Danny Etling plays wide receiver in Patriots' first training camp practice of 2019

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. - There were plenty of narratives to look out for when the New England Patriots kicked off training camp on Thursday; N'Keal Harry's acclimation to an NFL offense, Jamie Collins' reinsertion into New England's defense, how the backfield would look without Sony Michel, to name a few. But what about Danny Etling playing wide receiver? That one wasn't on the radar.

Etling, the second-year player out of LSU, was seen wearing a regular, white jersey (as opposed to a red, non-contact jersey) during Day 1 of training camp, catching passes and running through drills with the rest of the wide receivers while also trying out special teams.

Patriots QB Danny Etling doing non-QB things. pic.twitter.com/OpZjpfv0j7
— NESN (@NESN) July 25, 2019

Why the sudden change of position?

“Everyone has a lot of different roles on this team and I’m no exception," Etling told Tom E. Curran of NBC Sports Boston. "So I’m just excited to continue to keep trying to find a different role for myself, doing what they ask me to do and learning from the leaders in front of me."

Etling certainly understands his position with the team. After New England drafted Jarret Stidham in the 4th round this offseason, there was certainly hints at Etling being the odd-man-out in the QB room. The Patriots seldom carry three QBs on the roster, let alone four. So a change in position was likely necessary if Etling wanted to stay with the reigning Super Bowl champs.

That doesn't make the transition to a completely new position easy, however. Etling has never been a receiver, but his understanding of the offense because of his time at QB makes him believe it will make the transition a bit easier.

“I’ve not really played it, per se, but I’ve also coached it a lot being a quarterback and I understand offensive football and it’s helped me get a different perspective of the game itself,” he said via Curran.

As training camp continues on, Etling will do what he can to carve out a role on this Patriots team. Though it will be tough for him to find a place at an already crowded position, he will have the support of his teammates as he faces a new challenge in his NFL career.

"I always used to joke with him and call him Taysom Hill from the Saints," New England WR Phillip Dorsett said via Patriots radio play-by-play announcer Bob Socci. "Danny's an athlete, you can tell. He can run. When you can run, there's a place for you."