Camp Observations: Day 7 – New England Patriots Blog – ESPN Boston

Offensive tackle Nate Solder kick started what became a large fracas between the offense and defense when he shoved linebacker Brandon Spikes, who was already on the ground, after the whistle during an 11-on-11 play. But that wasn’t the only reason Solder caught some eyes on Wednesday night: he showed a greater level of physicality than what was witnessed last season. Solder plays with excellent bend in his stance, allowing him to fire out at the snap, play with body control when he engages defenders, and exert power in his blocks. He moved well to the second level in the running game, knocking over linebackers on multiple occasions.