Patriots Preseason vs. Giants: Five Position Battles to Watch

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — As the New England Patriots prepare for their final preseason tilt of 2025, a number of questions have yet to be answered with the start of the regular season fast approaching.

While several Patriots players have all but assured themselves a place on the team this season, a notable number of Pats will continue to use each opportunity to learn, improve and make their best case for a spot on the their 53-man roster.

The Pats, per EPSN’s Mike Reiss, are expected to sit the following players for Thursday night’s matchup against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ: receivers Kendrick Bourne, Kyle Williams, Ja’Lynn Polk and Efton Chism III, cornerback Christian Gonzalez, linebackers Anfernee Jennings, Cam Riley and Jahlani Tavai, running back Terrell Jennings and tight end/fullback Jack Westover.

Though many roster hopefuls are expected to garner some attention during Thursday night’s matchup, here are five positional battles that might raise an eyebrow — or perhaps, catch a ‘sharp eye’ when the Pats take the field against the Giants.

Offensive Line

Heading into last week’s joint practices with the Minnesota Vikings, rookie offensive lineman Jared Wilson appeared to have the inside track on earning the starting spot at left guard. Yet, the former Georgia Bulldog somewhat mysteriously found himself relegated to reserve duty for both the Patriots’ final joint session in Minnesota, and their preseason game 2 victory over the Vikings on Saturday — replaced in each instance by veteran center Ben Brown. Though the sizable center has played well throughout camp and the preseason, Wilson once again assumed first-team duties during practices this week. Accordingly, Brown, Wilson, center Garrett Bradbury and tackle Cole Strange may all log snaps to determine which linemen earn a spot along the starting unit.

The competition among the swing reserve options is also hotly contested. Tackle Vederian Lowe, swing lineman Caedan Wallace and guard Sidy Sow all remain in the mix, despite having missed significant time during training camp due to injury. Lastly, rookie Marcus Bryant appears to hold the edge over incumbent Demontrey Jacobs in the battle to back up veteran Morgan Moses at right tackle.

Safety

Despite entering the game cloaked in rumors regarding his future with the Patriots, Kyle Dugger is expected to get the chance to make his presence felt on Thursday night against the Giants. The Division II, Lenoir-Rhyne product was active in making key blocks, getting into the box and was also able to get some penetration on a run blitz. Dugger showed that at his best, he is able to cover a lot of ground and has the tools to match up with defenders in coverage — while also being a good tackler, capable of making stops in key situations.

However, the former Pats captain has found difficulty assimilating into the team’s three safety packages in New England’s aggressive style of defense. Despite some bright spots on Saturday, Dugger’s recent usage down the stretch has only fueled speculation surrounding a potential position change, or even his dismissal from the team during final roster cuts. Free agent addition Marcus Epps and second-year hitter Dell Pettus should receive a notable amount of playing time, as they compete with Dugger for the supporting role behind Jabrill Peppers, Jaylinn Hawkins and rookie Craig Woodson.

Buffalo Bills running back James Cook (4) runs with the ball past New England Patriots safety Kyle Dugger (23.) — Dec 22, 2024; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills running back James Cook (4) runs with the ball past New England Patriots safety Kyle Dugger (23) and New England Patriots safety Marte Mapu (15) for a touchdown during the first half at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

Wide Receiver

The Patriots corps of wide receivers has been among the most watched areas of the roster heading into the upcoming 2025 NFL season — and for good reason. From the exciting emergence of undrafted rookie Efton Chism III to the coming-of-age performance from third-year veteran Kayshon Boutte, the Pats receivers group should yield its share of optimism this year.

Still, there are a select few who will be competing for a spot on the depth chart on Thursday night. Despite Chism, rookie Kyle Williams, Ja’Lynn Polk and veteran Kendrick Bourne expected to sit, enigmatic receiver Javon Baker did travel with the team and may get the chance to make a final push for a roster spot. To do so, Baker must showcase the same game-breaking prowess as a playmaker which made him notable post-draft buzz last season. Baker has cooled a bit after making a strong late camp surge. Should he recapture some of his effectiveness against New York, he may give the Pats brain trust a reason to carry an extra receiver on the depth chart.

Cornerback

Beyond starters Christian Gonzalez and Carlton Davis III, New England has some tough decisions to make as they complete their depth selections. In fact, one may argue that lingering injuries to both may force the Patriots to be extra diligent when determining their reserve options.

Second-year defensive back D.J. James is being recognized for his sound field awareness and determination to remain in lock step with his opponent. In the process, he is looking very much the part of a starting perimeter corner. Though James has recently missed some time due to injury, he should be looking to get back in the groove against New York. “Mr. Irrelevant” draft selection Kobee Minor and third-year corner Isaiah Bolden are capable of making their case for a spot on the opening day “53” — especially Bolden, whose toughness, tenacity and speed make him an intriguing option. Still, both are likely to be judged as much for their special teams contributions, as their respective prowess in the secondary.

Kicker

While the Patriots sixth-round (182 overall) selection in the 2025 NFL draft may have entered training camp with the slight edge in the kickers battle, incumbent Parker Romo is intent on taking the competition down to the last day.

Borregales made one of his two field goal attempts during Saturday’s win over the Vikings, a 51-yarder in the fourth quarter to extend the Patriots lead over the Vikings to 20-9. Still, the Pats rookie made as much noise for his miss — a wildly inaccurate 57-yard attempt which sailed wide-left in the second quarter. Borergales made both of his extra-point attempts.

Romo made his only attempt — a 28-yarder to begin the fourth quarter which put the Pats on top 17-6. He did not log any PAT attempts. Still, the 27-year-old veteran has displayed a consistency which has either matched or exceeded his rookie counterpart throughout training camp and the preseason. Though Borregales likely holds the slight tie-breaker, Romo’s persistence should give the Pats every reason to take their time in deciding the fate of their primary kicker position heading into the upcoming season.

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