Quintet of Questions: Henry’s Shoulder, Stevenson with the Starters and More as Patriots face Giants

Patriot Maven takes a look at five questions surrounding the Pats as they head into their third and final preseason matchup of 2021 on Sunday evening.

Preseason 2021 is nearly complete. 

The New England Patriots are in the Meadowlands, set to partake in their third and final preseason game of 2021. New England will face the New York Giants on Sunday, August 29 at 6:00pm ET at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

With final roster cut downs set for this Tuesday, August 31, both teams will be expanding upon their schemes, installations and positional matchups as they prepare to set their respective rosters for the upcoming season.

In anticipation of Sunday evening’s matchup, here is a quintet of questions on which to ponder prior to kickoff in the Meadowlands.

Cam or Mac?

QB, or not QB?? …that is the question.

While several storylines have surrounded the Patriots throughout 2021’s offseason, none have captured the attention of the fan base like the quarterback competition between incumbent Cam Newton and rookie Mac Jones. Throughout training camp, each has made a valid case to be the starter. Despite his struggles in 2020, Newton entered camp exhibiting greater arm strength, more sound footwork and an enhanced understanding of the Pats’ timing-based offense. Conversely, Jones has shown a poise beyond his years. The rookie has processed plays quickly and delivered his throws accurately and on-time. With Sunday’s stage being the last opportunity for each to make his closing statement, the quarterback who receives the majority of the snaps may be worth keeping an eye on as the team progresses toward the season opener against Miami on September 12.

Will We See Hunter Henry on Sunday?

Despite being one of the highest profile acquisitions of the 2021 offseason, tight end Hunter Henry has yet to see the field for the Patriots in a preseason game. During a team practice on Sunday, August 8, Henry suffered a shoulder injury while participating in a blocking drill. Since then, he missed some practice time, before returning to action while wearing a red-non-contact jersey.

However, it is what Henry has been wearing in addition to his red jersey that may be worthy of greater attention. As observed by Dr Jessica Flynn of Boston Sports Journal, Henry was seen wearing a shoulder brace under his jersey during joint practices with the Giants earlier this week. It should be noticed that shoulder braces of this type provide compression, which assists athletes who are slowly getting back to action while recovering from mild injuries

Cause for concern? Not quite.

Rather than indicating a greater degree of seriousness to his injury, Henry is likely wearing the brace for both protection and support. Compression braces offload stress and force from the injured shoulder; thus decreasing swelling/inflammation and pain while speeding up the recovery process. Having Henry back on the practice field is a good sign that he is progressing towards full strength. Still, he has yet to see action in a game setting. Should he see snaps against the Giants on Sunday, it may be an indication that Henry will be ready for week one of the regular season.

Will Stevenson See Time with the Starters?

Buoyed by a standout performance throughout training camp and the preseason, many have conjectured that Stevenson may be a factor in New England’s offense as early as this season. With Sony Michel having been traded to the Los Angeles Rams, the Pats may look to prominently utilize the rookie’s dual-threat capabilities in their offense. The former Oklahoma Sooner has proven to run with both power and speed. In two preseason games, Stevenson leads all Patriots runners with 193 yards rushing and four touchdowns. As such, he has been observed getting some work with the starting offense; even as recently as this past week’s joint practices with the Giants. However, it should be noted that the Patriots usually take a temporant and planned approach to developing young running backs. If Stevenson sees meaningful minutes with the Pats primary unit on Sunday, he may be primed for a notable role in the Pats rushing attack in the upcoming season.

How Deep is the Cornerback Love?

While the status of star cornerback Stephon Gilmore continues to be on the minds of Patriots fans, and media alike, the depth among the team’s cornerback depth chart continues to be the more pressing issue on the field. J.C. Jackson has been the number one option throughout preseason, and the 25-year-old has performed admirably in that role. However, the Pats have struggled with depth beyond Jackson, and starting slot corner Jonathan Jones. Joejuan Williams has emerged as a potential candidate, along with free-agent acquisition Jalen Mills and incumbent Myles Bryant. Newly-acquired corner Shaun Wade may be worth a second, or even third look for a significant role, should he impress the Patriots brass with a strong showing on Sunday. Remaining options such as Dee Virgin, Mike Jackson, and D’Angelo Ross appear to be competing more for a spot on the practice squad at this point. While much about the cornerback positional grouping remains questionable, one thing remains certain. They need Stephon Gilmore back on the field as soon as possible.

Ain’t That a Kick(er) Ahead?

 
After experiencing a meteoric rise throughout much of camp, undrafted rookie kicker Quinn Nordin may have returned to Earth’s atmosphere as of late. Nordin was 3-for-3 on field goal attempts, connecting from 35, 50 and 40 yards respectively, in the Patriots first preseason game against the Washington Football Team. Each kick split the uprights, seemingly with room to spare. While having missed one extra point against Washington, Nordin’s misfires in preseason game two were a bit more pronounced. He missed a 36-yard field goal and two extra points during the team’s preseason victory over Philadelphia. He would, however, connect on a 24-yarder in the fourth quarter, bouncing back from the adversity. Since that time, incumbent kicker Nick Folk has returned to the practice field. While the 36-year-old had also had both hits and misses, his immediate return to primary kicking duties may indicate that he will be the team’s likely starter to open the season. However, if Nordin gets his moment to shine in Sunday’s contest, the Pats may have an interesting decision to make come the August 31 deadline. Cutting Nordin and stashing him on the practice squad may be difficult, given the amount of media attention he has been given to date. Will the rookie’s ‘cannon’ of a leg be enough to unseat the stable veteran? Only the short amount of time between now and Tuesday’s roster trimming deadline will tell.