6 rings: Is reality starting to settle in for the 2023 Patriots?
The Patriots finished up their second of two joint practices with the Packers on Thursday, with the offense leaving the field the clear winner of what many reporters in Green Bay dubbed quarterback Mac Jones' best practice as a pro.
The two teams are now set to square off in each of their second preseason games of the Summer on Saturday night. With plenty still to fight for across each unit's 90-man roster on the quest to 53, here are 10 players to watch at Lambeau Field:
10 - RB C.J. Marable, Patriots
After a rough showing from the Patriots' running back department last week against the Texans, the team went back to the well and signed free agent running backs C.J. Marable and Ezekiel Elliott.
While Elliott is all but a lock to make the 53-man roster, Marable is not.
The former USFL Birmingham Stallion will likely have plenty of opportunity on Saturday night to show why he too is deserving of a spot on the roster. The former Coastal Carolina Chanticleer is not only a hard runner, but can also give New England an option to work with in the passing game as well - potentially giving him an upper hand over Pierre Strong Jr. and Kevin Harris if they remain stagnant.
9 - OL Sidy Sow, Patriots
Sidy Sow, one of the Patriots' two fourth-round picks in 2022, struggled against Houston last Thursday night - but seems ready for yet another challenge on Saturday.
"He's starting to develop some competitive poise," Patriots offensive line coach Adrian Klemm said of Sow on Friday morning. "He's a very smart guy, very sharp." Sow has also taken some pointers from veteran Trent Brown, who is his bookend on the left side. Brown said he's been, "working with him extra, just trying to make sure he’s on point."
The rookie remains a mainstay at New England's starting right tackle position this week and if they can't get any more healthy by week one, he'll likely be thrust into regular season action immediately. Saturday will help decide if he's truly ready for it.
8 - LB/S Marte Mapu, Patriots
Marte Mapu, who had been nursing a torn pectoral muscle since February, officially shed his red non-contact jersey at Wednesday’s practice in Green Bay. The former Sacramento State Hornet is now full-go for his rookie season.
The defensive chess piece will now likely see his first NFL game action. As someone who Matthew Judon compared to Dont'a Hightower, Mapu already has some high expectations. Saturday will be his first chance to show his versatility at both linebacker and safety.
7 - QB/WR Malik Cunningham, Patriots
Malik Mania has taken the Foxborough area by storm after the undrafted QB out of Louisville shined in his NFL debut last week. Cunningham, who had mostly repped as a wide receiver throughout his first few months with the Patriots, played quarterback for the fourth quarter of last Thursday's game and completed 3 of 4 pass attempts while also rushing the ball for 35 yards and a touchdown.
The dual-threat playmaker seems to already be a household name in New England, and is already taking reps as a 'wildcat' QB with the Patriots' first-team offense. But can he truly push Bailey Zappe for New England’s backup quarterback slot behind starter Mac Jones? We'll see what Bill O'Brien and co. unleash for the speedster on Saturday.
6 - S Jalen Mills, Patriots
When MassLive’s Mark Daniels joined Gresh and Fauria on Thursday from Green Bay, he mentioned Jalen Mills as a “roster bubble” guy, and while that may seem hard to believe, I’m starting to agree with this sentiment.
While Mills had a solid day against the Texans last week with three tackles, a pass deflection, and an interception of CJ Stroud on Houston’s opening drive, he's continued to rep with the second team a lot more than you'd expect from a roster lock.
The Patriots have a surplus of talent in their safety room with guys like Kyle Dugger, Jabrill Peppers, Adrian Phillips, and Joshuah Bledsoe, making it a tough lineup to crack. I’ll have my eye on Mills on Saturday to see how much he plays, and if it resembles him fighting for a roster spot.
You can listen to Mark’s full segment with Gresh and Fauria here:
5 - RB Emmanuel Wilson, Packers
The Packers have one of the better running back duos in football with Aaron Jones and AJ Dillion in the backfield. They also have a preseason darling in Emmanuel Wilson.
Wilson, an undrafted rookie out of Fort Valley State College, signed with Green Bay in May after a quick stint in Denver. The 5-foot-10, 230-pounder then went on to rush for 111 yards and two touchdowns on six carries in his NFL debut.
His lifetime of a performance came 14 years to the day since his father unfortunately passed away:
Wilson is competing with Patrick Taylor, Tyler Goodson, Lew Nichols, and Nate McCrary for spots behind Hones and Dillon in a crowded Packers backfield. With another performance like last week, he could quickly cement himself a role.
4 - WR Romeo Doubs, Packers
The Packers selected Romeo Doubs out of Nevada in the fourth round of 2022’s NFL Draft, and while he hauled in just 42 catches for 425 yards in an injury-hindered rookie season, he and quarterback Jordan Love showed off a nice chemistry in last week's preseason game. The wide receiver caught two passes for 21 yards and a touchdown on the team's second drive of last week's game before sitting for the remainder of the contest.
Saturday potentially being a dress rehearsal game for starters will give us a longer look at what the Packers have in the pass catching department post-Davante Adams trade. Doubs could shine against a Patriots cornerback room dealing with injuries and unknowns.
3 - DE Keion White, Patriots
After being snubbed from this list last week, New England’s second-round pick from 2023 makes a much-deserved debut in 10 Players to Watch. White was a monster with three total tackles and a bone-shaking hit on running back Dare Ogunbowale during a group effort forced fumble.
The former Georgia Tech Yellow Jacket unfortunately suffered an injury during the Patriots’ second joint practice with the Packers, a left leg ailment according to Greg Bedard. We’ll see if they hold him out of Saturday’s game because of it. If they let him go, you likely won't be able to miss him.
2 - QB Jordan Love, Packers
Jordan Love played just two drives in the Packers 36-19 win versus the Bengals last week, completing seven of 10 attempts for 46 yards and a touchdown to Romeo Doubs.
The former first round pick has immense pressure on him this season as he tries to fill the shoes of former franchise quarterback Aaron Rodgers, something Patriots quarterback Mac Jones was asked about this week in Green Bay:
"I think Tom Brady’s the great quarterback to play in the NFL," Jones said when asked what advice he would give Love. "To follow up on him it’s just trying to chase the standard that he set every day… that’s the only advice I’d have just continue to grow, be yourself, right? That’s all you can do is put your best foot forward and compete but yeah it’s definitely big shoes to fill."
We'll have our eyes on you. No pressure.
1 - QB Mac Jones, Patriots
Speaking of pressure, if Mac Jones winds up playing on Saturday night, then he's without question the number one player to watch.
The third-year quarterback reportedly dominated the Packers' defense in Thursday's practice - one many have called his best practice as a Patriot. Now, he'll get a chance to show how much of a changed signal caller he's become under offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien.
Saturday will be the OC/QB duos first time working together against live action. Can they replicate what happened on Thursday? Or will the offense remain volatile?
Make sure to follow Mike on Twitter @mikekadlick, and follow @WEEI for the latest up-to-date Patriots and Boston sports news!
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