Patriots Preseason: Christian Gonzalez Among 3 to Watch vs. Texans
FOXBORO — The New England Patriots are set to open their 2023 preseason slate on Thursday at 7 p.m. ET from Gillette Stadium. The Pats will welcome the Houston Texans for the first and only preseason contest to be held in New England this summer.
With an expected capacity crowd to cheer on the hometown team, the Pats will continue to use each opportunity to learn, improve and prepare for the upcoming regular season.
Though many players are expected to garner some attention, here are three players that might raise an eyebrow … or perhaps, catch a "sharp eye" when the Pats take the field against the Texans.
Christian Gonzalez
Albeit in a preseason setting, Gonzalez’ debut in a Patriots uniform is likely to command notable observation. Selected in the first round (No. 17 overall), Gonzalez is making a strong case to be the Patriots primary boundary cornerback at season’s start. He is big at 6-2, 200 pounds, with the agility to match up against opposing teams’ top receivers on the outside. In a game setting, Gonzalez is arguably at his best in man coverage. However, his ability to maintain eye contact with the quarterback makes him a potential asset in zone, as well. Though his performance during the preseason is likely to be the deciding factor in his role at the start of the season, Gonzalez has already shown enough athleticism and field savvy to ensure that he will be a notable part of their corps of cornerbacks, even as a rookie. While his snaps may be kept to a minimum, the Pats young phenom should make life uncomfortable for whomever Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud chooses as his favorite target.
Demario Douglas / Kayshon Boutte
Rookie Demario Douglas continues to look like New England’s “diamond in the rough” within the 2023 Draft class. The rookie’s agility and athleticism has been on full display throughout camp. Despite his 5-8, 180-pound frame, he projects as a solid receiving prospect. Douglas displays a knack of anticipating the manner in which his defenders attack him. Yet, even more of an impressive surprise has been the skill he has shown to evade tacklers when he has the ball in his hands in open space. Douglas’ acceleration and speed has been an asset against the Pats defenders. Against the Texans, it may be his best weapon should they mistakenly decide to play him in soft coverage.
Boutte’s performance will also — and rightfully — decide his fate in New England this season … and it’s looking good so far. At his best, he is an explosive big-play threat. The 6-0, 195-pounder possesses a sizable frame to make him tough to bring down after the catch. He also has an inherent speed to be elusive when changing direction. His ability to adjust his body to make contested catches is already catching the eye of New England's coaches, and is likely to continue doing so in the coming weeks. Boutte can help to bolster his bid for a roster spot with a strong performance against Houston.
Tyquan Thornton
Thornton may be the most-watched non-rookie on the Gillette Stadium field on Thursday night. Following his selection by the Patriots in the second round (50th overall) of the 2022 NFL Draft, the Baylor product has been heralded as a potential deep threat due to his speed. However, Thornton has seen the field sporadically throughout camp, presumedly due to a “soft-tissue” injury reducing his workload. In his absence, both Douglas and Boutte have emerged as prime candidates for roster spots — potentially at Thornton’s expense. As such, the second-year speedster is expected to log notable minutes against the Texans. Still, the Pats should remain cautious. After all, Thornton’s rookie debut was delayed when suffering a fractured clavicle in the 2022 preseason. After his activation from injured reserve, Thornton showed flashes of his potential. In Week 6 against the Cleveland Browns, Thornton scored his first receiving and rushing touchdowns, making him the first Patriots wide receiver since Deion Branch to score a receiving and rushing touchdown in the same game. He will need to show the same type of potential, as well as durability, to maintain his spot on the depth chart.
Bonus: Malik Cunningham
After signing him to a lucrative free agent deal [by undrafted rookie standards,] Cunningham remains one of the more intriguing players on the Pats roster. His dual-threat abilities as a quarterback were likely a significant factor in his appeal to the Patriots. The former Louisville Cardinal started 47 during his six years with the program. He completed 692 passes (62.6 percent) for 9,664 yards, 70 touchdowns compared to 29 interceptions. On the ground, Cunningham proved to be equally — if not more— effective, compiling 3,184 yards and scoring 50 touchdowns on 619 rushing attempts. Still, Cunningham’s size (6-0, 192 pounds) and questions surrounding his accuracy have led many to believe that he may be best suited for a positional change at the pro level. Having previously been considered for both safety and receiver in the past, the switch could facilitate his securing a roster spot for 2023. Cunningham began camp by taking most of his reps at receiver. However, his snaps at quarterback have increased during the team’s most reset practices. Should that trend continue on Thursday, he may be in line to compete with veteran Trace McSorley for the third spot on the depth chart.
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