The New England Patriots faced off against the Indianapolis Colts in their first preseason game, which ultimately finished as a 13-13 tie. Tommy DeVito found Kyle Williams for the team's only touchdown, while Andy Borregales knocked through a pair of field goals in spite of a poor night.
The Patriots didn't play their starters, but the backups made an impact. Veterans and rookies alike made their presence felt, with the latter group being of particular interest to both fans and coaches.
Mike Vrabel's squad rostered as many as 14 rookies last season, with several playing important roles. Will Campbell and Jared Wilson were starters on offense, while Craig Woodson started at safety. TreVeyon Henderson, Kyle Williams, and Elijah Ponder also made their presence felt in 2025.
The 2026 crop features nine draft picks and a number of free agents, and while we're only a week into the preseason, certain rookies' stocks have certainly moved.
Rookie winners and losers are clear after the Patriots' first preseason game
Winner: CB Channing Canada
The battle for the depth cornerback roles will be a fierce one over the final few weeks of preseason, and Canada has put himself right in the mix. The UDFA from TCU played 43 snaps across defense and special teams, making his presence felt.
The ex-Horned Frog returned a kick and made a tackle on a punt return while also helping to force the drop that led to Kindle Vildor's interception.
Charles Woods not playing may mean he's already defended the CB4 role well enough, but the team will likely keep five or six cornerbacks in total. Seeing that Canada outsnapped Kobee Minor, he's likely in a three-way battle with Vidor and Karon Prunty.
Whether it be in New England or elsewhere, don't be surprised to see Canada see game time this year.
Loser: LB Namdi Obiazor
Eliot Wolf was complimentary of the 2026 NFL Draft's Day 3 linebacker class back in the spring, and they backed up his comments with the selection of Namdi Obiazor in the fifth round.
A good athlete with 80+ tackles in each of his last three years at TCU, there was reasonable hype surrounding his potential as a backup, but he appears to be deep in the depth chart.
Chad Muma has separated himself as the clear LB3, but Missouri UDFA Khalil Jacobs, whom the Patriots met with three times before the draft, surpassed Obiazor. Given the ex-Tiger's play on Thursday, Obiazor has plenty of ground to make up. He saw just over half the snaps Jacobs saw, pushing him into practice squad territory.
Winner: LB Khalil Jacobs
The yin to Obiazor's yang, Jacobs played extensively in the team's first preseason game. They both notched six tackles, but Jacobs looked far more active, filling holes in the run game and displaying impressive hit power.
It's been reported that Jacobs is the team's fourth linebacker behind Robert Spillane, Christian Elliss, and Chad Muma. He looked impressive on Thursday night, and if he continues to separate himself in practice, it will become even clearer why the team met so frequently with a UDFA.
Loser: OT Dametrious Crownover
The advanced analytics may disagree when they're ultimately released, but Crownover not starting is a tough look for the sixth-round rookie.
The Patriots opted for first-round selection Caleb Lomu at right tackle, which is hard to knock the former Texas A&M tackle for, but Marcus Bryant was given the nod on the left side. Crownover played at both tackle spots, with 13 snaps on the left and 17 on the right.
He played 96% of his collegiate snaps on the right side in college, so Bryant being more comfortable on the left side, where he played at Missouri, shouldn't come as a major surprise.
Nonetheless, Crownover faces an uphill battle to make the roster. Aside from roster locks Lomu and Ben Brown, Bryant and the versatile veteran James Hudson, who played guard and tackle on Thursday, look to be above him on the depth chart.
Winner: RB Jam Miller
Miller's yards per carry were average, but he certainly passed the eye test as a back who runs with real force. Terrell Jennings was among the top candidates to make the roster as the RB3 before he was placed on season-ending IR on Thursday, opening the door for Miller to make the squad.
The former Alabama back will compete with Lan Larison for the RB3 role, and with veterans Hassan Haskins and JaMycal Hasty producing little, it appears to be a two-horse race.
Both veterans were signed on the day of the game, so Miller may see more competition later, but his 14-carry night would suggest he's the front-runner for the backup role.
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