New opportunities have sprouted for Patriots’ rookies right before training camp

With training camp starting later this week, some recent injury news has created more opportunity than previously expected for some of the Patriots’ 2019 draft class.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. - When training camp starts on Thursday for the New England Patriots, they will be without eight of their players because of injuries. 

Julian Edelman suffered a thumb injury, which will sideline him for about three weeks, according to ESPN Insider Adam Schefter. Running back Sony Michel, WR Demaryius Thomas, OT Cole Croston, DE Deatrich Wise, S Nate Ebner, and DB Ken Webster have been placed on the physically unable to perform list, per Mike Reiss of ESPN. Reiss also shared that offensive tackle Yodny Cajuste has been placed on the active/non-football injury list, and will therefore not be active at the start of camp.

This injury news creates some holes at three different positions, as Edelman, Wise and Michel were penciled-in starters for Week 1 of the 2019 season.

Luckily for New England, they drafted three players that have a lot of potential at those positions and are primed to get a lot of opportunity in training camp.

Wide receiver N’Keal Harry, the Patriots’ 1st round pick in the 2019 draft could get more looks from Brady in camp now that Edelman won't be on the field for the first few weeks of the preseason. 

Chase Winovich, a 3rd-round defensive end out of Michigan, was likely going fight for some first-team reps with Wise, opposite of Michael Bennett. Now, those reps with the starters may be more plentiful. 

Alabama RB Damien Harris was another third-round pick for New England, a player that showed incredible consistency in the SEC under Nick Saban and could now take the early-down work in Michel’s absence.

For each of those players, getting as many reps in as they can during the preseason is crucial. An NFL playbook is hard, but plenty have talked about how elite the Patriots’ playbook is compared to others around the league. Harry, Winovich, and Harris all have plenty of opportunities to shine this summer, which means that their immediate impact on the team’s success may come at a much nearer time than we previously thought.