a long one: P Chris Hanson, WR Shun White, CB Shawn Springs, RB Sammy Morris, CB Mike Richardson, LB Paris Lenon, WR Wes Welker (who didn’t play in Thursday’s game against Philadelphia), TE Benjamin Watson, TE Tyson DeVree, and DL Mike Wright. The remaining players on NFI /PUP remained on those lists – Brandon Tate (NFI) and Mark LeVoir.

Noteworthy plays/observations

* In the always entertaining linebackers-vs-running backs/tight ends pass rushing drill, the defense had the decided advantage on this day. Adalius Thomas simply overpowered Alex Smith to get to the quarterback. Pierre Woods did the same against David Thomas. Chris Baker, however, used great leverage to drive Derrick Burgess away from the pocket.

* The corners and wide receivers went one-on-one at the same time as the LBs and RBs/TEs. WR Randy Moss made a beautiful one-handed grab along the right sideline after beating CB Terrence Wheatley by a step. Wheatley made up a few plays later by breaking up a deep ball intended for Terrence Nunn.

* While the skill position players were running through their 7-on-7 paces on one field, the guys in the trenches were duking it out on the other. Some titanic individual battles were being waged between the offensive and defensive lineman, as well as the tight ends and outside linebackers as the latter fought to rush the passer.

* Safety Brandon Meriweather continues his hot streak. He picked off yet another Tom Brady pass during 11-on-11 action. After a play-action fake, Brady dropped back into the pocket and surveyed the field. He finally decided on a relatively short pass to Julian Edleman, who thought he’d found a soft spot in the zone on the right hash. But Meriweather read Brady’s eyes all the way and stepped in from the right side to make the interception.

* On the next play, Brady looked like he had WR Greg Lewis deep down the right sideline, after Lewis had beaten rookie corner Darius Butler. However, Butler’s speed allowed him to catch up and then break up the pass as it hit Lewis in the hands.

* Butler again had Lewis’ number when the offense moved into the red zone. Lewis appeared open for a moment in the end zone, so rookie QB Brian Hoyer rifled a pass his way. But Butler dove in front of Lewis to slap the ball down.

* Not to be outdone was cornerback Leigh Bodden, who made a great effort to break up a pass across the middle intended for Lewis. QB Kevin O’Connell spotted Lewis streaking left-to-right about 10 yards from the line of scrimmage. Lewis seemed to have a half-step lead on Bodden, who extended at just the right moment to bat the ball away.

* During red zone work, Brady, while under center, called an audible, changing the play to a shotgun formation. He took the snap and drifted to his left, looking for an open receiver. The defense had the field covered though, forcing Brady to try to run for the end zone. DL Richard Seymour and a few other blue shirts converged on him, however, forcing Brady to turn and reverse direction. The whistle then blew to bring the play to a halt – a win for the defense.

Attendance

* WR Joey Galloway, OL Stephen Neal, DL Jarvis Green, and LB Shawn Crable, all of whom missed the morning session, were back in full pads for the afternoon practice.

* Several other players who took part in the morning were absent in the afternoon, including OL Dan Connolly, NT Vince Wilfork, WR Randy Moss, WR Wes Welker, TE Benjamin Watson, DL Richard Seymour, and DL Ty Warren. In addition, CB Shawn Springs, LB Paris Lenon, LB Tedy Bruschi, OL George Bussey, and DL Mike Wright were not on the field. The remaining list players, WR Brandon Tate (NFI) and OL Mark LeVoir (PUP), remained there.

Noteworthy plays/observations

* After missing the morning workout, LB Shawn Crable came back this afternoon and had what would have been a sack of QB Tom Brady during team offense vs. team defense.

* These end-of-game scenarios at the end of practice have become appointment viewing for training camp aficionados. With a lap around the field at stake for the loser, Brady led his offense against the New England defense in a goal-line, winner-takes-all play. At the snap, he immediately looked left for WR Joey Galloway, who ran a perfect corner route against Leigh Bodden. Brady placed the ball precisely in Galloway’s hands for the score in the left corner of the end zone.

