Patriots Preseason: 3 to Watch vs. Eagles

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The New England Patriots are set host the Philadelphia Eagles for their second preseason game on Thursday at Gillette Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.

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 Eagles.

Drake Maye

While the Patriots rookie quarterback may have seen limited action in the Pats’ preseason victory over the Panthers, Maye is set to take on a increased workload this week against the Eagles — a team known for its potent pass rush.

In his pro debut last Thursday, the No. 3 overall pick in April’s Draft took the field to lead the Patriots on their second offensive series. In his first and only drive of the game, the UNC product completed two of his passes for 19 yards — with both of his completions coming on screen passes. Maye’s sole misfire sailed a bit high off play action, but still hit receiver Jalen Reagor in the hands for a relatively catchable pass.

While Maye has shown flashes of his exciting potential — including a handful of well-placed passes during a joint practice with the Eagles on Tuesday, he has spent much of his time on the training camp practice fields working on his fundamentals. The results — due largely in part to inconsistency along New England’s offensive line, as well as a lack of cohesion with his receivers — has led to mostly mixed results.

In the final analysis, Maye still has some growing pains which will need to be addressed in this game. 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 Philadelphia.

Tyquan Thornton

Perhaps no player on the Pats roster exhibits a greater gap between potential and performance than Thornton. Having begun each of his first two NFL seasons with stays on injured reserve, questions have routinely surrounded the Baylor product and the durability his sleek, yet slender frame. In each of his respective returns from injury, Thornton struggled to produce on the field. Last season, he finished with 13 catches for 91 yards with no touchdowns.

Nonetheless, the Pats third-year receiver has no shortage of speed or talent, especially when deployed as a deep pass-catching threat, or as a jet option out of the backfield. At times, Thornton has shown flashes of his potential. However, he was unable to haul in his only (yet, underthrown) target in the first quarter of last Thursday’s game. Thornton will need to register some activity on his stat sheet to help fend off fellow receivers Kayshon Boutte and Jalen Reagor — each currently making their own strong push for a roster spot.

Oshane Ximines

With linebacker Matthew Judon having been traded to the Atlanta Falcons, the Pats face the daunting task of attempting to fill the large void in their pass rush. While mainstays such as Joshua Uche and Anfernee Jennings are expected to shoulder the early down burden, Ximines could be primed to earn a reserve spot. He originally joined the New York Giants as their third-round draft pick (No. 95 overall) out of Old Dominion. The 6-4, 254-pound lineman spent five seasons with New York, appearing in 48 regular season games with nine starts. During that span, he compiled 71 total tackles, 6.5 sacks, six passes-defensed, one forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. Last season, Ximines spent most of the year on the practice squad — but was elevated and played in three games, finishing with four total tackles.

With New England, Ximines continues to impress during training camp and projects as a depth option on the outside. He could make his case a bit stronger with a formidable performance against the Eagles.