Ten Patriots Players to Watch Closely Against the Eagles

The New England Patriots began preseason with a 17-3 victory over the Carolina Panthers last Thursday. They are now a week closer to the beginning of the regular season. This means core players should receive more playing time in tonight’s game. The competition level also takes a step up, from reserves on a struggling Panthers roster to the Philadelphia Eagles.

Friendly reminders: Over 40% of the players eligible to play tonight won’t make the teams’ 53-man rosters. The final score doesn’t matter. The most noteworthy events in the preseason are major injuries. So generally speaking, no news is good news. But certain players and units need to prove they are capable of playing at a certain level, preseason or not.

While the performance of all players will be scrutinized to varying degrees, here are ten Patriots players to keep an eye on in Thursday night’s game against the Eagles.

Offensive Line

Okay, counting an entire unit as one player is cheating a bit, but nothing is more important than the play of the New England Patriots offensive line. They struggled in 2023. They struggled in training camp. Philadelphia’s defense dominated them in joint practice on Tuesday, turning into a sack machine. New England’s starting unit has consisted of Vederian Lowe (LT), Sidy Sow (LG), David Andrews (C), Mike Onwenu (RG), and Chukwuma Okorafor (RT). If this group continues to have issues, Jerod Mayo needs to make some changes. The main issue is the reserves have not looked much better. From the second unit, rookies Caedan Wallace and Layden Robinson, and veterans Calvin Anderson and Nick Leverett have the best opportunity to work their way into the starting spots with positive performances.

Drake Maye

Maye’s lack of playing time last week was disappointing for many members of Patriots Nation. Jacoby Brissett appears a near-lock to be the Patriots’ Week 1 starter at quarterback but giving Maye some legitimate opportunities to showcase what he can (or can’t) do tonight would put Patriots preseason on more people’s radars. He has looked good in 7-on-7 drills but has struggled under center and getting the ball out quickly enough. Of course, better offensive line play and receivers getting open would help.

Also Read – Kelley: Pre-Training Camp Patriots 53-Man Roster Projection

Christian Gonzalez

With Christian Barmore out and Matthew Judon traded, Christian Gonzalez could become the face of the New England Patriots defense with only four games of NFL experience under his belt. There are already opposing camps regarding Gonzalez. Talk radio is trying to drum up talk of him being a prima donna or not caring enough about football. Others see him as a potential All-Pro player with an incredibly bright future in the National Football League. Gonzalez will be matched up against a strong Eagles wide receiver corps tonight, led by A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith. Should be a good test.

Austin Hooper

Hooper joins the starting lineup with Hunter Henry out for New England. Henry’s return date remains unknown. Hooper looked good at the joint practice on Tuesday. It is imperative for the Patriots to get production from their tight ends. David Njoku excelled last season for the Cleveland Browns under much of the same offensive coaching staff. Mitchell Wilcox struggled last week, and La’Michael Pettway and Jacob Warren were nonfactors. If Henry isn’t ready to start the season, Austin Hooper and Jaheim Bell will be counted on to pick up the slack.

Isaiah Bolden

If the three cornerbacks limited in Tuesday’s practice remain out tonight (Jonathan Jones, Marcus Jones, Shaun Wade) the Patriots will be shorthanded at cornerback. Specifically, they’ll need somebody to show they can play in the slot. Bolden saw more time there with other corners missing in practice. He is an exceptional athlete who missed his rookie season last year on IR with a preseason head injury. Marcellas Dial Jr., Alex Austin, and Azizi Hearn are other cornerbacks fighting for roster spots who could get a chance at extensive playing time tonight.

Ja’Lynn Polk

DeMario Douglas should lead the Patriots in receptions this season. He is the one New England Patriots wide receiver who consistently shows an ability to get open and make receptions. New England needs at least one more wide receiver to be a legitimate weapon on offense. Rookie Ja’Lynn Polk is the most likely candidate to do so. He has looked solid in practice and it would be nice to see him do some damage in the game. New England fans need something to get excited about and with Drake Maye likely to start the season on the sideline, Polk is the best bet among the rookies.

Keion White

White possesses all the physical tools to be a dominant defense end. The Patriots’ defense needs him to take a leap in production in his second season. If Lane Johnson starts for Philadelphia, the Eagles’ right tackle would be an excellent barometer to see how much White has progressed. Matthew Judon getting traded means New England must get pressure on quarterbacks from other sources. Keion White showed he is a capable NFL player as a rookie, but adding a pass-rush component to his game is crucial.

Kayshon Boutte and Tyquan Thornton

These two may be battling for the final roster spot among New England Patriots wide receivers. Thornton appeared to have the advantage early in camp, but Boutte played very well against Carolina. If Kendrick Bourne remains inactive when the season begins, which is starting to seem more likely, these two could both be on the original 53-man roster. The Patriots releasing JuJu Smith-Schuster provides them with additional opportunities. They must take advantage of them.

Last Week’s Standouts

A few veteran standouts from last week are virtually assured of roster spots (Jeremiah Pharms Jr., Oshane Ximines). Joe Milton III is going to make the 53-man roster. Among PFF’s best New England Patriots performances vs. Carolina, there are a number of players who need to keep producing at a high level to help their chances of making the team. Among these are Christian Elliss, Joe Giles-Harris, Azizi Hearn, Sam Roberts, and A.J. Thomas.

Chad Ryland

Joey Slye handled the lone field goal attempt for the New England Patriots against the Panthers last week. Ryland enjoys a slight edge in their training camp competition. That said, kicking field goals in front of an NFL crowd (even a preseason one) is not the same as doing so in practice. Ryland holds the inside track on retaining his job, but seeing him attempt field goals with some (preseason) game pressure could create a shift in the confidence fans have in him returning in 2024.