Primed for Patriots Preseason: 3 to Watch vs. Panthers

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — As the old saying goes: “Let the games begin.” (…sort of)

The New England Patriots are set to open their 2024 preseason slate on Thursday at Gillette Stadium. The Pats will welcome the Carolina Panthers for the first, and only preseason contest to be held in New England this summer. With several new faces both on the coaching staff and on the roster, the Pats will continue to use each opportunity to learn, improve and prepare for the upcoming season.

Though many Patriots players are expected to garner some attention during Thursday’s matchup, here are three players that might raise an eyebrow… or perhaps, catch a ‘sharp eye’ when the Pats take the field against the Panthers.

Drake Maye

Though veteran Jacoby Brissett is widely considered the frontrunner to land the starting job for New England’s Week 1 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals, all eyes withing Patriots Nation will be focused on the No. 3 overall pick in April’s Draft.

Maye has been described by some draft analysts as an “ideal fit” within coordinator Alex Van Pelt’s offense. Perhaps best known for his elite arm strength, the 21-year-old also possesses the velocity and touch on the ball to make any throw required of him — including those into tight windows. Accordingly, he has been heralded as one of the best navigators of the entire field in this season’s Draft class. Maye is equally touted for his exceptional athleticism. When the play breaks down, he possesses the both agility and instinct to turn off-script options into big gains.

While he has shown flashes of his exciting potential, Maye has spent much of his time on the training camp practice fields working on his fundamentals. His reps have mostly included play-action drop backs and lining up with his left foot in front while in the shotgun — an alignment which Van Pelt stresses to help the quarterback maintain rhythm. The technique marks a departure for Maye, who primarily operated out of the shotgun for North Carolina while leading with his right foot.

In the final analysis, Maye still has some growing pains which will need to be addressed throughout the preseason. Still, the rookie’s field vision and mechanics are showing continuous and marked improvement. Maye has not only tossed several would-be scoring strikes, but he also showcased the velocity, touch and placement of the ball which will eventually land him the starting job. New England will keep close watch to see if Maye’s skill set and field awareness translate adequately into a pro setting. If so, he may see the field for a significant portion of time against Carolina.

Jaheim Bell

With pick No. 231 in the seventh-round of the 2024 NFL Draft, the Patriots selected Bell to help bolster their tight end group.

The Seminole prospect was considered by many draft analysts to be a potential draft “diamond in the rough.” However, his 4.61 time running the 40-yard dash shed some new light on his draft stock heading into Day 3.

Having transferred from South Carolina prior to the 2023 season, Bell played well for Florida State last season. The 6-2, 241-pound tight end caught 39 passes for 503 yards and two touchdowns, while adding one rushing score. At his best, Bell is a physical player who has the capability of adding significant yardage after the catch. When possessing the ball, he demonstrates the quickness, route-running and athleticism to get open and be an effective weapon in the open field. As a result, he projects as a solid ‘Y’ tight end prospect at the pro level — especially for the Patriots .

Bell will join a tight ends group in New England consisting of team captain Hunter Henry, veteran Austin Hooper, Mitchell Wilcox and La’Michael Pettway. Should he demonstrate the same type of pro-level readiness he has demonstrated to date in training camp, he may strengthen his case to make the roster as the team’s third tight end.

Isaiah Bolden

For the Patriots this season, Bolden is using a solid training camp performance to make his case as a depth corner and a special teams contributor.

Prior to suffering a frightening, season-ending concussion last preseason, Bolden had shown a great deal of promise, as both a kick returner as well as a depth piece at perimeter cornerback. He performed well throughout last season's training camp, and showed flashes of pro-level readiness during the Pats joint practice sessions with the Green Bay Packers leading up to last year’s preseason contest.

After excelling as a special-teamer in college, the 24-year-old dazzled scouts by running a 4.33 40-yard dash at Jackson State's Pro Day. Yet, he remained on the Draft board until late Day 3 when New England selected him with pick No. 245.

Bolden transferred to Jackson State for his junior season. He played in 10 games, totaling eight tackles in his first year as a Tiger. Bolden also became a dominant kickoff returner, averaging 36.9 yards per return with two kickoffs returned for touchdowns. During his senior season, he played in 13 games, totaling 44 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and one fumble recovery.

Kickoff between the Patriots and Panthers is set for 7 p.m. at Gillette Stadium.