Patriots’ 5 Key Position Battles to Watch vs. Commanders

After a draft where the Patriots decided to bring on Ohio State running back TreVeyon Henderson in the second round paired with him having a positive camp to this point, the rookie's been able to get some attention drawn his way as a possible early impact player in this offense, and a significant name to have circled entering night one of preseason.

Of course, the Patriots do have Rhamondre Stevenson still in the fold for next season for what will be his fifth year with the team, and he comes off an 800+ yard campaign for only the second time in his career. But, he also had his infamous fumbling issues clouding around his year, which could keep him and his workload on a shorter leash than usual heading into next year.

Both guys will be in the running to earn the nod to the majority of reps in the backfield, and without a clear consensus to this point, it makes their season debut on Friday a big one to watch.

History would tell you that the veteran with tenure is the one who gets the early majority of reps in the season, while the rookie gets the hot hand later in the year. But if Henderson has a notable preseason performance vs. the Commanders or moving forward, there's a world where the tide could shift quickly.

2. WR2

On the surface, it feels like, if truly at 100%, Stefon Diggs will be the top name in the receiving room for Drake Maye during the season to come as the most proven, most talented name in the room when he's at his best.

But beyond Diggs, pinning the second top target in this Patriots receiving corps gets a bit trickier.

There's three names that'll be worth keeping a close watch on: DeMario Douglas, Kayshon Boutte, and rookie Kyle Williams.

Douglas comes off his best year in a Patriots uniform and has drawn some strong attention his way in camp, making him the current favorite for the role. Boutte was a pleasant surprise last year with New England with 589 total receiving yards on the year, and could be on the verge of another step forward. Williams, the biggest wild card in the mix, may have a route to a year one breakout if he captures some early chemistry with Maye.

An unpredictable landscape at wideout, but one that's at least taken steps forward from their previous campaign.

3. WR7

Even further down the list than the second wide receiver in the offense, seeing how the entirety of the wide receiver landscape pans out Friday, could be even more intriguing, and provide a few early hints of who's expected to be on the roster come September.

The aforementioned four names in the receiver room, along with veterans Mack Hollins and Kendrick Bourne, appear to have a solid standing to make their way on the 53-man roster for now. But, if New England wanted to bring a seventh wideout into the season, it's an interesting conversation.

It likely comes down to the Patriots' pair of second-year guys in Ja'Lynn Polk and Javon Baker, along with undrafted rookie standout Efton Chism III, who's made considerable noise in camp. As to who's the one between those three with the best route to earning that nod, it remains to be seen, but it effectively puts a decent-sized magnifying glass upon what the trio may look like on Friday.

4. LG

One of the more eye-catching situations on the Patriots' roster to watch in camp, the starting left guard spot for the Patriots still feels like it could go a variety of ways come Week One –– making it worthy of some attention during their preseason debut.

Fourth-year guard Cole Strange enters this season fully healthy compared to last, giving him a look for the role, but the Patriots have also rolled out rookie Jared Wilson at left guard with the ones during camp as well, and could even be in contention to start –– something that's even more favorable to see transpire with a nice preseason slate.

Both guys could also be in the running to start at center, but Garrett Bradberry appears to be the most sensible for that spot. Therefore, it makes for high competition to ensue on the left side of the interior.

5. SS

For the lone defensive entry on this list, the back-end of this secondary will be one to keep an eye on for one notable reason: Kyle Dugger.

Dugger, a tenured veteran of the Patriots' safety room for the past five years, has recently faced questions surrounding his long-term fit on New England's roster, even pegged as a roster bubble candidate ahead of Week One. The Boston Sports Journal's Greg Bedard noted that rookie Craig Woodson has been the one dethroning Dugger for those first-team defense reps in training camp, with the potential of a trade or release being thrown into the mix.

Dugger comes off an up-and-down, injury-riddled 2024 that kept him in the mix for only 13 games, while also seeing his production tank as a result at a rough 44.3 Pro Football Focus grade on the year (157th/171 eligible safeties). Thankfully, he seems to be entering this year in better health and standing than where he finished his last season, but it still might not be enough to remain on board this Patriots defense.

With an impressive performance on Friday, Dugger can silence the noise, but with how his camp's gone so far, the Patriots' fourth-round pick in Woodson will be a strong name worth watching as well.