There will be no Drake Maye and few regulars, if any, will play but Thursday night’s New England Patriots preseason opener is an opportunity feast for the guys seeking to make their mark and more importantly earn a job.
Maye and crew looked solid enough against the Colts in Tuesday morning’s joint practice, but there is still plenty of work to be done.
Here’s a look at the four spots on the field that will matter most to the Patriots and their fans.
The wide receiver free-for-all
Only Mike Vrabel and Josh McDaniels truly know how many wide receivers they would like to keep on this roster.
The bottom line is that two jobs are safe and secure – Romeo Doubs and A.J. Brown.
Five others – Mack Hollins, Kayshon Boutte, DeMario Douglas, Kyle Williams and Efton Chism – have to likely at least “hold serve” with their play this summer to keep or earn a roster spot.
It wouldn’t be a surprise to all five in the first half on Thursday night with the bottom guys being showcased after the break.
All have had their moments, and there are scenarios in which New England could keep seven receivers on the 53-man roster.
But they need to continue to prove their worth.
Tommy Cutlets
Stepping into the backup QB spot, former New York Giants starter Tommy DeVito has had a big summer in practice.
DeVito, who was really good against the Colts’ second-teamers on Tuesday morning, will likely play a half of so on Thursday night.
He needs to show under live fire – in training camp and in joint practices the QBs don’t get touched – that he can hold things together, just in case something bad happens to Maye.
No fireworks are necessary. Save them for the second half with rookie seventh-round pick Behren Morton. DeVito needs to display competence and confidence.
The inside jobs
It was so glaring in the Super Bowl, with Robert Spillane nowhere near 100 percent and Seattle’s Kenneth Walker running all over the Patriots defense. New England is mercilessly thin at inside linebacker.
Two candidates have been sharp this summer, behind incumbents Spillane and Christian Elliss – Chad Muma and Khalil Jacobs.
Those are two names you need to be hearing and two defensive playmakers that must deliver on the defense Thursday night.
If they are making tackles and making life miserable for Anthony Richardson and Co., that is good news for Patriots defensive coordinator Zak Kuhr.
Hanging on the corner
Christian Gonzalez and Carlton Davis, New England’s starting cornerbacks, missed Tuesday morning and won’t play Thursday night – Davis with a hamstring and Gonzalez with a bruised … ego?
There’s no shot starting slot corner Marcus Jones sees the field, and No. 4 man Charles Woods has been out with an injury, so that means the guys looking for jobs will be tested early and often.
Players need to be found from the likes of veteran journeymen Kindle Vildor and Kobee Minor, 2024 Patriots draft pick Marcellas Dial, undrafted 2025 free agent Brandon Crossley and rookies Karon Prunty, Channing Canada and Kenneth Harris.
Once again, opportunity knocks for sure. And with the Red Sox playing a day game in Toronto, much of New England will be tuning in.