1. The Patriots have had 12 training camp sessions as well as a preseason game and it’s become time to ask the question: What is the argument for starting Cam Newton? Mac Jones and Newton have been neck and neck with perhaps a slight edge to the rookie. And since Jones is a rookie, he’s only going to get better with time and experience, where as with Newton it’s hard to say how much better he can get. So, in this scenario Jones would be the starter come Week 1. Then the question becomes would Newton be open to being a backup? His quote following Thursday’s game would indicate yes. “He's just going to keep getting better, and we're going to be here for each other along this whole process, and that's what we're here for,” Newton said. But then a day later he posted to Instagram saying he deserves loyalty. And while it could have been regarding anything and not his situation with the Patriots, why would he post something like that if it weren’t the case? Until that post — and we don’t even know for sure what it was referring — Newton’s actions have shown he would be OK being a backup behind Jones. He supports him and even on the practice field his body language hasn’t indicated he’s put off with him playing well. At the beginning of training camp it seemed like it was Newton’s job, but with the progression of Jones, the tide is beginning to turn. And now the question becomes, and should get asked of Newton relatively soon, is he OK being the Patriots’ backup? We’ll see, because if he’s not, he may not be on the Week 1 roster.
2. Jones’ performance in his NFL debut was very solid. In five series, the rookie went 13-of-19 passing for 87 yards. So, how does that compare to other Patriots rookies in their debuts? In 2019, Jarrett Stidham went 14-for-24 with 179 yards and a touchdown against the Lions. And then in 2014, Jimmy Garoppolo went 9-for-13 with 157 yards and a touchdown against Washington. Let’s also not forget Ryan Mallett in 2011 when he was 12-for-19 with 164 yards and a touchdown against Jacksonville. The lesson here is not to put too much stock in numbers for players in their first NFL action. There’s a lot more to it and a long way to go.
3. The performance from rookie Rhamondre Stevenson in Thursday’s preseason open has caused some people to want to trade Sony Michel. Think again. Yes, the rookie had a solid debut that included a 91-yard late touchdown, but he still has a ways to go. It seems the physical stuff on the field is no issue, but from what we’ve seen and heard, he’s still working on picking up the playbook and the mental aspect of playing for the Patriots. It doesn’t seem like he’s ready for any big-time role his rookie season and it’s hard not to ignore Damien Harris’ injury history. The Patriots will likely need Michel this season and therefore it doesn’t make much sense to trade him.
4. Although it was the preseason, the Patriots committed a ton of penalties in Thursday’s preseason opener. They finished with nine as a team and that can’t be something Bill Belichick was thrilled about. This will likely a point of emphasis this week, as that’s something the team cannot afford to carry over to the regular season.
5. While jersey numbers don’t mean much, we thought it was a little interesting Tre Nixon got Rob Gronkowski’s No. 87. Would things be different if he hadn’t come out of retirement following one season and get traded to Tampa Bay? Possibly. The Patriots only have seven retired numbers in franchise history, but two more could be coming in Tom Brady and Julian Edelman (no one has worn No. 11 or 12). Again, not a huge deal, just something that caught our eye.
6. There will be roster cuts this week, as the Patriots, and all other NFL teams, need to trim their rosters from 90 players to 85 players by Tuesday. Here some potential options for the Patriots: TE David Wells, OL R.J. Prince, OL Alex Redmond, WR Marvin Hall, DB D’Angelo Ross, S Adrian Colbert and LS Brian Khoury.
7. This is a big week for the Patriots with joint practices in Philadelphia against the Eagles. Based on what we’ve seen in past years, more of an emphasis is placed on these than the actual preseason game. Look for a lot of situational football to see how both quarterbacks handle it. This is another big test not only for the quarterbacks, but all of the other players currently on the bubble to make the team.