First and 10: How much -- if at all -- will Tom Brady play in Thursday's preseason opener?

Welcome to first and 10, a roundup of all the (mostly) Patriots-related news you need to start your Thursday. Grab your coffee and let’s get to it.

We'll start with one question: How much is Tom Brady going to play Thursday night against the Redskins?



Since he took over as the starter during the regular season in 2001, here’s a look at how he’s finished when it came to his totals for the preseason opener.

2017: DNP vs. Jacksonville
2016: DNP vs. New Orleans
2015: 7 snaps vs. Green Bay — 1-for-4, 10 yards
2014: DNP against Washington
2013: 19 snaps against Philadelphia — 7-for-8, 65 yards, 1 TD
2012: 19 snaps against New Orleans — 4-for-7, 30 yards, 1 sack
2011: DNP against Jacksonville (Brady was not injured, but the opener came roughly two weeks after the end of the lockout. It what was likely a preventive measure to guard against starters being injured, most of the No. 1 offense and defense had the night off.)
2010: 17 snaps vs. New Orleans — 5-for-8, 67 yards
2009: 24 snaps vs. Philadelphia — 10-for-15, 100 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT
2008: DNP against Baltimore
2007: 13 snaps vs. Tampa Bay — 5-for-7, 34 yards
2006: 11 snaps vs. Atlanta — 3-for-4, 24 yards
2005: DNP against Cincinnati
2004: 11 snaps vs. Philadelphia — 3-for-4, 31 yards, 1 TD
2003: 11 snaps vs. NYG — 3-for-4, 25 yards, 1 TD, 1 sack
2002: 14 snaps vs. NYG — 7-for-11, 104 yards

In all, that's 10 starts, with an average of 14.6 snaps per start. So if he does get the call Thursday against the Redskins, that would likely be two or three series. We shall see how it all shakes out.

Now, on with the links....

1. My practice report from Wednesday, which was interrupted by a serious deluge. The Patriots got almost 90 minutes into practice before they called things off.

2. I spent some quality time with the guys from 92.9 FM Wednesday afternoon talking about the Patriots, training camp, and the preseason opener.

3. Miguel looks at the financial impact of reaching an injury settlement with Jordan Matthews, as well as a few other cap details of the last few days.

4. Tom E. Curran says that when it comes to the NFL, the fumbling never stops. The latest example is the wrangling around player safety and the new helmet rule.

5. Mike Reiss writes the Patriots could use a spark from Isaiah Wynn and the rest of their rookie class.

6. NFL referee Brad Allen was in Foxborough explaining the new helmet rule on Thursday, and we got a chance to watch a video about some of the new rules changes. Conor Ryan of MassLive does a nice job of summing it all up -- with player reaction -- here.

7. Adam Zielonka of the Washington Times says for some of the players on the fringes of the Washington roster, Thursday's game against the Patriots will have a sizable impact on their chances of making the team.

8. The Redskins new skill position players add a dose of intrigue to Thursday's preseason opener vs. New England, according to Rick Snyder of the Washington Post.

9. Eliot Harrison of NFL.com has the Patriots third in his preseason power rankings.

10. Pro Football Focus ranks the NFL's backfields. The Patriots are 25th. Michael Renner writes: "The Patriots have a whole stable of backs at this point with two dynamically opposed skillsets. First-round pick Sony Michel, Rex Burkhead and James White all fall into the dynamic receiving threats bucket while Jeremy Hill and Mike Gillislee can be thrown into the bruising goal-line back bucket. The only problem is that Hill is the only one who has been a feature back over the course of his career and he’s never earned a grade above 70.0 when that was the case."

Extra Point: This was from Linda Holliday's Instagram account on Wednesday. Looks like the coach and the tight end are on good terms.