FOXBORO — There’s always at least one thing to count on when it comes to New England Patriots practice sessions: Matt Gutierrez will be the last one off the field, dropping back and throwing passes to a reserve receiver or an assistant coach.

That has been the case since Gutierrez arrived in Foxboro. The undrafted quarterback from Idaho State was always first on the turf behind Gillette Stadium during his first training camp last summer, and it paid off when he, and not veteran Vinny Testaverde, was retained as the team’s third quarterback.

But, like Tom Brady, the man he’s had the opportunity to learn from and observe and who once labored at the bottom of the depth chart, Gutierrez has kept working. At the end of yesterday’s passing-camp session, he spent some extra time with tight end Stephen Spach. During the session, Gutierrez’s throws looked crisp, and he showed good speed, as well, winning the full-field sprints that closed the workout.

“It feels good” to be back on the field, Gutierrez said. “Even though I’ve been around for a year, I still have a lot to learn. There’s progress to be made.”

And whether he wants to admit it or not, he’s probably been working a little harder since New England used one of its third-round picks last month to draft San Diego State signal-caller Kevin O’Connell.

Gutierrez said yesterday there’s always competition at every position, and that all of the pressure on him is internal, to “raise the bar,” not just to beat out someone else.

Not that Gutierrez hasn’t had his share of challenges on the football field over the last few years. After a storybook career at national powerhouse De La Salle High, outside Oakland, Calif., he went to Michigan (the alma mater of Brady). But after two years of waiting for his chance to start, a torn labrum put him on the shelf. Chad Henne got the job, and when Gutierrez was healthy, he didn’t get a chance to win the top spot back.

So with just a year of eligibility left, he transferred to Idaho State. As a Division I-AA program, Gutierrez could play right away. His numbers weren’t great, and the Bengals won just 2 of 10 games, but the Patriots knew who he was. Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels put Gutierrez through a pre-draft workout on the De La Salle campus — much as he did this year with O’Connell — and when he was available right after last year’s draft ended, the Pats wasted little time in signing him. Gutierrez got a reported $100,000 signing bonus — big money for an undrafted player.

Every day since then has been spent earning that money, studying, learning, getting better. When asked whether there was one thing he focused on improving this offseason, Gutierrez said “everything.”

He needs to look no further than reigning NFL MVP Brady for proof that you never stop fine-tuning.

“He’s in his ninth year in the league, and with all of the successes he’s had, he still grinds. He’s always working to get the edge and take his game up a notch,” Gutierrez said.

As for his own status with the team and whether he’ll be moving up the depth chart in September — some believe backup Matt Cassel might be on the way out — Gutierrez isn’t thinking about that.

“I don’t think any of us should be looking ahead past tomorrow, or even the meeting we have after this to evaluate,” he said.

Quick kicks

There were just 36 players taking part in yesterday’s session. All of the team’s rookies, as well as some players new to the team like Victor Hobson, Tank Williams and Sam Aiken and veterans LeKevin Smith and Willie Andrews, were on the field. … Reserve safety Ray Ventrone was once again in a white (offense) jersey, and said afterward that his only experience as a receiver came last year with the Pats’ scout team (when he caught a lot of passes from Gutierrez) and as a sophomore at Chartiers Valley High School in Pittsburgh, but he’s working on his new role. … Team owner Robert Kraft took in part of the late-morning practice.

smanza@projo.com