The New England Patriots had a solid outing against the Colts on Thursday. While the game finished in a 13-13 tie, there were certainly some things to like.
Tommy DeVito's offense looked strong with the exception of a few poor penalties from the offensive line, and the defense forced four turnovers and a turnover on downs. Andy Borregales, however, was a major letdown, with three missed field goals.
Winners of the night included Kyle Williams, as well as rookies Jam Miller and Khalil Jacobs. While each had strong games, one player who's gotten less attention this summer stood out: Channing Canada.
An undrafted rookie from TCU, Canada played an impressive role as a cornerback and special teamer on Thursday night, and now, it appears he could be making a push for a roster spot.
Channing Canada making a case for a role on the final 53
While the Patriots' lack of edge depth has been at the forefront this offseason, the team's cornerback depth has also drawn scrutiny.
Their top-end talent is elite: Christian Gonzalez, Carlton Davis, and Marcus Jones are an excellent trio. The depth, however, leaves more questions than answers. Charles Woods stepped into the CB4 role last season, and since he didn't play on Thursday and had no injury designation, it appears he's established himself in that role this summer.
The fifth cornerback role, however, has been guesswork thus far. Karon Prunty and Kindle Vildor were widely thought to be the two competitors, but Canada now appears to have a chance after a strong first preseason game.
The 23-year-old played 32 defensive snaps and 11 more on special teams against the Colts, returning a kick and notching seven tackles. He helped to force a drop that led to Vildor's interception and did well to tip a pass that ultimately ended up in the hands of tight end Will Mallory on an unlucky streak of fate.
He also aided Prunty on a tackle to stop a 3rd & 2 screen pass.
As of now, Prunty and Vildor likely remain ahead of Canada, but he's separated himself from the rest of the pack as the team's seventh cornerback. That may not sound like much, but an injury or two could quickly turn Canada from a practice squad player into a depth piece.
If he can continue to play well, he may be able to find his way to the active roster with some help, but the practice squad may be a more likely fate. Last season, players like Terrell Jennings, Jeremiah Pharms, and Miles Battle all played roles despite beginning the year on the practice squad.
Between his defensive prowess and special teams acumen, don't be surprised to see Canada continue to shine this preseason.
Add us as a preferred source on Google