What To Watch For: A Final Push To Win Roster Spots?
BOSTON (CBS) -- It will all be over soon, and we can focus on real, live football.
No, we're not talking about DeflateGate. That should be over soon, but even when Judge Richard Berman releases his ruling on the matter, we'll likely have another few months of deflated football talk to go with our serving of actual football.
We're talking about the end of the preseason, which means that one week from today, the Patriots will be kicking off the 2015 NFL season, playing host to the Pittsburgh Steelers on September 10.
It's hard not to look ahead to that season opener, but we do have one more exhibition to get through. Before Gillette Stadium can transform into the place to be for the NFL's opening night party, the Pats have to play one more somewhat meaningless game against the New York Giants.
But even though Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski and a slew of other stars will be watching this one from the sidelines, "meaningless" is still a little too strong for the fourth and final preseason tilt. There are still a few jobs up for grabs, and Thursday night is the last time New England's bubble players get to make their case to Bill Belichick before the rosters need to be cut down to 53 on Saturday afternoon.
It's hard to read into exactly what a player getting a lot of reps in the final preseason games mean, because it could really go both ways. They're either playing because the Pats need to field a team, or they're playing because the team wants a final look before ultimately determining their fate.
What we do know is there are 60 more minutes of preseason football to be played before the real fun starts. Here's what we'll be watching for during those 60 minutes on Thursday:
Running Away At Running Back
LeGarrette Blount and Jonas Gray are locks to make the roster. Brandon Bolden has seen limited time this preseason, but given his contribution on special teams, he isn't likely to land on the cutting room floor come Saturday (Blount's one-game suspension also helps).
James White and Dion Lewis have also done what they've needed to in order to claim a spot on the 53-man roster, and will compete throughout the season to replace Shane Vereen as New England's third-down back. They can make more of a claim for that job with a few more promising plays Thursday night, so it will be interesting to see who gets the extra playing time (White played just two snaps in Preseason Game No. 3 last week).
Then there is Travaris Cadet, who has yet to see the field this preseason. The Patriots signed Cadet in March, but he missed three weeks of practice with a hamstring injury, putting him way behind on the depth chart and in serious jeopardy of being unemployed by the weekend. Thursday night could be his final chance to make the team.
Newcomers At Wide Receiver
We don't know if Tom Brady will be playing quarterback in Week 1, but we also don't really know who he'll have to throw the pigskin to if he does indeed play. Danny Amendola is about the surest thing in the New England receiving corps at the moment, which is saying something.
We haven't seen Julian Edelman or Rob Gronkowski all preseason, and that's not a bad thing. Those two take a number of big hits in each of the 16 regular season games, so having them take no hits during these games that don't count isn't a bad thing. We also haven't seen Brandon LaFell, who just got out of a walking boot last week, and there's a very good chance JoJo won't be suiting up for the beginning of the regular season.
So as Jimmy Garoppolo (and potentially Ryan Lindley) looks their way Thursday evening, a few receivers better make the most of the preseason finale.
Aaron Dobson may simply win a roster spot due to LaFell's injury. He played 47 snaps in his return to the field on Friday, debuting with a pair of catches against Carolina. Those two receptions came on five targets, a number that should increase if Dobson sees the field Thursday night. Given his injury history, the Pats will have to weigh whether or not it's worth risking another ailment with the third-year receiver.
But the Patriots already cut ties with one third-year receiver who has done little to earn his roster spot in Josh Boyce, so Dobson should be on notice.
Receiver Chris Harper has been impressive during the preseason slate, but he saw just three passes go his way last Friday after a combined 15 targets in Games 1 and 2. He's the definition of a bubble player, one who has worked hard to put his name in the conversation for a roster spot, but Tuesday's acquisition of receiver/kick returner Jalen Saunders will make Harper's fight all the more difficult. Both players can contribute in the return game, and if it comes down to one or the other come Saturday afternoon, a strong showing on Thursday night could make the difference.
And we can't forget about Reggie Wayne, who played 21 snaps on Friday night and had just one ball thrown his way. The 14-year veteran wouldn't usually need to see action in the final preseason game, but he's on a new team and in a new offense, so he should be able to make the most on any snaps he gets Thursday night.
Battles In The Secondary
If last Friday's "dress rehearsal" against the Panthers told us anything, it's that the Patriots will likely go with Malcolm Butler, Tarell Brown and Bradley Fletcher as their top three corners. Now the Patriots have to figure out who is behind those three on the depth chart.
Logan Ryan has nearly played himself off the team this preseason, and newcomer Robert McClain hasn't done much to assure his spot on the roster. Both benefit from rookie Daryll Roberts landing on injured reserve, but will have to show some improvement if they want to assure a locker at Gillette come Sunday.
Elsewhere in the secondary, there's a battle at safety behind starters Devin McCourty and Patrick Chung, with Duron Harmon, rookie Jordan Richards and Tavon Wilson in a bout for playing time. Wilson could find himself on the chopping block, even with a decent showing on Thursday night, making way for the pair of younger players with much higher upside in Harmon and Richards.
The Golden Boot Of Stephen Gostkowski
It's still just preseason, so why not keep an eye on the kicker, especially one who has been kicking the crud out of the ball in the three previous exhibitions?
Stephen Gostkowski has showed off his range this preseason, nailing a 56-yarder against Green Bay and a 53-yarder against Carolina. Each of those three-pointers could have been good from about 10 yards deeper. Mixed between those booming boots were your more run-of-the-mill kicks from 36-yards and 35-yards, which both split the uprights.
Gostkowski is in no way kicking for his job against the Giants, but if he lines up for one of those lengthy attempts, we'll be watching.
Tune in to Thursday's Patriots-Giants preseason tilt on 98.5 The Sports Hub and WBZ-TV -- the flagship stations of the New England Patriots! Pregame coverage begins on 98.5FM at 4:30pm with Patriots Preview, and at 7pm on WBZ-TV with Patriots GameDay. Stay tuned after the game for full postgame shows!
