MORSE: Patriots Pre-Season Game 2 vs Eagles Preview

The Patriots are hosting the Eagles in Pre-season Game #2 at Gillette on Saturday at 7:00 pm ET.

None of the starters are expected to play on Saturday. Jobs are available and how the 2^nd and 3^rd team players play on Saturday will go a long way to see if they will make an NFL Team (Patriots or other team). Here are a few competitions to look for.

Safety – Saunders vs Brown

John Saunders has led the Patriots secondary with 4 Interceptions in Training Camp. Mike Brown is a Mike Vrabel guy that was signed as an Undrafted Free Agent, primarily to play Special Teams. Brown was the Personal Protector for Bryce Baringer on the Punt team. That usually means that player will make the team. I don’t see both players making the team.

Interior Offensive Line

It will be interesting to see if Greg Van Roten will play in the game. Players like Jacob Rizy, James Hudson, Mekhi Butler and JonDarius Morgan are playing to impress the Patriots and other teams that they are worthy to be on a Practice Squad.

Backup Defensive Line

Joshua Farmer a 4^th round pick last year, seems safe. Eric Gregory, Leonard Taylor, and Jeremiah Pharms are battling for that last spot. Note the Patriots brought in DT Daquan Jones for a workout. The 6’4” 320-pound, 12-year veteran, who played for Vrabel in Tennessee would be the largest lineman, more like what Khyris Tonga was for the team last year.

Linebacker

The competition for 3^rd and 4^th linebacker is wide open. The thought was that Chad Muma had one of those positions locked down. He was a disaster against the Colts. His PFF grade was a brutal 27.9. He also missed the Joint Practices.

KJ Britt was very good against the Colts. UDFA Khalil Jacobs has been one of the surprises of camp. Namdi Obiazor even got some reps with the 1^st team in the joint practice. Daquan Jones wasn’t the only vet the Patriots brought in this week. They had former Bills Linebacker Shaq Thompson in for a visit.

They are doing their due diligence and preparing a list of available players in case they are short. Perhaps they are not happy with any of these linebackers.

3^rdRunningback

Hassan Haskins has impressed since being signed just before the Colts game. He played in that game and ran hard. He is a big back at 6’2”, 225-pounds. He was a 4^th round draft pick by Mike Vrabel at Tennessee. He had a TD in the Joint Practice as well as laying the lumber on a couple of would be eagles tacklers. Lan Larison and Jam Miller continue to compete for the last Running Back spot. Who returns kickoffs might be the guy that actually wins the job.

I heard one analyst say that Miller would get the job over Larison because he was a draft pick. Let’s put that nonsense to bed. Vrabel doesn’t care where you came from and whether you were drafted or not. It’s what you do between the lines. Larison was a UDFA because it was one of greatest draft for overall depth at Runningback. That draft was so deep, that Larison despite everything he did at UC Davis, never got invited to single post season showcase game. In his career he had 3,634 rushing yards, 41 TDs, 127 receptions for 1626 yards, 10 TDs. He was 5x All-Conference selectee and 2X FCS All-American. Larison had 6 catches in the Indy game, two others were thrown in his feet and another 15-yard screen play was called back by penalty.

Jam Miller ran well in the Indy game and showed some wiggle and read his blocks well. I would think that Miller will make it through to the Practice Squad. Perhaps Larison will too.

Aug 13, 2026; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots place kicker Andy Borregales (36) lines up his field goal kick against the Indianapolis Colts during the first half at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images — **(PHOTO: Eric Canha-Imagn Images)**

Looking For Borregales to Bounce Back

The Indy game was a disaster for Borrgales going 2 for 5 and missing a game winning kick. He played much better in the Joint Practice on Wednesday going 4 for 5 and then kick two clutch Field Goals in 2-minute drill, one from 52 and the other from 57.

Weather Forecast

The forecast is for rain, especially in the second half. If you are going to the game be prepared. That is a shame for these players whose NFL careers are on the line.

The Eagles will want to put on a show on Saturday night to erase what was a bad taste in their mouths after two days with the Pats where they were on the wrong side of the ledger. The Patriots dominated the practice on Wednesday and even though the Eagles played considerably better on Thursday, the Patriots still held an edge. This will be a good barometer of the Patriots depth.

Morse’s Morsels

“So it’s interesting because I talked to Colts people after (Joint Practice), and they were blown away by the skill (WRs)…they’re near the top of the league with that group now.” – Bert Breer

“I’ve got nothing but respect for those guys over there, and I feel like they have a good chance of going very far,” Barkley said Thursday, per Boston.com’s Khari Thompson.

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About Mark Morse

Merrimack Valley native and lifelong fan of the New England Patriots. My earliest memories of the Patriots were attending as a child with my dad, the off-season practice at Phillips Academy. I was at the Patriots game at Harvard Stadium in 1970 where Bob “Harpo” Gladieux was called out of the stands by the stadium announcer over the PA to play in the game. Analyzing the draft since ESPN first started to televise it in 1980 and former writer for the Lowell Sun Newspaper.

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