FOXBOROUGH — Ahead of the Patriots’ preseason finale, let’s take a look at who’s up, who’s down, and whom to watch Thursday night at Huntington Bank Field in Cleveland …
Three up
QuarterbackBehren Morton: The 24-year-old Morton stole the show during the Patriots’ second preseason game, leading the offense on a game-winning drive and also moonlighting as the emergency punter. It seems plausible that Morton could serve as an emergency punter (and kicker) or factor as an option in trick-play scenarios. The Patriots still have to decide whether they want to dedicate a roster spot to a third-string quarterback — they didn’t last year — or risk exposing Morton to waivers.
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Cornerback Kindle Vildor: When discussing players who stepped up Saturday night, Patriots coach Mike Vrabel started with the 28-year-old Vildor. On the Eagles’ first possession of the second quarter, Vildor made a diving interception of Andy Dalton, but a roughing-the-passer penalty on rookie edge rusher Gabe Jacas negated the play. Vildor remained active for the rest of the possession, breaking up two passes in the next three plays to help force a punt. The performance is the latest impressive showing from Vildor, whose aggressive and competitive style has popped in practice. He likely earned a spot on the roster.
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Defensive tackle Leonard Taylor: One of the other players Vrabel mentioned was Taylor, who was able to pressure Tanner McKee and break up a fourth-down pass in the third quarter. Said Vrabel, “I thought Lenny T played well and factored and showed up.” The Patriots have Milton Williams, Christian Barmore, and Cory Durden as their interior core. At least two of Taylor, Joshua Farmer, Eric Gregory, Isaiah Iton, Jeremiah Pharms, and Casey Rogers will join them. The Patriots also recently hosted DaQuan Jones for a visit. Taylor seems to have a strong chance. The run defense as a whole was an area of concern in Saturday’s game, so it will be worth watching how the unit responds.
Three down
Linebacker Chad Muma: For a point this summer, it looked as though Muma had a chance of earning the third spot in the linebacker rotation. Once preseason games started, however, he fell down the depth chart. Muma struggled in both games, missing four tackles, according to Pro Football Focus. He was on the field deep into the fourth quarter on Saturday, which doesn’t bode well for a more veteran player. K.J. Britt has taken better advantage of his opportunities, as have rookies Namdi Obiazor and Khalil Jacobs.
Offensive lineman James Hudson: Saturday was a poor outing from Hudson, who was flagged twice for holding and also allowed a sack of Tommy DeVito. The Patriots are dealing with depleted depth along the interior, but it doesn’t appear that Hudson is part of the solution. Now that the Patriots are also dealing with an injury at tackle (Marcus Bryant, ankle), do they consider kicking Hudson back outside to his natural position? Hudson played tackle on both sides in college and has 19 NFL starts at tackle. It seems more likely he is released.
Patriots quarterback Tommy DeVito was sacked three times Saturday night, one the direct result of a missed blocked by offensive lineman James Hudson.
Patriots quarterback Tommy DeVito was sacked three times Saturday night, one the direct result of a missed blocked by offensive lineman James Hudson.
Running back TreVeyon Henderson:Henderson exited Monday’s practice early with an apparent ankle/foot injury and remained sidelined Tuesday. Its severity certainly bears watching. Even if the injury is not serious, Henderson has rarely wowed during practice. Rhamondre Stevenson appears to be the top back in almost every situation. Henderson hasn’t played in any of the preseason games, as expected, so Week 1 will be the first real opportunity to see how much his pass protection and field vision have improved.
Three to watch
Wide receiver Efton Chism:After the Patriots traded Kayshon Boutte to the Texans, it looks as though Chism will stick around. Although the biggest beneficiary of the Boutte trade should be Kyle Williams, it also may have saved Chism’s roster spot. Chism was last year’s training camp darling but has had a quieter summer this time. Is there a bigger role in store this season? He often was a healthy scratch as a rookie last season, playing just 92 snaps on offense and 59 on special teams.
Edge rusher Gabe Jacas: After a month of practice, it’s clear why the Patriots drafted Jacas. He plays with power and tenacity. He approaches practice with the right attitude, expressing a willingness to learn. It’s also clear, though, that Jacas missed the spring program. He’s sometimes out of position and struggles to diagnose certain plays, particularly those involving the run. It will be interesting to see how the Patriots use Jacas to start the season, given their need on the edge, and whether he can evolve beyond a situational pass rusher. Said outside linebackers coach Mike Smith, “You got a kid that’s big like him, that’s athletic like him, that’s meaner than a wet mule. And he loves football. I’m not going to say he’s going to be Jason Taylor or [Lawrence Taylor] or any of that stuff, but it’s going to be very hard for him to fail.”
Running back Lan Larison: The Patriots still have a decision to make for their third running back spot. Larison earned praise from Vrabel for his “gritty, tough performance” on Saturday, when he rushed for 33 yards on nine carries and caught three passes for 41 yards. Vrabel shouted out his fourth-down conversion in the third quarter, when Larison got hit behind the line of scrimmage and fought through contact to get the first down. Larison’s pass-catching and kickoff-returning ability are the crux of his case for a roster spot. His availability for Thursday’s game may be in jeopardy, after he practiced Tuesday in a red, noncontact jersey. The other candidates include seventh-round pick Jam Miller, more of a between-the-tackles rusher, and Hassan Haskins, more of a veteran presence with special teams ability.
Lan Larison (34) rushed for 33 yards on nine carries and caught three passes for 41 yards Saturday night against the Eagles.
Lan Larison (34) rushed for 33 yards on nine carries and caught three passes for 41 yards Saturday night against the Eagles.