New England Patriots Josh Boyce on sidelines
The New England Patriots have started rookie minicamp today, and it is an important day for the long list of both drafted and undrafted rookies the Patriots have added from this year’s large crop. Even signees Armond Armstead and Jason Vega are attending to get a leg-up on things, because it is difficult to transition to the NFL and to transition to team like the Patriots. Anyway, one glaring non-participant is fourth-round draft choice Josh Boyce.
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The TCU Horned Frogs star is still nursing a broken toe, and that’s almost certainly the reason why Boyce is not present at the Patriots minicamp. Boyce said that he is “day-to-day”, so it will be interesting to see if he is able to join the Patriots rookie minicamp later on. I have a feeling, though, that he won’t be back for the remainder of the minicamp.
Boyce figures to have a great shot at being a key contributor on the Patriots offense, as he could very well be the vertical threat the Patriots want. He averaged 15.7 yards per reception at TCU, and he ran a 4.38 forty time at the 2013 NFL Combine despite suffering from the broken foot. However, it has been noted by a few analysts that Boyce runs slower than that on tape, but I still view him as a deep threat who could be a burner for the Patriots.
A strong player with an imposing frame, Boyce was a great pick for the Patriots in the fourth round and has plenty of talent and upside. He is an intelligent player, and he can also play both inside and outside at the wide receiver position. Hopefully, Boyce’s recovery from the broken toe continues to progress well, but just because he is injured doesn’t mean he won’t be learning the playbook in the meantime. I think the mental adjustment is more important for Boyce and the other rookies than the physical adjustment to the NFL right now.
Boyce is present, but he is on the sidelines. The only clear thing at this point is that Boyce will be ready for training camp, but I expect him to come back sooner than then due to his self-described “day-to-day” status.
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