FOXBORO, Mass. — The New England Patriots are entering their third week of training camp with the first preseason game looming.
We are starting to get an idea of how things appear after nine practices. Let us share one observation about each player in camp while keeping that in mind. We will examine the offense on Monday. We will address the defense on Tuesday.
QB Jacoby Brissett: In a nutshell, just as promised. The Pats brought him in because they thought he could be this offense’s starter quarterback and would be a selfless mentor to their rookie. He has both boxes checked.
QB Drake Maye: Despite a few setbacks during his first training camp, Maye has had some difficult workouts. Nevertheless, his ceiling is still quite high. With two strong sessions at the end of last week, the 21-year-old recovered well from his setbacks and should get plenty of action on Thursday against the Carolina Panthers, the team he grew up admiring.
QB Joe Milton: The sixth-round selection has performed better than I anticipated, and some of his standout moments are amazing. Despite having one of the strongest arms in the NFL, he still has a significant advantage over Brissett/Maye.
QB Bailey Zappe: It is difficult to stay neutral toward the man. He had to utilize these preseason games as an audition for his next team because he had gone from being the starter to just receiving minimal training camp snaps.
RB Rhamondre Stevenson: There is not much separating him as the Patriots’ top skill-position player. This season, Jerod Mayo intends to throw him a lot of balls.
Antonio Gibson, a running back, is a dynamic player out of the backfield who might be the genuine third-down receiving back the Pats have been missing in previous years. The team does not have a lot of depth at running back.
RB Kevin Harris: Harris is my choice in the competition for the No. 3 spot. He was lauded by Mayo last week, who called him an offseason award winner.
RB JaMycal Hasty: Given his impressive shiftiness and abundance of opportunities to make the squad, Hasty will have lots of opportunities to play in these crucial preseason games.
Terrell Jennings, a running back, may still have 20 preseason carries despite his obvious lack of speed. These will be crucial in demonstrating his ability to play games more quickly.
Hunter Henry, TE: Despite his lackluster blocking in this scheme, he has been a regular target of Brissett’s in the red zone and should continue to be of great value there.
One-hand Hunt ✋@JBrissett12 | @Hunter_Henry84 pic.twitter.com/kyQO6TyXGi
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) August 3, 2024
TE Austin Hooper: In an offense that should often use several tight ends, the free-agent signing has impressed in camp and is establishing a nice role as the No. 2 tight end.
TE Jaheim Bell: He has not practiced much, but coaches believe he has a lot of potential. We continue to wait and see.
Mitchell Wilcox, TE: Though it is not ideal to see so many drops, he also receives a lot of targets, which suggests that he is running effective routes.
TE La’Michael Pettway: He has primarily played in the third-string offense, but when given the opportunity, he has produced plays.
TE Jacob Warren: Warren has the size to grow into the blocking tight end this club needs at 6 feet 5 and more than 250 pounds.
Wide receiver Kendrick Bourne is still recovering from an ACL tear from last year, so he has not practiced yet. When he does, given that his speed was previously a weakness, I will be interested to see if the injury has affected it.
WR K.J. Osborn: Although Saturday’s practice was the best of camp, Osborn has not shown us anything particularly impressive thus far. Although he is dependable and eager to block runs, he has not been outperforming other players on this team in terms of winning contested catches.
WR Demario Douglas: We are aware of his dynamic nature by now. Staying on the field is a problem for someone his size. He is already nursing an ailment and has been practicing in a red, no-contact jersey. He should win the season if he plays in at least 14 games, and he should have a strong chance of leading the club in receiving yards.
Pop’s got ups 😤@popshotta3 | #NEPats pic.twitter.com/wSd5uZ4dqQ
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) August 2, 2024
WR Ja’Lynn Polk: Mayo said of Polk, “He is the kind of guy you want to develop around,” which is the highest praise for a team starting a rebuild.
WR Javon Baker: He is incredibly talented. But sometimes he makes dumb blunders. Nevertheless, if he has a strong preseason performance, he might rank among the team’s top three receivers.
