Tuesday's Training Camp Notes 7/30

AM REPORT
Skies were overcast for most of practice while the sun came out at the end of the on field interview session.

What we've seen so far this am.

Missing:
No Kyle Brady, Rashad Baker, Garrett Mills, or Asante Samel. No PUP list guys

Brown Remorseful:
Kareem Brown spoke to the media this morning. The important part is that he was sorry for what he did, and didn't talk about the exact reason why he was suspended "I'm not really supposed to talk about that" he said to the reporter next to me.

Asked whether it was something big or not, Brown paused, carefully selected his words and answered to the effect that it was something for which he should have known better. The mistake is something he regrets and vows not to repeat . Brown was visibly upset with the issue, but it was the feedback from teammates that has him more concerned.

"One thing that hurt is that Richard Seymour told me he was disappointed in me and I should have known better," Brown said. "Coming from a guy with his status, you know, that took a toll on me as a rookie. He said it's a 'learning lesson' and I've got to 'move on.' It's only going to make me stronger."

Fine Hands:
In linebacker drills early in practice, the group was setup on the far field away from the crowd. The drill was designed to test linebacker reaction to a pass across the field (middle to sideline). The linebacker typically runs from the middle of the field to sideline and the ball is fired as if a receiver were there ahead of the backer who is supposed to be in coverage.

On one play Mike Vrabel made a spectacular one hand stab at the ball with his left hand. Vrabel did not leave his feet but made a lunging leap to snare the ball in his gloved mitt. He managed to pull it in and continue upfield. All of the time Vrabel has seen over the years as a situational tight end were on display in that drill.

Not So Fine Hands:
During interior line drills in the red zone, quarterback Matt Cassel handed the ball to Laurence Maroney who proceeded to fumble the ball. While it could have been effects of the hand-off, seeing Maroney fumble the ball near the goal was not a good sign. Ironically, it was Logan Mankins who came away with the fumble recovery. It was Mankins who recovered a Maroney fumble in the end zone for a touchdown in the Patriots playoff game against the San Diego Chargers.

Competition For Punter:
The competition for punter duties just took a step up today after both rookies Tom Malone (#1) and Danny Baugher (#5) boomed their punts in practice last night. In the morning, both players were practicing holding the ball for special teams snaps.

Washington A Two-Sport Holdover:
Much was made about WR Kelley Washington's ability to play more than one sport (Washington was in the minors and was a teammate of Josh Beckett before he returned to football)

As interesting as it was to listen to Washington talk about his baseball career, it is his improved moves on the field that had us wondering about his chances in the final roster cuts more than his potential as a future baseball star.

Washington looked solid in drills, as he has the past couple practices. He grabbed nearly every pass thrown to him and he has shown a nice burst after the catch.

Evans Consistency Issues:
The best adjective to describe FB Heath Evans' recent practice was "inconsistent". Evans dropped an easy pass out in the flat during the beginning of a red zone drill. A short time later, he made an impressive turnaround catch as he had to adjust to the ball which was thrown behind him. Evans can make spectacular catches, but when he drops an easy one, it raises the eyebrows.

In the running drills, Evans had a number of carries, of which he did little to impress. That is in contrast to his previous practices where he was rock solid during the interior running plays.

The Patriots have one session scheduled for Wednesday: 2:30pm-4:30pm

Jon Scott has covered the NFL since 1995. He is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America and has a long time contributor to the Scout.com network. A New England native, Scott has followed the Patriots for over two decades and covered the team since 2001. He can be reached in the Insider's Lounge under the handle JSinCT.