At long last, through all of the deflated ball controversy and Super bowl celebrating, the New England Patriots return to the field this Thursday night for the first of four preseason games. The opponent is the Green Bay Packers and the starters likely won’t get much time, but for the players on the roster bubble or attempting to snatch a starting job, this game is the first live action opportunity to make an impression. With that being said, here are the four areas to watch in the first exhibition game of the Patriots’ season.
Who Plays On the Interior?
The New England Patriots saw an interior line veteran retire this year in Dan Connolly, and attempted to address the guard position in the draft picking up Shaq Mason and Tre’ Jackson. However, with Ryan Wendell battling injuries, the Patriots are likely a bit thinner at guard than they would have expected. Mason and Jackson could get significant time at the guard position, but whenever rookies are involved the position is open for the taking. Second year player Cameron Fleming as well as veteran swing man Marcus Cannon will certainly fight for time, along with more long shots like Josh Kline and dare I say Jordan Devey. It took the Patriots four weeks to figure out the perfect interior O-line last year, and with the line once again being a point of emphasis, the team needs to figure out the line before the start of the season.
Who is Getting Open?
The top three spots at receiver for the Patriots are set with Julian Edelman, Brandon LaFell and Danny Amendola, but the battle for final two positions remains wide open. Looking to recapture his rookie season, the often injured wide out Aaron Dobson has drawn praise at camp this season with his ability to win jump balls, and looks to have the best opportunity to be the fourth option on the outside if he can stay healthy. Dobson’s health remains in question and if he cannot regain strength well enough to perform this preseason he will open up the position for other receivers. Close behind Dobson on the depth chart is Brian Tyms, who showed his ability to catch the deep ball and contribute on special teams as a gunner. Tyms like Dobson is battling an injury this preseason after leaving practice for an undisclosed arm injury, but should be in the fifth spot on the depth chart given his special team flexibility.
Fighting to dethrone Tyms or Dobson from the bottom of the depth chart is a solid mix of young talent. The only two that would appear to have a chance at making the roster are Josh Boyce, the third year receiver who has been on the practice squad the last two years, and Brandon Gibson, a free agent signing who has spent prior time with the St. Louis Rams and Miami Dolphins. Boyce has the athleticism while Gibson is a solid route runner and has the pedigree as a veteran. However, both haven't established consistent play and will need to show up big in the preseason. The remainder of the teams receivers appear to be on the wrong side of the cut line, and hope at the very least they can grab a practice squad spot. Players such as Jonathan Krause, Zach D’Orazio and Chris Harper would have to play well above what they have shown in camp to have a chance to stick with the team.
Who Shines on the D-Line?
Many people will look towards Malcolm Butler and the rest of the defensive backs to determine the fate of the defense this season, but if last season told us anything it is that corners don’t always show up in low pressure scenarios. This was apparent last season when Philadelphia put up 35 points on the Patriots in preseason week two. So rather than look at the athletes on the outside, it will be important to see who does the little things on the inside. Will Dominique Easley or Zach Moore show his potential? How will Malcolm Brown look when double teamed? Will Tre Flowers stop the run? Can any of them get off blocks, or beat their man one on one? When the Patriots drafted Malcolm Brown, Tre Flowers and Geneo Grissom they showed that they want to beef up the defensive line, and week one against the Packers will give us a glimpse at how much better the line could be.
Can Garoppolo Get it Done?
With Tom Brady currently looking at a four game suspension to open the season, the preseason will mean everything for Jimmy Garoppolo. The second year quarterback looked great last preseason, but also looked shaky against Buffalo last season in garbage time and this year in training camp. Equipped with a strong arm and quick feet, Garoppolo has the physical ability to play in the NFL, but the quarterback position is just as much mental as it is physical. The game speeds up when the lights go on in Gillette stadium and Garoppolo will have to be just that much better.