WR Jalen Reagor: Given how good he is on kickoffs, the longer camp continues, the more I believe the Pats need to make room on the roster for Reagor.
WR Tyquan Thornton: Although the expectations of 2022 are long gone, Thornton appears to be headed for his finest season yet with his newfound stature. Thornton still needs to demonstrate that he can stay healthy.
WR Smith-Schuster JuJu This summer, he claimed that his injuries were the only reason he struggled the previous year. However, he is had a difficult start to camp, and his status on the roster is in jeopardy.
WR Kayshon Boutte: The former LSU player has not done enough to move up beyond Thornton and Reagor and is currently likely on the wrong side of the roster bubble.
JaQuae Jackson, a wide receiver, is a little thin and has struggled to box out corners on contested catches.
WR Kawaan Baker: The Pats can stash Baker on the practice squad and attempt to develop him into a deep threat because of his straight-line speed and lack of shiftiness.
WR David Wallis: Although he has not had many memorable moments, he can try to use the preseason games as a tryout for a seat on the practice squad.
OT Chukwuma Okorafor: He missed practice on Saturday due to an injury, but he is guaranteed a starting position when well. All that matters is if he plays right or left tackle.
OT Caedan Wallace: Mayo stated that he hopes to decide on the starting five for the squad following the second exhibition game. The main concern is if Wallace performed well enough in the two games to guarantee a spot opposite Okorafor.
LG Sidy Sow: Going into his second year, Sow is a bright indication as he has been the second-best offensive lineman in camp.
C David Andrews: He is past his prime, but you can count on him to play well up the middle, which will come in handy when bringing in a rookie quarterback later on.
Mike Onwenu, right guard: He is been the most effective offensive lineman, and it is not even close. Nevertheless, I find it difficult to comprehend why he is playing right guard as opposed to right tackle.
OT Calvin A. Anderson After malaria destroyed his 2023 season, it is simple to support Anderson, who has already won over coaches by persevering through a small injury during camp.
OT Vederian Lowe: Lowe is the most recent player to start for New England among a number of left tackle candidates. The preseason games hold a tremendous chance.
OT Kellen Diesch: the Patriots are drawn to the new signee’s athletic profile—he completed a 40-yard dash in under five seconds—in this zone rushing system, despite having only participated in one session.
OT Zuri Henry: It might be difficult for the undrafted rookie to make the practice squad.
G Cole Strange: The 2022 first-round selection has not been able to play because of a knee ailment, but he has been present at practice. He will not be there for the season’s opening.
Layden, G. Robinson Here’s another reason why I do not think Onwenu should remain at right guard: Robinson is denied playing time, particularly in light of the likelihood that Strange will return eventually. Robinson has also performed well enough to merit a few snarks.
G Michael Jordan: The seasoned player strengthens the group’s depth and makes a stronger argument for Onwenu to play tackle.
G/C: Atonio Mafi During Andrews’ absence, he moved from guard to center, but it did not go well. He made multiple poor snap decisions. If he does not correct that, the team may have to look elsewhere for center depth.
C Jake Andrews: Andrews has spent the entire camp on the physically unable to perform list after not playing much the previous year. This is an awful injury that has not been publicized, as he needs all the repetitions he can receive.
C Nick Leverett: He has been a delightful surprise during camp. The first-team offense has not lost a beat without Andrews at center.
G Liam Fornadel: Despite playing well in the XFL, he was only able to join the Patriots’ third team.
G Charles Turner III: An ideal stash on the practice squad, the undrafted free agent is tiny but moves effectively, which is a benefit for this scheme.
K Chad Ryland: After a chance to recover from his rookie setbacks, he has proven to be the superior of the two kickers and is likely to be selected to the team.
K Joey Slye: The seasoned player has not proven reliable enough to challenge Ryland for the starting position.
(Top photo of Jacoby Brissett and Bailey Zappe: Fred Kfoury III / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
