Patriots notes: Rookie RB Ridley looks strong

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By Tom E. Curran
CSNNE.com Patriots InsiderFollow @tomecurran
Rookie running back Stevan Ridley, who's been issued No. 37, has a nice shake to his running style and can thump as well. During a 9-on-7 drill, he came through the guard-tackle hole near the goal line and was met hard by linebacker Dane Fletcher who left the collision shaking his left arm after what may have been a mild stinger.

Defensive tackle Mike Wright, laid up for much of last season with the aftereffects of a concussion in the Colts' game, looked like a beast in the morning practice. Very impressive explosiion and penetration on a few plays.

The Patriots quarterbacks took part in the ever-entertaining barrel drill in which the quarterbacks try to loft 25-yard passes into a trash barrel positioned at the back of the end zone (good practice for fade routes). Jonathan Crompton canned one of his throws while Ryan Mallett and Tom Brady both had throws rattle around the rim and out.

The quarterback motion that Mallett is most reminiscent of? To me, it's Randall Cunningham. A little long but a classic, over-the-top delivery. With his size, he is always throwing "downhill" meaning his ball will do well in the wind as he keeps the point down, something Tom Brady is outstanding at accomplishing.

Rob Gronkowski made an outstanding one-handed catch in the seam on a throw from Crompton.

Brady threw an uncharacteristic camp interception, looking for Julian Edelman down the right sideline. Devin McCourty undercut the route with Brandon Meriweather in behind Edelman. On the next play, Brady was nearly picked again, this time by Brandon Meriweather. There seemed to be a miscommunication between he and Gronkowski on which way Gronk should have turned.

The Patriots played a lot of four-man fronts during drills.

Tom E. Curran can be reached at tcurran@comcastsportsnet.com. Follow Tom on Twitter at http:twitter.comtomecurran.

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