Newsletter Signup
Stay up to date on all the latest news from Boston.com
7 questions facing Patriots entering their preseason opener against Texans
Multiple starters are not expected to play, but there will be plenty to watch for on Thursday night in Foxborough.
After close to two full weeks of training-camp practices, the Patriots will finally commence their preseason slate on Thursday when they host the Houston Texans at Gillette Stadium. Kick-off is slated for 7 p.m.
As is tradition with most preseason openers, it’s expected that Mac Jones and a number of other expected starters will not play against Houston.
But even if Bill Belichick and his staff might be digging deeper into the Patriots’ roster on Thursday, there is still plenty to keep tabs on as the competition to make the 53-man roster ramps up in the coming weeks.
Advertisement:
Here are a few things to keep tabs on in Foxborough on Thursday night.
How will the O-line hold up?
The state of New England’s offensive line remains the most pressing question facing the Patriots during training camp.
And even though Mac Jones likely won’t be under center on Thursday, how New England’s O-line fares against an opponent will be worth monitoring.
Granted, it’s tough to gauge the effectiveness of New England’s projected top unit with so many starters out of commission.
Mike Onwenu remains on the PUP list, while Cole Stange has been hampered over the last week after appearing to tweak something during a blocking drill on the first day of padded practices.
Advertisement:
Starting left tackle Trent Brown returned to competitive drills on Tuesday, although he likely wasn’t going to get reps on Thursday anyway.
But given how thin New England’s O-line already is, strong performances from rookies like Atonio Mafi, Sidy Sow, and Jake Andrews — along with second-year pros Kody Russey and Chasen Hines — should be noted.
The Patriots might need to rely on these younger O-linemen sooner than expected, given the various injuries that have already hindered New England’s starting squad up front.
Can second-year running backs make strides?
It’s clear that the Patriots need to add reinforcements behind Rhamondre Stevenson, given that the featured back was all but run into the ground as the focal point of the team’s offense in 2022.
But with Ty Montgomery still banged up and free-agent targets like Ezekiel Elliott unsigned, those responsibilities are currently expected to fall on the shoulders of second-year backs Kevin Harris and Pierre Strong.
Harris has earned a heavy share of snaps on New England’s second-team offense, while Strong has plenty of potential as a pass-catching, third-down back. If one (or both) of Harris and Strong pop during preseason action, they could set themselves up for key roles behind Stevenson on the depth chart.
Will rookie wideouts continue to build?
It’s one thing to consistently stack good practices against teammates during training camp.
Advertisement:
But if rookie receivers like Demario Douglas and Kayshon Boutte want to take another major step forward in their development, they need to showcase their talents against an opposing defense in a real game setting.
Douglas has arguably been New England’s most consistent offensive playmaker during camp. MassLive’s Mark Daniels tweeted on Tuesday that Douglas is the current leader in receptions so far during camp with 23 — more than other established talents like JuJu Smith-Schuster (21) and Hunter Henry (21).
Douglas’ route-running and stop-and-start acceleration have made life miserable for Patriots defensive backs during both 1v1 drills and competitive, full-squad practices. Let’s see if Houston’s defense has any luck slowing down the 2023 sixth-round pick.
A fellow 2023 sixth-round selection, Boutte has come on as of late. The former five-star recruit out of LSU has made the most out of added reps amid Tyquan Thronton’s extended slump, reeling in one of the top catches of training camp with a one-handed snag of a Malik Cunningham pass on Monday.
If Douglas and Boutte continue to make plays, both could warrant spots in what is looking like a pretty crowded receiver room in Foxborough. For New England, that might be a good problem to have.
Will Malik Cunningham get reps at QB?
With Mac Jones likely sitting Thursday’s game out, it’s expected that both Bailey Zappe and Trace McSorley will see heavy reps against Houston.
Advertisement:
But what about Malik Cunningham?
The former standout QB at Louisville is currently trying to carve out a role in New England as a wide receiver. But over the last few practices, the 24-year-old Cunningham has taken more and more snaps back at his usual position at quarterback.
Perhaps the Patriots were just using Cunningham as a scout-team option as they prepared for Houston. But Cunningham’s athleticism and dual-threat capabilities give New England’s QB grouping an added dynamic that has popped during his limited time under center at training camp.
If New England really wants to see what they have in a player like Cunningham, Thursday might stand as their best shot.
How will the defense matchup against C.J. Stroud?
Even though some of the usual suspects on defense likely aren’t going to suit up on Thursday, New England’s second-team defense and younger contributors should have a tough test in front of them in Houston QB C.J. Stroud.
Stroud, drafted by the Texans with the second-overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, is a poised pocket passer who routinely conducted an aerial attack during his two years as Ohio State’s QB1.
Look for rookies like CB Isaiah Bolden and DE Keion White to get plenty of chances to try and slow Stroud down.
Fellow 2023 draft pick Marte Mapu has routinely stood out during training camp as a first-team linebacker, but it remains to be seen if he will be cleared to play on Thursday.
Mapu has participated in both minicamp and all of training camp while wearing a red, non-contact jersey following offseason surgery to repair a torn pectoral muscle.
Can Tyquan Thornton start to assert himself?
Rookies like Douglas and Boutte will try to continue to elevate their rising stock on Thursday night during game action.
Advertisement:
Second-year wideout Tyquan Thornton is going to try and gain some much-needed traction in what has been a largely disappointing camp so far.
Even with his elite speed, Thornton has struggled to make an impact during competitive drills in camp. The 2022 second-round pick has spent most of practice with Zappe and the second-team offense.
Concerns over Thornton’s frame (6-foot-2, 185 pounds) and ability to fight through contact will continue to linger until he shows that he can consistently separate himself from defensive backs and get open.
A strong showing on Thursday against Houston will be a much-needed step in the right direction.
Who gets a leg up in kicking competition?
Rookie Chad Ryland and incumbent kicker Nick Folk have traded chances (or, well … kicks) throughout camp so far, and expect things to ramp up between the two special teamers on Thursday.
Even though Folk — New England’s go-to kicker since 2019 — has been very steady in his role, Ryland offers a higher ceiling at the position thanks to his superior leg strength.
So long as the 2023 fourth-round pick can avoid serious lapses in execution, one has to think that the newcomer has a leg up over the 38-year-old Folk.
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com