If you were picking stars from the New England Patriots' 2026 training camp heading into Thursday night's preseason opener against the Indianapolis Colts at Gillette Stadium, quarterback Tommy DeVito would reside near the top of the list.
Now, the former New York Giant has the opportunity to lock down the backup spot behind Drake Maye. And he can do it with a sharp, competent performance, likely for one half of football on Thursday night.
Just be sharp, effective
No heroics are necessary for DeVito, who made eight starts over the 2023-24 seasons with New York, going 3-5.
After spending 2025 as New England's third-string/emergency QB, all DeVito needs to show on the field is control and competence.
Taking command offensively
"It's still challenging me, so many things to grow on. The way that this offense is run, it gives the quarterback all the rein. You make all the decision … Everything flows through the quarterback," said DeVito. "For the coaches to have that kind of trust in you, it's awesome. To grow from where I was at OTAs to now has just been a tremendous amount of growth."
Kevin R. Wexler-NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
DeVito did it all in New York. That has eased the adjustment, moving up the depth chart for sure this spring as he learns more about the Josh McDaniels offense.
"It's the same for me. I got exposed to that early on in my rookie year, being a three on the practice squad, a couple weeks later being elevated to be the two, and a week after that to starting a game, so that whole 'prepare like the starter' thing was very real to me my rookie year when I was young," said DeVito.
"I've treated it as such whether you're the two or the three because even two years ago in New York, I was the three one week and the next week I was starting. You always have to stay ready."
Thursday night plan
DeVito will likely yield to the rookie Behren Morton when coach Mike Vrabel has seen enough evidence. Vrabel noted that Maye would not play in the preseason game.
Both Maye and DeVito had solid showings on Tuesday in the joints. Morton did not play at all against the Colts in those sessions.
