Patriots OTA report: Wednesday’s practice sees a pair of defenders return

The New England Patriots held their fifth organized team activity of the offseason on Wednesday, with players once again hitting the practice fields behind Gillette Stadium. As opposed to Tuesday’s session, however, this one took place behind closed doors.

While media was not allowed to attend, the Patriots did share a series of photos on their website. Those pictures gave some minor insight into the session, and showed that a pair of defenders returned after not being spotted the previous day: defensive tackle Davon Godchaux and linebacker Anfernee Jennings were back.

Both Godchaux and Jennings were present for the first open OTA last week, but did not join their teammates on the field on Tuesday. Apparently, however, their absence is no cause for concern; both taking the field on Wednesday can be seen as a good sign.

Godchaux, 27, is entering his second season with the Patriots after arriving as an unrestricted free agent last spring. The former Miami Dolphins defensive lineman appeared in all 18 of the team’s games in 2021 and registered 66 tackles as well as 16 quarterback disruptions. Entering the final year of his contract, he is projected to again play a sizable role along New England’s defensive front.

Jennings, 24, is in his third offseason with the Patriots. The former third-round draft pick saw action in 14 games as a rookie but did not take the field as a sophomore in 2021, missing the entire season after being sent to injured reserve for undisclosed reasons. Jennings projects as a depth player in New England’s rebuilt linebacker group, but is no lock to make the roster.

The Patriots will hold another OTA session on Thursday before taking a few days off. The team will return next week for its mandatory minicamp on June 7-9.