After a long offseason, New England football is back, and there are many Patriots preseason takeaways following their 13-13 tie with the Indianapolis Colts. The game featured hopeful performances from some aspiring players and raised concerns for others.
With all things considered, here are three of the biggest takeaways from the Patriots’ preseason opener.
Since the start of training camp, there has been a battle at running back for the Patriots. With the top two spots already filled with Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson, the RB3 role has been up for grabs. After Terrell Jennings was placed on IR, the main competitors have been Jam Miller, Lan Larison, and Hassan Haskins.
After the first preseason game, Miller might have taken the lead for the spot. On 14 carries, he rushed for 55 yards and had a yards-per-carry of 3.9. He led New England in rushing yards and had their longest rush of the game with a 15-yard run.
Miller was drafted 245th overall in the 7th round by the Patriots out of Alabama. While in the backfield for the Crimson Tide, he rushed for 1,596 yards on 349 attempts with 13 touchdowns during his 4-year college career.
Against the Colts, Larison finished with only one rushing yard on seven attempts. Meanwhile, Haskins recorded 15 yards on 5 carries.
Though Miller was the Patriots’ most productive rusher, he didn’t provide anything through the air, as he only received one target. However, Larison had the most receptions and the second-most receiving yards, with six catches for 38 yards.
Larison also led the RBs in snap count, with 41. Miller had 22 snaps, and Haskins had 5.
Nevertheless, Miller could be the current favorite for the RB3 role on the Patriots. If New England chooses to go with him, he could be a viable power back who is used primarily in short-yardage or goal-line situations. Additionally, his production in pass protection could be a determining factor that gives him the nod over Larison and Haskins.
After last season, edge rusher and depth along the defensive line were top priorities for the Patriots. They lost two key contributors in free agency, with Khyiris Tonga going to Kansas City and K’Lavon Chaisson joining the Commanders. While they signed Dre’Mont Jones and drafted Gabe Jacas in the second round, they still seemed to need depth in those areas.
Fortunately, after the preseason opener, New England may have the answers with Bradyn Swinson and Joshua Farmer.
Swinson showcased his potential on the edge against the Colts, as the year two linebacker had success in the pass rush. He recorded three tackles, 2 pressures, and a win rate of 21.7%. Swinson also led the Patriots in PFF (Pro Football Focus) Pass Rush Grade with a 79.9.
Swinson was drafted in the 5th round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Throughout his collegiate career, he recorded 13.5 sacks and 25 tackles for loss, with his most productive season coming his senior year, when he recorded 8.5 sacks. Swinson saw action in three games his rookie year but only gathered a single tackle.
On the interior defensive line, Farmer displayed his potential as a depth piece behind Milton Williams and Christian Barmore. Farmer totaled two tackles, a QB hit, and the Patriots’ sole sack.
Farmer was drafted in the 4th round last year. In his four years at Florida State, he compiled 11 sacks and 21 tackles for loss. Last season, in his 13 games played, he had 15 tackles, a pass deflection, and a fumble recovery.
With Swinson and Farmer emerging, New England could have a consistent pass rush. They struggled last year getting after quarterbacks, so these two could add the depth needed to disrupt opposing offenses more frequently. While they still may lack a single dominant pass rusher, the Patriots may have the ability to rush QBs by committee.
After a solid rookie season, which saw him make 27 of 32 field goal attempts, Andy Borregales seemed to be locked as the Patriots’ kicker. However, following a troubled preseason opener, New England could look to give him some competition.
Borregales missed three field goals against the Colts, which included two from outside 50 yards and one from 49 yards. Last season, he successfully made all four of his field goal attempts from 50 yards and beyond.
While it’s too early to panic and rush to move on, it could be the perfect time to bring in competition. Borregales is currently the only kicker on the Patriots’ roster, and bringing in another kicker could motivate him.
Some veteran kickers are still available, such as Brandon McManus and Daniel Carlson. McManus made 24 of 30 attempts last season with the Green Bay Packers. Carlson netted 22 of his 27 attempts with the Las Vegas Raiders.
Either McManus or Carlson could be brought in to give Borregales some competition at kicker. Just a slight boost of competitive pressure could be needed to improve Andy’s performance as the regular season slowly approaches.
Along with the takeaways mentioned above, the Patriots should look to address their discipline following the preseason opener. They were penalized five times, costing them 35 yards. Also, interior linemen Ben Brown and Andrew Rupcich left the game early, but the Patriots have addressed this by signing Darrion Dalcourt and Joe Michalski.
It’s far too early to start coming to conclusions, but these Patriots preseason takeaways show some reasons for optimism and concern. Next Saturday, New England will take on the Philadelphia Eagles, and some players will look to continue their level of play while others attempt to improve theirs.
The biggest things to watch in the game against the Eagles would be the Patriots’ running game, pass rush, and Borregales’ performance on long field goal attempts.
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