* It was a rough afternoon for the usually reliable Russ Hochstein. He committed not one, but two false start penalties during the team period and was forced to run laps around the field.

* In a passing drill, with linebackers covering tight ends and running backs, Adalius Thomas thoroughly harassed Tyson DeVree at the line of scrimmage. So much so, that DeVree couldn’t get into his route and the play was blown dead before it even had a chance to begin. The offense had its moments, too, like when RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis attacked LB Eric Alexander head-on. The smaller Green-Ellis sprinted to Alexander at the snap and shoved him back a yard, creating just enough space for the back to scoot out to his right in the flat and make the reception.

* In 7-on-7, CB Jonathan Wilhite had an easy interception bounced straight off his chest. The ball was thrown directly to him, in what looked like a misread route by the wide receiver. Mad at himself, Wilhite promptly dropped to the ground and pumped out 10 pushups. From the sideline, QB Tom Brady playfully ridiculed Wilhite for the drop.

* Brady was more pumped up than usual today, it seemed. Several times, he was overheard trash-talking with members of the defense. In particular, he took exception to a pass interference penalty by rookie corner Darius Butler, who tripped WR Ray Ventrone on an out pattern.

* CB Terrence Wheatley picked off Brady during team work. On a 50-yard bomb intended for WR Greg Lewis, Wheatley blanketed Lewis and positioned himself in just the right spot to turn and grab the slightly underthrown pass. Wheatley caught the ball and fell backwards into the endzone for what would have been a touchback.

* Overall, this wasn’t one of the more spirited sessions – Brady’s passion notwithstanding. It’s understandable, however, as today’s temps were in the 90s and the air in Foxborough was uncomfortably humid.

Readers have been curious about several players in recent days, so in between practices, I have a few minutes to oblige with some analysis.

Fred Taylor

Pete from Hoboken wants to know if the vet has what it takes to be the lead back. He might have to at some point this season, but I think he’s better suited to be a fill-in player, if for no other reason than to save his legs for the long haul. Morris probably has had the best camp overall, but all the backs have performed well thus far. I wouldn’t be surprised if Maroney winds up the starter, but I also wouldn’t be shocked if he’s not with the team at the end of the summer. It’s really 50-50 with him still. But he’s had a decent camp, so it would be difficult, at this point, to find a reason to part with him.

Ryan O’Callaghan

Ronnie G asked about the fourth-year tackle. Sadly, not much to report. He just came back to practice, and aside from the Burgess play, hasn’t had a chance to do much. Rookie Sebastian Vollmer is the player to watch at this position. O’Callaghan is way behind right now, though it’s helping his cause that veteran Mark LeVoir has been out of action, too.

Andrew Walter

He’s certainly getting his share of reps, Craig, both with the scout teams and the regular units. He just hasn’t been here long enough for any of us to offer a fair assessment of his play. I think he’s still in the “grasping-the-offense” mode right now. There’s potential there … it’s just too soon to tell if he’ll stick on the 53-man roster. Rookie Brian Hoyer is making this quite the position battle.

Terrence Nunn

ProvMan compared him to Bam Childress. My response … I knew Bam Childress. Bam Childress was a fun player to watch while he was here. But Bam Childress is no Terrence Nunn. This guy’s the real deal. Childress made some nice catches here and there. Nunn makes spectacular catches every day, in all different ways. He’s far better and a bit faster than Childress ever was as a receiver. And Nunn has the chops. He’s Nebraska’s second-leading receiver in catches and yards, all-time. Yes, I realize the Huskers were a running team for decades, but still, those are excellent credentials. Besides, he catches EVERYTHING and he’s not afraid to do so while getting hit. If the 53-man had to be picked today, Nunn would be on it.