The Facts: Due to a shortage of tight ends in two of the Patriots' first four training camp practices, Thomas has been in the forefront early and often. Bill Belichick joked that Thomas "ran a marathon" because of how many plays in which he's been involved.

Diehards Line:Thomas, who continues to impress with his hands, and recently signed Walter Rasby were the lone tight ends on the field Saturday morning, as Daniel Graham, Benjamin Watson, and rookie Garrett Mills remained sidelined. Watson returned in the afternoon. ... It's obviously too early on to draw any real conclusions on Thomas, but this report provides a nice baseline to build on over the next month.