6 winners and 2 losers from the Patriots’ fourth training camp practice

During the Patriots’ fourth training camp practice, several players stood out with notable performances. Here are some of the key players who caught the attention of observers:

1. QB Bailey Zappe: Had a productive day and connected on touchdowns with Jalen Hurd, Tre Nixon, and Tyquan Thornton.

2. WR Demario Douglas: Showed promise, catching four passes on five targets in 11-on-11 work.

3. WR Tyquan Thornton: Impressed with two touchdown catches, beating Marcus Jones and Isaiah Bolden.

4. WR Ed Lee: The undrafted rookie had a productive day, catching all six of his targets from Trace McSorley.

5. LB Marte Mapu: Displayed disruptive play despite wearing a non-contact jersey and seems poised for a significant role this season.

6. K Chad Ryland: Made five of his six field goal attempts and showcased his powerful leg.

7. CB Marcus Jones: Had a tough day, getting beaten for touchdowns on three occasions.

8. WR Kendrick Bourne: Despite praise from Coach Belichick, had a quiet practice and did not catch any passes in team drills for the fourth consecutive session.

Other players worth mentioning include QB Mac Jones and TE Mike Gesicki, who showed promise in their respective positions. The team will return to practice for a full-pads session on Monday.

Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images 

The New England Patriots returned to the practice fields behind Gillette Stadium on Sunday for their fourth session of the summer. While a significant part of it took place in a walkthrough tempo, there also was some up-tempo no-huddle 11-on-11 action late.

Along the way, there were some notable performances — for better or worse. Here is a rundown of who particularly caught our eye.

QB Bailey Zappe: The Patriots offense looked the best it has all camp on Sunday, and the quarterbacks played a big part in it. Mac Jones, Bailey Zappe and Trace McSorley all had their most productive days of the summer, with Zappe in particular looking good. While he had a late interception, he also connected with Jalen Hurd, Tre Nixon and Tyquan Thornton on touchdowns; his throw to Hurd was arguably the best play of the day.

WR Demario Douglas: On the eve of the first full-pads practice of the summer, Douglas would be very hard to be kept off the roster. The sixth-round draft pick had another productive practice on Sunday, catching four passes on five targets in 11-on-11 work.

WR Tyquan Thornton: Through the first three practices of training camp, the second-year wide receiver did not catch a single pass in individual team drills. That changed on Sunday, when Thornton hauled in a pair of touchdowns on passes from Bailey Zappe. He beat Marcus Jones once in the corner of the end zone, and then Isaiah Bolden on a fade.

WR Ed Lee: The undrafted rookie out of Rhode Island is a long-shot to make the roster and spent most of his time with the third-stringers so far in camp. Credit where credit is due, though: Lee had a productive day on Sunday and caught all six of his targets from Trace McSorley.

LB Marte Mapu: The Patriots’ third-round draft pick was still wearing a red non-contact jersey, but that did not stop him from playing a big role on Sunday. Receiving starter-level reps during 11-on-11 work, Mapu lined up as the second linebacker alongside Ja’Whaun Bentley and was a disruptive presence up front. He helped force a pair of would-be sacks, and looks primed for a prominent role this season.

K Chad Ryland: New England is rotating its kickers, and it was Ryland’s turn on Sunday. The rookie again looked good, and showcased his powerful leg en route to making five of his six field goal attempts. His lone miss, meanwhile, was also hardly his fault: an issue with the snap/hold operation appeared to cause the miss from 45-50 yards out.

CB Marcus Jones: Jones had a rough day on Sunday. The hyper-versatile cornerback was thrice beaten for touchdowns, including back-to-back scores by Tre Nixon and Demario Douglas. In addition, he was in coverage on one of Tyquan Thornton’s touchdown.

WR Kendrick Bourne: Ahead of Sunday’s practice, Patriots head coach Bill Belichick praised Bourne for his work this offseason. After the session, Bourne himself claimed he would feel “the best I’ve ever felt.” In between, he once again had a quiet practice and four the fourth straight session did not catch a single pass in team drills.

Also worth mentioning are quarterback Mac Jones and tight end Mike Gesicki; Jones had some very promising moments, while Gesicki was able to catch his first passes in team drills this summer. In addition, Jack Jones saw his first starter-level reps of the summer, while Christian Gonzalez again did not allow any catches.

The Patriots will return to practice on Monday for a 9:45 a.m. ET session. The expectation is that it will be the first practice of the summer in full pads.