FOXBORO -- The Patriots take part in their third day of training camp on Saturday at Gillette Stadium, and it will mark the first day that they will practice in full pads.
Before the session, director of player personnel Nick Caserio went over what practicing in pads for the first time means for the team.
"I think the first few days, or even when you're in shells in the minicamps, the big emphasis is the individual techniques, the fundamentals as it pertains to your position, playing on your feet," said Caserio. "Obviously, when you put the pads on, you start to get into the physical dynamic of the game, and that certainly comes into play, whether it's in the running game, head and hand placement on the offensive line, playing with a good technique defensively, shedding blocks, getting off of blockers, etc. Being able to handle contact if you're a receiver in the secondary when the ball arrives. And, more than anything, just the sheer weight of the pads.
"Certainly, it's different than anything we've done to this point. I think you have to get yourself, your body acclimated to having the pads and then the speed that goes along with it. So, it's just another jump that you take, relative to what you've done during the offseason, training-wise, then the mini-camps, and obviously here in training camp."