The Patriots will play their first preseason game in two years Thursday night when they host The Washington Football Team at Gillette Stadium.
While it’s just a preseason game, there are actually plenty of things to keep an eye on and it’s beyond just the quarterback competition between Cam Newton and Mac Jones.
Washington head coach Ron Rivera indicated he plans on playing his starters and while there hasn’t been anything official from the Patriots, the expectation is they will see at least some playing time.
Here are five things we’ll be watching.
1. Cam Newton vs. Mac Jones
This one is obvious, but what isn’t obvious is how much each will play. Our best guess is it will look something like we’ve seen in a number of practice sessions where Newton leads off with the first team and then Jones comes in, but then stays in when the second unit comes on to get the most reps. The Patriots would greatly benefit from getting as much tape of the rookie in live action as possible, so why not play him several quarters? The one down side to having Jones play deep into the game is it’s really a no-win situation for him. If he plays well, the takeaway will be, ‘Well, he’s supposed to look good against third-stringers.’ And if he looks bad, that’s not good no matter what. This game feels more about Jones than Newton.
2. N’Keal Harry
The third-year player is having a solid camp after requesting a trade through his agent last month, but it is worth noting a lot of his big plays have come during 1-on-1 periods and not during 11-on-11 team work. Given his athleticism and physicality, he should be making plays in 1-on-1 drills. In order for him to truly have a breakout summer, he needs to show it when it in team periods and/or games. Given his trade request, it’s worth wondering if the team is considering it, or planning on keeping him on the roster as a No. 4-5 receiver. If Harry does have a monster preseason game or two, maybe the Patriots should actually trade him when his value is higher than it probably should be. It doesn’t hurt that two of the three Patriots’ preseason games, including Thursday, will be aired across the country on NFL Network.
3. Who stands out rushing the passer?
This is one of the more competitive areas of the defense, as there are a number of players fighting for playing time. Kyle Van Noy and Matt Judon figure to receive the most snaps when it comes to rushing the opposing quarterback, but there’s also Josh Uche, Anfernee Jennings, Ronnie Perkins and Harvey Langi, who all figure to play Thursday. And don’t forget about Chase Winovich, who is still on PUP. It’s hard to really simulate pass rushing in practices, so this is the first real opportunity for players at this position to show what they have. If Uche, Jennings and Perkins all look good, it’s worth wondering what the team will do with Winovich.
4. How do cornerbacks look besides JC Jackson?
With Stephon Gilmore still on PUP, Jackson has been one of the best players on the field during training camp, but behind him on the depth chart it’s been a little suspect. Jalen Mills has seen the most playing time opposite Jackson and it hasn’t gone very well. This could be because he’s playing a bit out of position, but we’ll see how things go for the former Eagle in a game. Joejuan Williams is in the same boat, as he’s struggled in coverage as well and has been picked on by the Patriots’ quarterbacks. The second-round pick in 2019 seems to be on the bubble. Also on the bubble are Michael Jackson and Myles Bryant. It’s definitely worth monitoring not only who plays well among this group, but when they are playing.
5. Which player will be the fan favorite of the preseason?
In recent years it’s been Jakobi Meyers, Ralph Webb, Dion Lewis, etc., so who will it be in 2021? Keep an eye on running back J.J. Taylor, as he figures to see a lot of reps, especially with Tyler Gaffney being released earlier this week. Then at wide receiver, Kristian Wilkerson and Tre Nixon feel like good options. On the other side of the ball, Bryant feels like he’s deserving to be mentioned and depending how much he plays, so does Ja’Whaun Bentley, who appears much more athletic than in the past. And don’t sleep on kicker Quinn Nordin, especially if Nick Folk remains sidelined.