11 Patriots to watch in preseason vs. Vikings today

With a pair of joint practices with the Vikings in the rearview mirror, the attention shifts back to preseason action for the New England Patriots in Minnesota.

After plenty of work throughout the week for Drake Maye and New England’s starters on both sides of the ball, a poor showing on the practice fields on Thursday could open the door for the top units to see playing time on Saturday. On the other sideline, however, the Vikings have already confirmed that starting quarterback J.J. McCarthy will not suit up.

As for who we will be watching closely Saturday afternoon in Minnesota, there are 11 players on our radar.

Quarterback: Joshua Dobbs and Ben Wooldridge

Time will tell if Drake Maye sees any action after an overall impressive pair of joint practices in Minnesota, but New England’s backups should get the majority of the snaps either way.

After a rough preseason opener followed by a poor first practice against the Vikings — which included a pair of interceptions — Dobbs bounced back strongly on Thursday. He’ll look to continue that momentum into game action and put a stranglehold on the backup QB position, while Ben Wooldridge will then look to build off his strong preseason opener after not seeing any full-team competitive reps this week in practice.

Wide receiver: Javon Baker and Efton Chism III

Despite failing to haul in a reception in the preseason opener, sophomore wide receiver Javon Baker drew praise from Mike Vrabel for his working the kicking game, where he had a pair of tackle against the Commanders. Baker continues to work heavily as a gunner as the added versatility will increase his odds of making the roster, and he will also look to make an impact on the offensive side of the football in Minnesota.

Efton Chism, meanwhile, has continued to be the best wide receiver running with the second offense on the practice fields. After leading all of New England’s pass catchers in Week 1 of the preseason, he also was a problem for the Vikings’ defensive backs in joint practices this week. The expectation is for that to continue Saturday afternoon. One more strong performance could be enough to firmly put Chism onto the team’s 53-man roster (if he’s not there already).

Offensive tackle: Will Campbell

It was a challenging week for Will Campbell out in Minnesota. After an up-and-down first day, Campbell had his worst practice of the summer on Thursday as he gave up three pressures to Jonathan Greenard along the edge before false starting near the end of practice. Campbell may not get a rematch vs. Greenard if the Pro Bowl pass rusher watches from the sideline, but seeing the response from the No. 4 overall pick is perhaps the top storyline on Saturday.

Interior offensive line: Ben Brown

A change to New England’s top offensive line Thursday saw Ben Brown replace Jared Wilson, who quickly left the practice field after warmups, at left guard. Like the rest of the Patriots offensive line on Thursday, Brown had struggles in pass protection in both 1-on-1s and full-team work. Brown could need a clean performance Saturday to maintain his spot along the top line, while Cole Strange, Caedan Wallace, Tyrese Robinson, Sidy Soy, and Mehki Butler will continue to battle for increased opportunities at guard.

Edge: Anfernee Jennings and Bradyn Swinson

One of the top storylines in preseason game No. 1 was veteran defender Anfernee Jennings playing into the fourth quarter. Despite being one of the league’s best edge defenders against the run, Jennings’ fit in a Mike Vrabel attacking defensive front has been a question. Jennings playing late into the game again on Saturday could signal the end of his Patriots tenure is officially near.

New England also saw young pass rushers Truman Jones and Elijah Ponder tally pressures last week, but rookie Bradyn Swinson continued a relatively quiet summer with zero pressures in 21 pass rush snaps. Swinson should again see plenty of action against Minnesota and will look to wreck some havoc on the Vikings’ backup quarterbacks.

Safety: Kyle Dugger

After a disappointing season in which he battled injuries, Kyle Dugger has not rebounded well in training camp. That has led to him being passed on the depth chart by Jaylinn Hawkins and rookie Craig Woodson as Dugger has consistently ran with the second defense of late. With a high cap hit a factor in deciding Dugger’s future, watching how the 29-year old is used on the field and his performance will be worth monitoring.

Kicker: Andy Borregales and Parker Romo

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