The New England Patriots opened preseason action this week, hosting the Indianapolis Colts for a joint practice session on Tuesday before playing to a 13-13 stalemate in Thursday night’s preseason opener.
On this week’s episode of the Patriots Roundtable Podcast, hosts Eddie Marotta and Tyler Geis provide their key takeaways from New England’s inaugural external competition of the 2026 season. We review which players’ stock went up — and whose went down — following a practice and game that were filled with highs and lows on both sidelines.
Offensively, the Patriots were the beneficiaries of standout performances from rookie running back Jam Miller, second-year wide receiver Kyle Williams, and a pair of ascending rookie tight ends, Eli Raridon and Tanner Arkin. Miller led New England in rushing with 14 carries and 55 yards on the ground. Williams contributed the team’s lone touchdown of the night on a 12-yard back-shoulder connection with quarterback Tommy DeVito, and later hauled in a 25-yard deep curl during the two-minute drill at the end of the first-half. Raridon and Arkin’s contributions were less evident on the stat sheet, but apparent at the point of attack.
Defensively, rookies and free agent additions led the way in a performance that was highlighted by four takeaways. Kindle Vildor and John Saunders Jr. both snagged interceptions, while K.J. Britt and Jeremiah Pharms Jr. forced fumbles deep in Patriots’ territory. Undrafted free agents Channing Canada and Khalil Jacobs topped the team in tackles, with sixth-round pick Namdi Obiazor also in the mix on several occasions.
Other areas showed room for improvement — namely special teams and the interior offensive line. Second-year kicker Andy Borregales went just two-for-five on his field goal attempts with misses from 55, 56, and the potential game winner from 49-yards out. Along the interior, super-sub Ben Brown was injured in the first quarter and may miss extensive time. Andrew Rupcich also left with an injury early — he returned to the field of play later on in the game, but exited again in the fourth quarter after being rolled up on in a pile at the line of scrimmage. Rupcich has since been placed on injured reserve.
As New England moves ahead to another week of joint practices with the Philadelphia Eagles, we review how their previous performance against Indianapolis will shape the roster decisions to come. Whether it be the early addition of outside help or in-house talent earning additional opportunities, the returns from preseason week one paint a clearer picture of the team’s initial strengths and weaknesses heading into the fall — and foreshadow how those areas of need may be addressed in the weeks ahead.
Which Patriots do you think stood out in the preseason opener against the Colts? Drop your thoughts in the comments below and join the conversation on Patriots Roundtable.
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