The New England Patriots opened the 2023 preseason with a 20-9 loss to the Houston Texans.
In a game where the Patriots rested most of their projected starters and veterans, we got to see rookies and young players fighting for their NFL lives in 2023.
Even though this exhibition game is meaningless for the 2023 season, it’s a good chance to take a look at players we might not ever get to see showcase their skills.
Without further ado, let’s take a look at the three most impactful players for the Patriots in Thursday’s preseason opener.
First Star: Keion White
White started on Thursday night as the projected starters sat out the first game, and man, did he pop on tape. He flashed quick hands, speed, strength and a high motor.
White generated pressure constantly and made life difficult for the Houston Texans’ offensive line. Even if he doesn’t play every down, he has the translatable skills to become an every-down edge defender for this team.
It was anticipated that the Patriots could look to give White a role in this defense on passing downs in Year 1, but he has shown enough versatility to be mixed in with the veterans sooner than initially believed.
Second Star: Malik Cunningham
Malik Cunningham had a great debut and played as both a receiver and quarterback. At quarterback, he scored the only touchdown for the Patriots’ dormant offense and provided a spark for the offense late in the fourth quarter.
Cunningham’s recent rise at quarterback has only been a few practices and Thursday’s game. Although he entered the league as a quarterback out of Louisville, he mentioned early in the spring that he was practicing purely as a receiver, signaling his desire to make it at the next level by being the next Patriot to make the switch from quarterback to wideout.
This week, however, Cunningham got some reps at quarterback in practice and translated that to the preseason game, where he flashed as an electric runner and showed some instances of above average arm talent when throwing on the run.
The Patriots could keep him as their No. 3 quarterback, while trying to develop him as a receiver. His ability as a runner allows the Patriots to gameplan for elite dual-threat quarterbacks each week by leading the scout team offense.
Third Star: Jalen Mills
Jalen Mills was released as a cornerback in the spring, but he quickly found his way back to the Patriots as a safety.
Mills played both safety and corner at times for the Philadelphia Eagles before coming to the Patriots in 2021. He was primed to be a safety with the Patriots before Stephon Gilmore went his separate way, which ultimately thrusted him into No. 2 cornerback land.
On Thursday, Mills played with most of the backups and took advantage of a rookie mistake by C.J. Stroud by making a great read and cutting off his assignment in man coverage to jump the route for an interception.
Mills also looked good in run support, which is something you’d expect from an NFL veteran. He will likely play an important role this season, even though he is battling in a crowded safety room with Kyle Dugger, Adrian Phillips, Jabrill Peppers, Ameer Speed and Joshuah Bledsoe.
Mills offers versatility as a corner and safety, and he is primed for a massive leap as a leader in Year 3.
