The Patriots' offseason has been a very successful one. In their first matchup against the Washington Commanders, they put together a dominant performance in a 48-18 victory that featured six different touchdown scorers. In their second outing, a road trip to Minnesota, the game came down to the wire, but still ended in a Patriots victory. Through two weeks, the Patriots remain undefeated.
Now, record in preseason doesn't matter: just ask the 2017 Browns, whose success 4-0 preseason wasn't repeated in their historic 0-16 season. Nonetheless, they can be helpful to gain more information on the squad.
The past few weeks have revealed plenty: TreVeyon Henderson is the real deal, Marcus Bryant was a steal in the seventh round, and Alex Austin looks to be a real contributor. Despite what we know now, however, there are still some questions that need answering in the final preseason game.
3 questions the Patriots need to have figured out from their preseason finale game
Who will win the left guard competition?
The offensive line is much different than last season, as only one starter in '24 remained in the starting lineup during the Commanders game. It seemed the strong offensive line play from Week 1 would continue into Week 2, but instead, the second week featured a change: 2024 center Ben Brown starting at left guard over rookie Jared Wilson.
Both Brown and Wilson are centers by trade, but have shown versatility with the regression of Cole Strange offering a starting opportunity at left guard. Brown played 667 offensive snaps last season after David Andrews went down, all at center, and allowed four sacks while committing five penalties.
Wilson has played a total of 44 snaps across the two preseason games, his only NFL action. He had recorded a 69.5 PFF grade across his play. Brown has a 77.0 grade through his 61 preseason snaps, 28 of which came at left guard against Minnesota. He had an 83.5 pass blocking grade on Saturday.
Is Brown's start an indication that he has jumped Wilson for the job? Or is the staff simply allowing him reps across the interior for experience to be a top backup? Only time will tell, but there seems to be stiff competition at left guard.
What will the cornerback room look like?
The Patriots had their top three cornerbacks penciled in at the beginning of the preseason: Christian Gonzalez, Carlton Davis, and Marcus Jones. CB4 was a bit more hazy, but most would have agreed Alex Austin was a sure thing for the role. With his performance through two games, he's proved he's more than capable.
The CB5 battle is more up in the air, however. 2024 sixth-round pick Marcellas Dial was the favorite for the role before being placed on IR with an ACL tear. Now, a pair of players have separated themselves from the pack as top dogs in the role: D.J. James and Miles Battle.
James, 24, was selected in the sixth round by the Seahawks last year and spent all of 2024 on New England's practice squad. His interception against Washington was reflected in his 88.1 PFF grade for the game, and he fits the mold as a high-potential backup.
Battle, 25, spent last season with the Chiefs' and Patriots' practice squad. In Week 18, he had an opportunity to play against the Bills, and he starred, recording an 80.6 PFF grade for the week. He's parlayed that success into the preseason, allowing just six yards after catch on 49 coverage snaps. His elite height and speed could also contribute to fruitful special teams production, even if he isn't ready to contribute as a DB in Week 1.
In my estimation, both have earned roster spots. If the Patriots do opt to keep five corners, though, Thursday will be a critical tiebreaker for the two top candidates.
Who is the kicker?
Andy Borregales has missed a single kick (57-yard FG) through two games, and Parker Romo has yet to miss. The former was a sixth-round selection this past year and the first player drafted at his position, but Romo may have more leg talent.
Last season, Romo starred for the Vikings in his four games with the team before Will Reichard's return: 11/12 on field goals, with a long of 55. He was 7/8 on extra points.
The nature of each player's addition to the team will be a challenging piece: Romo, a street free agent and holdover from the last staff, and Borregales, a pick of the new regime. The next game will, like the CB5 battle, be critical in determining who stays and who goes.
The Patriots have put themselves in a good position with their preseason thus far: their rookie class looks great, veterans are performing, and under-the-radar players have surprised. In the final game, however, a few final questions must be answered... who will answer the call?