When it comes to preseason action for some Patriots, timing -- and situation -- can be everything

At this stage of the summer, things are just now really starting to get cranked up, and football is starting to really look like football. With that in mind, it’s important to note that at this stage of the calendar, for many of the players, the key is not necessarily how much playing time they get in these preseason games. Instead, it’s when they’re playing, who they are playing with/alongside, and who is on the other side of the ball when they get out there. Put their snaps in some sort of context.

Putting it simpler? It’s one thing for, say, rookie Ralph Webb to run for a pair of touchdowns against a combination of Washington’s second and third defense. But can be elevate his game to a point where he’s doing that against ones and twos? That’s the sort of the question we’ll be considering with this list of 10 players and positions worth keeping an eye on when it comes to Thursday’s preseason game against the Eagles.


Tom Brady: No secret here. Just want to see him in game action, see him throw, and how he works with some of the guys who might be new faces (Webb, Eric Decker) or skill position guys who might have been on the shelf for an extended stretch (Julian Edelman). For the record, here’s a look at how he’s fared in the second preseason game of the summer:

2017: 6-for-9, 67 yards, 1 TD vs. Texans
2016: DNP vs. Bears
2015: 2-for-5 for 13 yards vs. Saints
2014: 8-for-10 for 81 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT vs. Eagles
2013: 11-for-12 for 107 yards, 1 TD vs. Buccaneers
2012: DNP vs. Eagles
2011: 11-for-19 for 118 yards, 2 TDs vs. Buccaneers
2010: 10-for-12 for 85 yards, 1 TD vs. Falcons
2009: 4-for-8 for 57 yards vs. Bengals
2008: DNP vs. Buccaneers
2007: 10-for-19, 145 yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs vs. Titans
2006: 15-for-20, 149 yards vs. Cardinals
2005: 6-for-11, 105 yards, 1 INT vs. Saints
2004: 8-for-13, 126 yards, 1 INT vs. Bengals
2003: 9-for-18, 145 yards, 1 TD vs. Redskins
2002: 11-for-19, 116 yards, 2 INTs vs. Eagles



Ralph Webb: The rookie out of Vandy has been one of a couple of first-year players who have really impressed to this point on the calendar. The question now: Without Sony Michel and Rex Burkhead for another week, can he take what he did last week against Washington’s backups and continue pushing forward, maybe against improved competition? A lot still has to happen for him to make it through to the 53-man roster, but another good preseason game would be another step forward toward his ultimate goal. (With no Michel and Burkhead, it's also going to be interesting to see how the RB reps are divided.)

Eric Decker: We can understand managing expectations around Decker when it came to last week’s game against the Redskins, but he should be pushed when it comes to Thursday’s game for a few reasons, including the fact Brady should be on the field with him throwing him passes as opposed to Brian Hoyer. If the veteran is making catches in the first half against the Eagles out of the slot on passes from Brady, that’s a good sign. If he’s on the field in the fourth quarter playing pitch-and-catch with Danny Etling, not so much.

Ja’Whaun Bentley: Another guy who is important to watch when it comes to when he’s playing, as well as who he is surrounded by. If the Purdue product is on the field in the first half surrounded by the likes of Dont’a Hightower and Kyle Van Noy, it’s another good sign for his development. In the wake of a good preseason opener where he registered multiple tackles for loss and had the communication system in his headset, and a solid week of practice where he was frequently seen running with the ones, he certainly seems pointed in the right direction.



Dont’a Hightower: Ever since he sorta kinda referenced spending time in the defensive line room on an interview with "Zo & Bertrand" earlier this summer, he’s been super cagey when asked about a possible shift in responsibility. (This week, he was asked how many meetings rooms he was in. His reply? “It pays off to know the defense a little bit better than most.”) He won’t be a full-on lineman, but we’ve seen him work on the edge more and more over the course of the summer. Maybe that has something to do with the emergence of Danny Shelton as a stout presence up front. Maybe that is also related to the work of a youngster like Bentley in the middle. Maybe it’s just a way to use his versatility and smarts and bring some added oomph to the pass rush. Whatever the case may be, his use will certainly bear watching again.

Braxton Berrios: Still not entirely sure where Berrios rests on the depth chart. The only thing we can tell you is he appears to be locked in a struggle with the likes of Riley McCarron for one of the final receiver/returner roles. The problem with both of them? They're probably too good to get through to the practice squad, which means potentially losing one or both on waivers. The Patriots could conceivably keep both of them, but that would necessitate some serious roster juggling. Anyway, McCarron was the guy who was first out of the gate as a returner against the Redskins. Wouldn’t be shocked to see Berrios get the lead opportunity against the Eagles.

Eddie Pleasant: This veteran defensive back was involved in all four special teams units in last Thursday’s preseason opener: punt, punt return, kick, and kick returns, joining a group of hardcore special teamer like Brandon King, Jordan Richards, and Nicholas Grigsby. Some of this might ultimately hinge on the health of core special teamers like Matthew Slater and Nate Ebner, but if Pleasant can continue to be a solid special teams presence — if he’s out there in all four areas again on Thursday — and provide some depth in the secondary, he could end up making some guys expendable at the end of the summer.

“Eddie's an experienced player that's versatile,” Belichick said of Pleasant on Tuesday. “He’s does a lot of things in the kicking game. He's played safety. He's also played some corner or nickel position on defense for the Texans. He's a smart kid. He's been in a similar system. Not quite the same, but similar. He's done well. He’s an experienced guy and I would say things come pretty quickly to him on the field.”

Jason McCourty: Honestly, we’re not sure what to think of McCourty’s status at this point on the calendar. Based on what we’ve seen at camp, the most likely scenario is that he’s a depth piece at corner who also has a role on special teams. (It doesn’t sound like he’s sweating things.) He did get increased reps at corner this week, which could be a sign his workload could increase against the Eagles. Regardless, we'll monitor when he's out there Thursday night.



Isaiah Wynn: Is he going to be the backup left tackle? Starting right tackle? Could he show up at guard? And who is going to be next to him? The rookie has been asked to do a lot over the last couple of weeks, as he’s been plugged in at multiple spots along the offensive line over the course of his first summer in Foxborough, something that will serve him well down the road. (The best way to measure the success rate of a rookie offensive lineman at camp? How much he gets yelled at by Dante Scarnecchia. And we didn’t hear much from Dante toward Wynn over the last couple of weeks.) The feeling here is he shows up as a guard and/or backup tackle sometime in the second half as he continues his upward trend.

Who isn’t going to play: Based on injury and personnel movement over the last week or so, I’d expect this group to be sidelined for Thursday’s game — Burkhead and Michel; cornerbacks Duke Dawson and Ryan Lewis; wide receiver Kenny Britt; offensive lineman Marcus Cannon; defensive lineman Trey Flowers; Slater. For some of these guys (Britt in particular), the train is leaving the station. As the regular season looms, there needs to be a growing sense of urgency when it comes to getting on the field for an extended stretch. For what it’s worth, after watching them on Tuesday, there’s also a chance Ebner, returner/defensive back Cyrus Jones, and wide receiver Phillip Dorsett don’t play as well. (Although by the sound of things, Dorsett’s health issue isn’t considered a long-term problem.)