Two weeks of apply down, three exhibitions to go.
The pressure of the Patriots’ summer season will ratchet up Thursday with their preseason opener in opposition to the Texans. A number of starters are anticipated to sit down down, nevertheless that doesn’t suggest there gained’t be loads to review from this sport and the two that may adjust to. Like most teams, the Patriots are trying to find options to predominant questions on their roster, whereas having enjoyable with just some good surprises to this point in teaching camp (howdy, Demario Douglas).
As they pivot in direction of the preseason, listed under are 4 of the Pats’ most important questions with the widespread season decrease than one month away.
1. Will the offense add help at RB and OT?
The needs listed under are as clear because the model new scoreboard dominating Gillette Stadium’s north end zone.
After Rhamondre Stevenson, the Pats have three working backs — Kevin Harris, Pierre Robust and J.J. Tayor — who might very effectively be casualties on cutdown day. Ty Montgomery’s left leg injury has subtle points, and maybe he returns shortly, nevertheless Montgomery hasn’t topped 200 scrimmage yards since 2018. Is a 30-year-old with minimal explosion left in his legs the most effective backup for Stevenson?
In the meantime, Stevenson’s workload is being managed this summer season, which has allowed Harris and Robust to separate first-team reps all through practices. Neither participant has pulled away from the alternative, though, so the Patriots simply recently hosted Ezekiel Elliott on a free-agent go to. Will he sign?
Up entrance, Riley Reiff and Conor McDermott have bookended a disappointing offensive line that allowed 20 sacks in workforce intervals over the past three practices. In fact, the highway is down three projected starters, along with Trent Brown who solely simply recently rejoined workforce drills. If the Patriots determine they need to commerce for an extra offensive take care of, will one be obtainable?
Contemplating every NFL entrance office is on a regular basis on the hunt for prime quality tackles, the sooner the Pats soar into the market, the upper off they might be.
2. Can the cornerbacks survive with out Jack Jones?
Regardless of drafting a cornerback throughout the first spherical, the Patriots safety continues to be relying on Jack Jones to understand its full potential. It explains why Jones, who accomplished remaining season on the suspended guidelines, acquired arrested this offseason and walked out of a apply remaining week, continues to acquire reps with the very best unit in apply.
The Pats need him to be obtainable to space their three most interesting corners in opposition to a litany of elite passing offenses on their schedule. If Jones is lastly suspended for going via 10 counts of felony gun charges referring to his June arrest, it might energy the Patriots into unhealthy matchups. After him, incumbent starter Jonathan Jones and first-round rookie Christian Gonzalez, their depth is shaky.
Gonzalez, it seems, is the necessary factor. By benefit of his draft standing, Gonzalez should be a Week 1 starter. He’s consistently run with the first-team safety in apply, nevertheless slowed down simply recently in teaching camp.
“Like all of the rookies, he has a protracted solution to go, making progress, studying day-after-day,” Invoice Belichick talked about this week. “You understand, new calls, new situations. As our offense evolves and does further points, it presents further points for the safety. Because the safety expands their scheme, it creates further points for the offense. So, there could also be a great deal of new learning and educating, new situations that come up each single day.
“Christian is a brilliant child, working laborious, getting lots of reps out right here. He’s getting higher.”
Behind him, the workforce has rolled out 5-foot-8 Marcus Jones, whose most interesting residence could also be throughout the slot, and late-round rookies Ameer Pace and Isaiah Bolden. Pace and Bolden have seen an rising number of reps with the second-team safety in newest practices. However sport movement, even throughout the preseason, is a really utterly totally different story.
Will Marcus Jones, Pace and Bolden keep up in opposition to stiffer rivals?
3. Can Demario Douglas and Kayshon Boutte contribute?
A lot of the highest highlights at Patriots teaching camp have been authored by the similar two players: sixth-round rookie receivers Demario Douglas and Kayshon Boutte.
Douglas is unbeaten in 1-on-1 receiving drills in opposition to the cornerbacks, normally racing away from them alongside along with his combination of above-average quickness and prolonged tempo. Boutte, within the meantime, is making twirling touchdown catches behind the highest zone all through 11-on-11 intervals. If each perform consistently ample via the preseason, the doorway office may view No. 3 receiver Kendrick Bourne as a attainable commerce chip to help deal with their totally different positions of need.
Bourne, who’s been in commerce rumors for the upper part of the ultimate 12 months, is in a contract 12 months. However his exit would solely be precipitated by the arrivals of Douglas and/or Boutte, whose hardest exams are nonetheless ahead.
“I at all times had that mentality of I have to get higher,” Douglas talked about this week. “I have to do one thing. I believed my weight was an issue (in faculty). I’d say my peak, however I can’t change that. As I used to be going via my years, I saved gaining and gaining. My coaches at Liberty helped me.”
Patriots additional components: Rookie WR Demario Douglas explains his spectacular weight good factors
4. What parts of Invoice O’Brien’s playbook will maintain and go?
In separate press conferences Tuesday, quarterbacks Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe revealed O’Brien has put in most of his offense already. Roughly 80%, in accordance with Zappe.
In keeping with Jones, not all of those performs and concepts will maintain throughout the playbook. The Patriots are actively tinkering with their new offense, as they research what works and what won’t in apply. The preseason should go an prolonged approach to informing these selections, starting with Thursday night.
“I feel now we have lots of stuff in. I feel we’re attempting to only develop and take a look at issues, and maintain the issues that we like in and take the issues out that we don’t like. That’s what observe is all about, and I’ve been very pleased with Coach [Bill] O’Brien and all of us have,” Jones talked about. “We’re simply attempting to lift the usual right here and simply do it proper day-after-day.”