Patriots: 3 players most affected by likely canceled preseason

It’s looking increasingly likely that the NFL will cancel the preseason this year.

They’ve certainly waited until the last possible minute, but NFL owners and the players’ association are finally hammering out the details of a return to play blueprint that prioritizes the health and safety of everyone involved amid the global pandemic.

With the start of training camp looming, the league has reportedly made their most notable concession since the start of the negotiation process.

Per ESPN insider Adam Schefter, the NFL offered to cancel all preseason games this year as players push for an extended training camp to help them prepare for full contact. Essentially, they view this as the safest way to prevent injuries and curb the spread of COVID-19 before the start of the regular season.

It goes without saying that no preseason will have a potentially devastating impact on new signings, incoming draftees, and players hanging on to a roster spot by the skin of their teeth.

Let’s highlight a few New England Patriots that this impending reality will most affect.

3. Cam Newton

Cam Newton is losing valuable reps with the preseason likely being canceled.

We get that Cam Newton is a certified superstar, but let’s not be blind to the fact that he will be learning a completely different system for the first time in his NFL career, which started back in 2011. That’s nine years of familiarity with the Panthers’ playbook.

With the 31-year-old joining New England so late in the offseason, he would have benefitted from as many preseason reps as possible. Developing chemistry and working out the kinks of mastering a new system can’t all be accomplished in virtual meetings and practices.

Sure, preseason doesn’t present the most formidable competition in the world, but it would be far more valuable to Newton than anything he’s going to do throughout training camp and the final tune-up for the regular season.

The former MVP will certainly be affected by the cancellation of the annual four-game rehearsal, but doesn’t land higher on this list because he’s a seasoned pro.

2. Jakobi Meyers

Second-year wideout Jakobi Meyers could’ve benefitted from preseason games.

It feels weird to say considering the lack of production from the position in 2019, but the Patriots might only have one wide receiver spot open entering training camp. As things stand, free-agent acquisition Marqise Lee will join the likes of Julian Edelman, N’Keal Harry and Mohamed Sanu as virtual guarantees to make the final roster.

That means Jakobi Meyers would have needed to ball out during camp and the preseason to carve out a spot on the depth chart. Now, the 23-year-old will only have walkthrough practices and light scrimmages to fend off offseason signing Damiere Byrd and fellow undrafted talent Gunner Olszewski.

It certainly isn’t an impossible task — and Meyers did manage to make the roster last year — however, the cancellation of the preseason will make it so much more difficult for the North Carolina State product.

1. Kyle Dugger

You could honestly make a case for any member of the Patriots’ 2020 Draft class to be featured on this list, but first pick Kyle Dugger is clearly impacted the most. At 24 years old, he’s pretty mature for an incoming draftee, so, in normal circumstances, his transition to the NFL wouldn’t be considered as daunting as it will be for some rookies.

However, he’s coming from a Division-II program in Lenoir Rhyne, where he didn’t face the stiffest competition.

You could argue that — in an effort to get him used to the speed of the NFL — head coach Bill Belichick would’ve gave Dugger more reps than any other player on the roster. His status as the No. 37 overall selection means that he will be expected to produce as a rookie.

With the 6-foot-1 safety already behind the likes of Devin McCourty and Patrick Chung on the depth chart, it’s not outlandish to think that a canceled preseason could potentially stunt his development.