FOXBORO, Mass. — Training camp kicked off for the New England Patriots on Wednesday morning, with almost all players in attendance. 

It was very clear that it was the first day, with many players getting back into the groove of things after some vacation time, but one thing stood out throughout all of the session. 

The defense was dominant, with Kyle Dugger picking off Mac Jones in the first 7-on-7 throw of the day. While he had the day's only interception, the defense continued to break up passes left and right. Shaun Wade was among that group, with two pass breakups during the 11-on-11 period while Trace McSorley was in the pocket. 

Here’s what else I saw from Wednesday's training camp session:

– Juju Smith-Schuster was the clear fan favorite. He earned the loudest cheer from the fans and was sure to keep them entertained, running up and down the sidelines to get them hyped along with hitting the griddy after making a catch. Bill Belichick was even seen at one point talking and smiling with Smith-Schuster. 

– Demario Douglas was working with special teams and during practice, Belichick was seen coaching the rookie on fielding punts. Douglas also took reps with the presumed first team, working with Mac Jones, DeVante Parker, Smith-Schuster, Rhamondre Stevenson, Hunter Henry, Mike Gesicki, Kendrick Bourne, Tyquan Thornton, and Pierre Strong. 

– Ty Montgomery had four catches throughout the 7s and 11s sessions, being the highest targeted player. Hunter Henry also had a strong connection with Jones, catching two passes from him in 11s, including making a diving catch in the end zone. 

– Quarterback Stats 

Mac Jones went 4-for-7 in 11-on-11s and 5-for-10 overall including 7-on-7s. One interception 

Bailey Zappe went 2-for-8 in 11s and 4-for-11 overall 

Trace McSorley went 2-for-7 in 11s and 3-for-10 overall

 – Attendance: Cody Davis (PUP), Mike Onwenu (PUP), and Calvin Anderson (NFI) were the only players missing. 

-Jack Jones was back at practice amidst his ongoing legal issues. Belichick confirmed that he would be there yesterday when he made his first public comments about Jones since his arrest. 

-Jonathan Jones, Chrisitan Gonzalez and Myles Bryant were the first cornerbacks in 11s. 

-Patriots will be back on the field tomorrow morning at 9:30 for the second day of training camp. 

Featured Image via Sophie Weller – A to Z Sports