FOXBORO, Mass. — Jalen Reagor showed out on the first day of Patriots training camp.
Reagor, who entered camp as a depth receiver and kick returner, was the best pass-catcher on the field at Gillette Stadium on Wednesday. Reagor made a handful of plays while frequently looking like a trusted target for quarterbacks Jacoby Brissett, Drake Maye and even Bailey Zappe, who took snaps in that order ahead of Joe Milton III.
No play was better than Reagor’s reception from Maye, though.
Reagor hauled in a one-handed grab down the sideline after beating cornerback Azizi Hearn during the first 7-on-7 competition. It was a perfectly-placed deep ball from Maye, who hadn’t taken any deep shots prior to that pass to Reagor. It would have went for a 50-something-yard touchdown reception on game day.
“It was just a routine passing concept,” Reagor told reporters after practice. “I seen the ball and I did my best to catch it.”
You can watch it here, courtesy of the Patriots.
Reagor had another reception which might have gone for a touchdown, too. It came on a throw from Zappe during a later 11-on-11 rep. Zappe led Reagor inside as the wideout beat the cornerback and had an angle to the end zone with one safety to beat.
Reagor, a first-round round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, caught seven balls for 138 yards during 11 games with the Patriots in 2023. He was primary used on kickoffs. But should the 25-year-old continue to stack days similar to Wednesday, there’s a very good chance he will earn one of the final receiver spots behind Demario Douglas, Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker, Kendrick Bourne and K.J. Osborn, who all figure to be roster locks.
