By just about every metric, the New England Patriots passed their preseason debut with flying colors. While you’d love to see quarterback Drake Maye protect the football better, the first-team offense moved the ball, converted in the red zone, and flashed what could be a dynamic rushing attack in 2025, from the backs, to the quarterback, to a younger (and visibly more spry) offensive line.
This week’s trip to Minneapolis could be a reality check for Mike Vrabel’s crew. The Patriots have two days of joint practices scheduled with the Vikings (Wednesday and Thursday) before suiting up for preseason game No. 2 on Saturday afternoon (1 p.m. EST).
Unfortunately, we’re not expected to see the marquee matchup of wide receiver Justin Jefferson vs. Christian Gonzalez this week, as both players are easing their way back from hamstring injuries. But for players looking to lock down starting jobs or make a final case for the 53-man roster, the stakes are high for New England against Brian Flores, Kevin O’Connell, and a Vikings team with few weaknesses on paper.
These 10 Patriots have the most to prove in Minnesota this week
C Garrett Bradbury
Fans might roll their eyes at this stat, but according to Pro Football Focus, Bradbury was the highest-graded Patriot in the Commanders game. TreVeyon Henderson obviously stole the show, but Bradbury pitched a perfect game, scored a 92.4 run-blocking grade, and allowed zero pressure on five pass-blocking reps, per PFF.
He’ll look to build on that performance this week against the Vikings, the team that drafted him with a first-round pick in 2019 but dumped him this offseason to make room for veteran Ryan Kelly. Bradbury arguably has the most to prove this week, not only to his current team as New England’s starting center, but to his former coaches and decision makers in Minnesota.
S Kyle Dugger
Dugger dropping on the Patriots’ depth chart is probably the biggest storyline in camp right now. He started in the preseason opener, but was running with the second unit in the very next practice. That’s telling. Ascending rookie Craig Woodson is definitely part of the story, but so is Dugger’s $15.2 million salary cap hit this year, per Spotrac.
His trade value is tanking, and he's among the highest-paid players on the Patriots' roster. It's hard to see the team releasing a player that it just signed to a multi-year extension, but everything is on the table for Dugger right now. If anyone needs a resurgent week on this team, it's him.
WRs Javon Baker and Efton Chism
There’s not much to debate among the Patriots’ top five receivers. Stefon Diggs, DeMario Douglas, Mack Hollins, Kyle Williams, and Kayshon Boutte are all going to make the team. The only remaining question is whether New England keeps six (or more?) at the position.
The battle for the No. 6 spot is now squarely between Baker and Chism, with Ja’Lynn Polk looking more and more like a candidate to be stashed away on injured reserve. The Patriots want to keep Baker around, and his two special teams tackles on Friday have him on the right track.
Chism was likely earmarked for the practice squad, but he’s been impossible to ignore and could force the team to consider keeping seven wideouts on the initial 53-man roster.
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LBs Jahlani Tavai and Marte Mapu
New England’s inside linebacker group is pretty well defined at the top, with Robert Spillane and Christian Elliss the starters, and Jack Gibbens the other roster lock (as one of the team’s best special teams players).
That leaves a number of players vying for a roster spot, and it could come down to Tavai vs. Mapu over the final two weeks of the preseason. Mapu has the positional flexibility and special teams prowess to push Tavai off the roster. Patriots fans wouldn’t shed many tears over Tavai, whose choice to rip the Gillette Stadium faithful for booing a 4-13 team was a bad look (at best).
K Andres Borregales
You rarely see NFL teams spend a draft pick on a kicker and not keep said kicker on the active roster that year. The reality for Borregales, a sixth-round pick of the Patriots this past April, is that he hasn’t done enough to separate himself from journeyman John Parker Romo, who signed a futures contract with New England back in January. Romo nailed a 57-yard field goal against the Commanders, and while Borregales made his kicks as well, this competition is very much unsettled.
It’s worth noting that Romo started games for the Vikings last year during Will Reichard’s four-game stint on injured reserve. He’ll be comfortable both at the TCO Performance Center for joint practices and inside U.S. Bank Stadium for Saturday’s game. Borregales should be feeling the pressure.
Tough day for Patriots kickers.
— Phil Perry (@PhilAPerry) August 11, 2025
Looked like Andy Borregales went 2-for-5, including a miss at the end of the competitive two-minute period.
Parker Romo went 1-for-4 in the kicking-focused portion of practice.
Saw a couple of erratic snaps from Julian Ashby that led to misses.
S Marcus Epps and Dell Pettus
Whatever happens with the Dugger situation will have a ripple effect. If the Patriots decide to stand pat with a player who still has three years left on his deal (a logical move), Epps and Pettus could find themselves battling for a roster spot behind starter Jabrill Peppers.
Both players looked capable of making the team vs. the Commanders in a combined 44 snaps, and both could end up making the team if. Dugger gets traded. Otherwise, the Patriots could be choosing between Epps, a seven-year veteran, and Pettus, who made the initial 53 last year as an undrafted free agent out of Troy.
G Cole Strange
Strange is learning a new position as a reserve center, but that’s never a good sign with training camp winding to a close. The former first-round pick of the Bill Belichick regime is trending in the wrong direction, and at center, he feels too far behind both Bradbury and Ben Brown to justify keeping. Strange needs things to turn around (in a hurry) for the team to justify sticking with him.