Patriots Ups and Downs: Whose stock is rising or falling after preseason opener?

Author Matt Dolloff

August 13th, 2021 1:09 PM

The 2021 New England Patriots have finally played an actual football game. So it’s time to take stock of the best (and worst) of the players’ performance in Thursday’s preseason win over the Washington Football Team.

Quarterbacks Cam Newton and Mac Jones both rated “neutral” on the night, neither up nor down. Newton redeemed himself after nearly losing the football on a hit by WFT defensive end Chase Young on his first pass attempt, going 3-of-4 for 44 yards on his second drive, which ended with a Quinn Nordin field goal. Newton’s too-fast throw for James White stalled the drive, adding up to a night that wasn’t terrible, but wasn’t overly impressive either.

Jones, meanwhile, went 13-of-19 for 87 yards. To be fair, if Kristian Wilkerson (more on him later) catches Jones’ well-thrown deep ball in the end zone, the box score and the overall conversation are both very different. His throwing accuracy was good and noticeably better than Newton’s, which has been the case in training camp, and Jones certainly looked like someone who will be ready to take the reins at some point in his rookie season. But the Patriots also went just 2-for-7 on third down with Jones at quarterback, and the rookie settled for a lot of check-downs to the running back, which could leave a lot to be desired for Bill Belichick.

Now that we’ve got the QBs out of the way, let’s focus on other positions, and who was graded either “up” or “down,” for a variety of reasons, after the Patriots’ preseason opener…

• UP: TE Jonnu Smith

  Share

  Wait, tight ends can do that? Smith looked like every bit the legitimate weapon he's being paid to be when he got his opportunity on Thursday night. He took a shallow crosser from Cam Newton for a 16-yard gain, showing off his smooth footwork and explosiveness after the catch. We've seen him make a ton of catches like this in camp, but it was better to see him make a play against an actual opponent trying to tackle him. Just have to hope he stays healthy.

• DOWN: WR N’Keal Harry

  Share

  Harry played 36 offensive snaps, the most of any skill player - and got exactly one target. Harry caught a shallow crosser from Mac Jones, and good for him to get open, but Harry also got tripped up as he failed to make guys miss in the open field and barely converted a third down. Definitely an underwhelming night for a former first-round pick who appears to be fighting for his roster spot.

• UP: LB Matt Judon

  Share

  In limited snaps as a starter, Judon logged a QB hit and a tackle that dropped running back Peyton Barber short of the line to gain. He also made a slick play to drop into coverage and help break up a pass intended for dynamic receiver Terry McLaurin. Judon has the ability to make plays all by himself, which the Pats have lacked up front on defense in recent years, and it was promising to see him do that in a variety of ways against WFT.
• DOWN: RB Sony Michel

  Share

  Michel seems to be in a legitimate competition with J.J. Taylor on the RB depth chart. He looked solid upon entering the game, but then gave way to Taylor, then re-entered the game in the second half. On his final carry, he was dropped for a three-yard gain on third-and-4 to stall a drive. Michel wasn't awful overall, but didn't do much to set himself apart from Taylor. His roster spot doesn't appear as secure as other RBs.

• UP: RB Rhamondre Stevenson

  Share

  Stevenson may end up being redshirted in 2021, but the rookie parlayed what's been a solid showing in camp into a highly productive night in the preseason opener, capped with a 91-yard touchdown in the closing minutes. He's shown good vision to find openings in team drills at camp, and can gain surprising speed when picking up steam on the ground. He probably has a long way to go, but Stevenson has a chance to be a real find for the Patriots as a fourth-round pick.

• DOWN: OT Isaiah Wynn

  Share

  It may not be the fairest to fault Wynn for losing a 1-on-1 matchup to Chase Young, who should be in the conversation for Defensive Player of the Year in 2021. But the matchup wasn't even close. Wynn has been a solid left tackle for the Patriots when on the field, but he won't always shut good players down 1-on-1. He and the rest of the offensive line will have to be more stout against high-end edge rushers than they were early against Washington.
• UP: FB Jakob Johnson

  Share

  Johnson gets a thumbs up for the mere fact that the Patriots clearly still want to utilize the fullback extensively. He played 10 offensive snaps between Newton and Jones, and chipped in a five-yard catch, a solid grab away from his body on a slightly off-target throw from Jones. Johnson looks like he will still be key to the Pats' power run game in 2021.

• DOWN: WR Kristian Wilkerson

  Share

  The battle brewing between Harry and Wilkerson, unfortunately, feels like a race to the bottom. At least Wilkerson was reasonably productive, leading the team with six catches. But he didn't catch his most important target of the night, a deep ball from Jones in the end zone that dropped through his hands. It wasn't necessarily the easiest catch to make, but if Wilkerson reeled that in, the hype train for both him and Jones would be chuggin'. Instead, he and Harry seem deadlocked in a battle for a roster spot.

• UP: C James Ferentz

  Share

  Ferentz led the team with 65 offensive snaps, which isn't always a good sign for a guy in the preseason. But with David Andrews away with his family and Ted Karras still working his way back to full participation, Ferentz played out of necessity - and made the most of it. He notably made a nice second-level block to help spring James White for a 17-yard gain on Newton's second drive. Ferentz has had a good camp and appears to be playing his way onto the initial 53-man roster, albeit as the backup to Andrews.
• DOWN: DB Jalen Mills

  Share

  Just one tackle for Mills, which he made after allowing a seven-yard catch to WFT receiver Dyami Brown. It felt like every other defensive back was making plays consistently. Mills' roster spot is obviously safe, but he's been underwhelming in camp and was again on Thursday. If Stephon Gilmore's absence lasts into the regular season, Mills is likely to be the No. 2 outside cornerback, and he'll have to be better if he is.

MORE: Mac Jones looks the part in preseason opener

Matt Dolloff is a writer and podcaster for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Have a news tip, question, or comment for Matt? Yell at him on Twitter @mattdolloff and follow him on Instagram @mattydsays. You can also email him at [email protected].

Sign me up for the 98.5 The Sports Hub email newsletter!

Get the latest Boston sports news and analysis, plus exclusive on-demand content and special giveaways from Boston's Home for Sports, 98.5 The Sports Hub.

First Name *

Last Name

Email *

Subscribe

By clicking "Subscribe" I agree to the website's terms of Service and Privacy Policy. I understand I can unsubscribe at any time.

Author Matt Dolloff

Category:

• Matt Dolloff
• Columns
• News
• Patriots

Tags:

isaiah wynn,jakob johnson,Jalen Mills,james ferentz,Jonnu Smith,Kristian Wilkerson,Matt Dolloff,Matt Judon,n'keal harry,New England Patriots,NFL,patriots ups and downs,Rhamondre Stevenson,sony michel