Patriots Preseason Game 2: The Rookie Class of 2025 Continues to Dominate

Anna Moneymaker. Getty Images.

We need an Executive Order banning preseason games with a Saturday at 1pm kickoff. And while we're at it, bring back more weekend afternoon baseball. We used to be a proper country. 

Again, these are just impressions, not conclusions. There's only so much you can learn from playing the Vikings backups, their backups backups, and the guys who'll be back behind the wheel of their Ubers in about two weeks. But we work with what have:

--One thing we definitely have learned in this first couple of games is that TreVeyon Henderson is special. For years now we've been desperate for one offensive weapon that opposing DC's have to actually worry about. And gameplan for. This rookie is one. A versatile, all-purpose, hybrid, Swiss Army Back whom Josh McDaniels can utilize in any number of ways. Including, though not limited to, making defenses pay for going into a deep Cover-3 shell on 3rd & long:

Drake Maye audibled to that run call when he say the empty box. Michael Onwenu and Ben Brown gave Henderson a gap to hit and he was 8 yards upfield and into his 5th gear before any of the deep safeties could react. 

Then he demonstrated his power run game behind Jack Westover at fullback and a hell of a nice block on the edge from his 2025 Rookie Classmate Kyle Williams:

And it's not like he just sort of snuck up on Minnesota and they weren't ready for him. On the contrary, after a half a week of practicing against him, they knew what he's capable of:

The real kick in the head here is that if you look at the careers of the Pats 3rd down running back throughout the Dynasty years, it usually took them a season or two before they really figured it out and could be trusted with all the calls, options, blitz pickups and so on. For sure James White wasn't the James White we all remember when he was a rookie. But Henderson comes in a plug-and-play, NFL ready option, and McDaniels is field testing before our eyes. 

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--The other rookie offensive skill guy who is maximizing the opportunities he's being given is Efton Chism III:

Stop routes. Pivots. Deep and shallow crossers. Then finishing off this drive by fighting off about a half dozen henchmen like it's a John Wick fight scene. On the local broadcast Scott Zolak said, "He just made the team" at the exact same time everyone in front of their TVs instead of outside on a perfect summer afternoon said the exact same words in unison. In all, EC3 had 6 catches on 6 targets for 71 yards. If that doesn't earn him a spot over Javon Baker (one catch on 7 targets, stopping in the end zone when Joshua Dobbs expected him to keep running the back line) and Ja'Lynn Polk (stayed back in New England with a shoulder injury), then honestly what is the point of even having these games? This guy looks like he was genetically engineered in a lab to be a Patriots slot guy:

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--Somewhat less impressive was Drake Maye. He straight up sailed two of his early throws, one of which went way over the head of a wide open Pop Douglas. After the game he blamed it on being too fired up. Whether that's a reflection of how inspiring the drum-beating and "Skol!" chanting in the pregame is, or a cause for concern that our second year quarterback can't calm his nerves for a fake game in mid-August, remains to be seen. But it's not like he didn't settle in and make some good decisions and great throws. None better than this full-sprint dart to Mack Hollins, who settled underneath the coverage after Douglas cleared out the deep safety:

He did however have a Delay of Game penalty, which gave everyone watching flashbacks from the Matt Patricia era. And he completely missed Williams getting behind the coverage on a Go route:

But given the pressure up the middle and being forced to leave the pocket, that's a tough nit to pick. Instead I'll suggest we all be encouraged by a rookie wideout who can beat coverage like that. And since Williams finished with 3 receptions and 24 yards, which is two month's worth of Baker and Polk's production last year, I'll take it.

I guess the next task for Mike Vrabel, McDaniels and QB coach Ashton Grant is to figure out a way to get Maye over those pre-fake football game jitters in time for the Giants pretend game on Thursday. 

--Sticking with the offensive rookies for a moment:

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Every time Campbell gets beaten in a practice rep, it generates about 10 hours of Boston sports radio talk. But all he does against live competition is man his post and fend off every enemy attack. I'm not saying Campbell is going to be really good. I'm saying he has been all along.

--Defensively, the most interesting rookie has been 4th round safety out of Cal Craig Woodson, who has pretty much taken Kyle Dugger's starting job. With Jabrill Peppers on the sideline happily enjoying an Uncrustable:

… Woodson was moved around quite a bit. Some post safety, although that's mainly Jaylinn Hawkins' bailiwick, some slot in man coverage and quite a bit of in-the-box, where he picked up a couple of tackles. Meanwhile, Dugger was on the field with the guys who've been keeping their LinkedIn profiles updated. What's most notable about his interception in the end zone and near fumble:

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… is when it occurred. One the last play of the second preseason game. That's not where you expect to find a former 37th overall pick entering his sixth season and on his second contract. I mean, Bill Belichick did that with Jason McCourty in 2018. But that was to get him reps in a new system, and his job status was never in doubt. I can't say the same about Dugger, who can still be a factor in run support, but can't really move the way he did before getting his foot operated on. And might simply not be a fit in Vrabel's more attack-oriented system. We'll know soon enough.

--So overall, it was another solid performance against one of the top teams in football last year. A few mental errors that need to be cleaned up, but nothing like the chaos we grew accustomed to the last few preseasons. Most importantly, we've got a rookie class to feel good about at the Summer of Hope starts to wind down. We can't ask for much more than that.