With a second preseason dose of New England Patriots reserves and roster long shots prescribed for Saturday night at Gillette Stadium against the Philadelphia Eagles, there remains plenty on which to focus.
Figuring that 47 or 48 of the initial 53 roster spots have been solidified, there is a good chance that jobs will be won or lost on the field.
You have to figure that this Thursday’s preseason finale at Cleveland will be a bit of a final test run for the starters, and much of the focus after the Eagles will point at the opener with Seattle. So, this is basically a last-chance shot to open eyes.
Here are some key areas to watch.
The battle for RB3
The third running back spot is the hottest fight on the roster. The order that they hit the field means a ton. Jam Miller took a lead by default a week ago against Indy, but the veterans, JaMycal Hasty and Hassan Haskins, continue to grind and prove their worth. New England has been sorting through this exact four-way running back roster fight since well before camp opened.
As of this week, it appears Lan Larison is up against it. But a couple dynamic plays on Saturday night could alter things in an instant.
Wide receiver free-for-all
Only Mike Vrabel and Josh McDaniels really know how many wide receivers they plan on keeping.
Again, who dresses and the order of play bear watching closest. Pop Douglas sat with A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs a week ago. That was a positive sign for him. Having to play on Saturday would be a step back.
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And what of Kayshon Boutte, who played last week and didn’t sniff a throw from Tommy DeVito? It’s the latest wrinkle in a pivotal contract-year decision Boutte is forcing New England to make.
The guess here is they keep six receivers, and Efton Chism is the odd man out. But he could change that with a big one on Saturday.
Three other spots to monitor
The numbers game at inside linebacker is important because of the status of starters Christian Elliss and Robert Spillane. Both are coming off injuries, and insurance is needed behind them.
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Khalil Jacobs, Chad Muma and K.J. Britt have all enjoyed solid stretches, with Britt in particular making the most of his real shot at a role after years buried on Tampa’s depth chart. But there’s a chance New England might keep just two of the three.
Could the Patriots go with just two tight ends? Rookie free agent Tanner Arkin, after a dynamic start to camp, might be living on the edge. He’ll need a bounce-back game after last week.
And finally, there is the kicker, Andy Borregales, who drew Vrabel’s ire missing three kicks, including the game winner last week. Still no competition for him in camp yet, but another bad night could change that.
