4 Patriots who locked up roster spot after preseason Week 1

The Patriots have completed their first preseason game of the 2024 season and brought home the first win for new head coach Jerod Mayo. It was a great start to a new era in Foxboro, one that has brought a lot of excitement for the young roster and the future, which continued based on their performance on Thursday night.

Despite being just a preseason game, a lot of eyes were on this game to get a good look at all the new players on the team, especially the rookies.

Many players had memorable performances, good and bad, but at least four played so well that they might have already locked up a spot on the 2024 roster. It's still early, and plenty can change, but memorable performances in the first preseason game can take a player a long way, even more so on a team hoping to get back to relevancy as soon as possible.

These four players stood out the most and have made it difficult to rule them out of future roster projections ahead of the upcoming season.

4 Patriots who locked up roster spot after preseason Week 1

DT Jeremiah Pharms Jr.

With Christian Barmore sidelined for the foreseeable future, there is ample opportunity for players to step up in his absence and prove they can hold down the spot just as well. The first player to show that was Jeremiah Pharms Jr., who had a standout night wreaking havoc on the Panthers' offense.

He was a nightmare for the opponent's quarterbacks, tallying a sack for -9 yards on Jack Plummer and adding a quarterback hit to his stat sheet as well. On top of that, his aggressive and disruptive play drew two holding penalties on back-to-back plays, adding even more impressive play to his highlight-worthy night.

As a solid run blocker and a budding pass rusher, Pharms could be exactly what the Patriots need on the defensive line after losing Barmore for potentially the entire 2025 season.

He's already experienced with the team, having been on the active roster and practice squad last year, and if he builds upon this standout performance, Mayo won't have to look far for a great defensive tackle.

QB Joe Milton III

The last quarterback of the night to get time on the field was Joe Milton III, whose presence was met with a lot of excitement from the fans in attendance. Because he is known for his athleticism and impressive size (6'5" and 246 lbs.), he's a wildly different quarterback than what has typically been under center in New England.

So, by the time he entered the game late in the fourth quarter, all eyes were on him to see exactly why the Patriots selected him in the sixth round.

He first led the offense down the field in 11 plays for 44 yards, setting them up for a field goal to put them up 10-0 over the Panthers. He showed off his credited athleticism on an impressive 12-yard scramble to give the team another first down.

Milton followed that series up with another scoring drive, one that ended with a 38-yard touchdown pass to JaQuae Jackson. At the end of the night, he recorded 4/6 passes for 54 yards and a touchdown, securing a 134.7 quarterback rating.

Although it was just the first preseason game, Milton showed up and showed out, demonstrating exactly why he should easily lockup the QB3 spot on the team for the 2024 season.

EDGE Oshane Ximines

Because the defense was the star of the night, as expected, another pass rusher stood out above the rest for his aggressive style and productive performance. Oshane Ximines has already had a noteworthy training camp so far and added more value to his name with his hard work on Thursday night.

Ximines recorded four combined tackles, a tackle for a loss, two quarterback hits, and a sack, taking advantage of a few veteran absences on the defensive line. He constantly disrupted the opponents' play, making it very difficult for the offensive linemen to block him.

While it might not be the easiest path to making the roster this fall, he's off to a great start and could be a solid addition to an already dominant defense.

WR David Wallis

Of all the wide receivers on the roster, the last one anyone would have expected to carve out a role for themselves on the upcoming season's roster is David Wallis. The unknown pass catcher has had a quiet offseason, primarily taking a backseat to the rookies who have consistently shined on the practice field.

But given the opportunity to be the team's leading kick and punt returner, Wallis made sure to make the most of it and had the most successful night of all the players Jerod Mayo decided to test out on special teams.

Wallis might have only returned on three occasions, but his lone kick return was good for 24 yards, and one of his punt returns went for 23 yards, both of which were impressive and got the crowd amped up.

Considering that the receiver room currently has 12 players signed, and there is a high chance the Patriots will carry a maximum of six on the roster, Wallis might have just locked up a spot as the leading specialist on the team. If he can maintain this level of performance in practice and during the next two preseason games, there's no way he won't be on the team this fall.

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