The Patriots open their three-game preseason slate at Gillette Stadium on Thursday evening time at 7 p.m., in direction of the Houston Texans.
We’ve seen the Patriots observe in direction of themselves for two weeks of teaching camp. Right here’s what to watch of their first recreation of the summer season.
Who’s participating in quarterback?
Patriots head coach Invoice Belichick wasn’t explicitly clear in Tuesday morning’s press conference when requested about quarterback participating in time in Thursday’s preseason opener, nonetheless learning the tea leaves, it seems unlikely that Mac Jones will play rather a lot, if the least bit.
Belichick was requested if the Patriots’ lesser expert avid gamers would start and play the overwhelming majority of the game, and the top coach talked about, “Similar to all of the NFL [opening] video games, yep.”
When requested about his plan for quarterback snap counts, Belichick talked about, “Yeah, we’re nonetheless engaged on that, however the gamers who’re least skilled will get essentially the most taking part in time. I can let you know that.”
Lastly, Belichick was requested flat out if starter Mac Jones would play, and he talked about, “Yeah, I don’t know.”
Jones didn’t play in ultimate yr’s preseason opener. He was labored intently into Tuesday’s completely aggressive 11-on-11 drills whereas backups participated in a walk-through tempo earlier in observe.
It feels safe to think about we’ll see a number of of Bailey Zappe and plenty of Hint McSorley at quarterback in direction of the Texans. The Patriots tossed rookie Malik Cunningham into the combo this week, as correctly. Cunningham spent most of the first two weeks of teaching camp at enormous receiver and on explicit teams. Then he surprisingly observed a big amount of snaps beneath coronary heart on Monday and Tuesday.
Our most interesting guess is the Patriots wanted to see the best way it regarded in case one factor happens to McSorley in Thursday’s recreation. From the media hill, it didn’t look half harmful. Cunningham isn’t a standard quarterback nonetheless is uber-athletic and would possibly throw on the run. It may very well be thrilling for him to take reps at enormous receiver, on explicit teams and at quarterback inside the preseason.
“We’ll see the way it seems in follow, possibly we’ll use it some within the sport, I don’t know,” Belichick talked about about Cunningham at QB.
Can youthful working backs keep off a veteran pickup?
The Patriots solely have 5 working backs on their 90-man roster. It may very well be silly to put Rhamondre Stevenson available on the market in preseason Recreation 1, and Ty Montgomery is injured. That leaves Kevin Harris, Pierre Sturdy and J.J. Taylor to carry the load.
The Patriots have confirmed curiosity in three veteran free-agent working backs so far this offseason in Ezekiel Elliott, Leonard Fournette and Darrell Henderson nonetheless haven’t pulled the set off on signing any of them however. Harris has been serving as a result of the Patriots’ prime backup early-down runner, whereas Sturdy was handled further work inside the passing recreation. Taylor is on the bottom of the depth chart in his fourth offseason with the workers.
It nonetheless seems to make sense for the Patriots to sign a veteran free-agent working once more. Dalvin Prepare dinner and Kareem Hunt are moreover nonetheless available on the market, nonetheless possibly Harris and Sturdy would possibly perform so correctly this preseason that they’ll persuade the Patriots one different once more isn’t needed.
Each avid gamers have been large in teaching camp, though it’s robust to utterly assess a working once more in observe when there’s barely any keep tackling to the underside.
Rookie enormous receivers
The Patriots have beloved what they’ve seen from rookie sixth-round select Demario “Pop” Douglas. That’s why he’s seeing more and more time with starting quarterback — and fellow Jacksonville native — Mac Jones. The Patriots are rewarding him for his effectivity.
Fellow sixth-round select Kayshon Boutte has moreover come on strong inside the second half of teaching camp. There are performs that Boutte makes that current why he was a five-star recruit coming out of highschool and thought of a future first-round select after his sophomore yr of school.
Tyquan Thornton — the Patriots’ 2022 second-round select — moreover bears watching. It seems as if the workers feels Thornton nonetheless has fairly a bit to indicate, which is why he’s seen further time with Zappe in present observe intervals since coming back from a short absence from observe.
Cunningham additionally must see time at enormous receiver. Tre Nixon, Thyrick Pitts and Raleigh Webb will doable fill out the large receiver group in Week 1 of the preseason.
Can the O-line keep up?
Based mostly on present observe availability, it seems solely 10 offensive linemen will seemingly be on the market Thursday: coronary heart David Andrews, rookie coronary heart/guard Jake Andrews, coronary heart/guard James Ferentz, guard Chasen Hines, rookie guard Atonio Mafi, cope with Conor McDermott, cope with Riley Reiff, coronary heart/guard Kody Russey, cope with Sidy Sow and cope with Andrew Stueber.
David Andrews seems unlikely to play Thursday. McDermott and Reiff could very properly be held out along with potential starters this season. That will doable go away a starting offensive line of Stueber at left cope with, Mafi at left guard, Jake Andrews at coronary heart, Russey at correct guard and Sow at correct cope with.
Since starters Trent Brown, Cole Unusual and Mike Onwenu at current are off form, this could be a good audition for the offensive line to indicate they’ll keep up with out starters. The Patriots could must rely upon these backups given what variety of accidents they’ve already suffered this summer season.
Rookie defenders/specialists
The Patriots’ rookie enormous receivers and offensive linemen acquired’t have all the fulfilling on Thursday. Second-round select Keion White would possibly make his preseason debut at defensive end. He’s been laborious to dam in teaching camp and can give youthful Texans offensive linemen matches.
It may very well be a shock if linebacker/safety Marte Mapu carried out, since he’s nonetheless donning a crimson non-contact jersey in observe.
Rookie cornerbacks Ameer Velocity and Isaiah Bolden should get an prolonged look. Each avid gamers are taller than 6-foot-2 and had 40-yard dash events inside the 4.3-second fluctuate. Velocity has seen time at safety, as correctly.
Look ahead to undrafted rookie Jourdan Heilig on explicit teams. It would seemingly be attention-grabbing to see how the Patriots break up up kicking and punting duties between rookies Okay Chad Ryland and P Bryce Baringer and veterans Okay Nick People and P Corliss Waitman. Neither Ryland nor Baringer have been good, nonetheless every rookie specialists have impressed so far this summer season. They’re favorites for the kicking and punting duties this season.