Patriots head coach Bill Belichick already stated this week that he gained’t be utilizing Week 18 to assemble info on gamers for the 2024 season.
“We’re going to get ready to play the guys that deserve to play against the Jets,” Belichick stated Wednesday. “I think they all want to play.”
But with so many accidents throughout the roster, there’ll nearly definitely be some gamers taking over important roles who weren’t a part of the crew’s plans in Week 1.
Here are 4 gamers who deserve an extended look in Week 18 in opposition to the Jets in what is also Belichick’s final sport as Patriots head coach.
RB Kevin Harris
The 2022 sixth-round choose spent most of this season buried on the follow squad behind Rhamondre Stevenson and Ezekiel Elliott. He’s additionally confirmed to be a succesful third-stringer since Stevenson went down with a high-ankle sprain in Week 13.
The South Carolina product has carried the ball 13 instances for 61 yards with a landing in three video games whereas including two catches for 54 yards. He didn’t get any snaps in his season debut in Week 14. Since then, his snap depend has risen from seven snaps in Week 15 to 10 in Week 16 and 11 in Week 17.
Elliott will doubtless proceed to hold the load, however Harris has confirmed he deserves an opportunity to compete for a job in 2024 in restricted time this season.
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WR Kayshon Boutte
The Patriots’ beginning large receivers to start the season – Kendrick Bourne, JuJu Smith-Schuster and DeVante Parker – all both did not play in or did not end the Patriots’ Week 17 loss to the Bills. Bourne and Smith-Schuster are on injured reserve, and Parker is coping with a rib harm.
Boutte was inactive attributable to an sickness on Sunday whereas DeMario Douglas, Tyquan Thornton and Jalen Reagor stuffed in.
Boutte will not be on the harm report this week, so there’s an opportunity he might register his first reception since November.
The rookie pass-catcher has simply two catches for 19 yards on seven targets this season as he is handled stretches of inactivity. After the 2023 NFL Draft, Boutte – not Douglas – was considered because the extra attractive prospect.
Douglas has damaged Belichick-era information for catches and yards by a rookie large receiver, whereas Boutte has struggled to acclimate.
The former five-star recruit has yet another probability to shine, particularly if Parker cannot go in opposition to the Jets.
OL Jake Andrews
The Patriots drafted three offensive linemen this 12 months in Andrews, Sidy Sow and Atonio Mafi. Sow has emerged because the crew’s beginning proper guard and is third in offensive snaps for the Patriots. Mafi started the 12 months as a starter and has changed Cole Strange at left guard because the 2022 first-round choose suffered a season-ending harm. Andrews performed his first 13 offensive snaps of the season on Sunday, rotating with Mafi at left guard.
It does not assist that Andrews’ pure place is heart, and he is performed behind workhorse David Andrews, who has but to overlook a snap this season.
Still, with the entire points the Patriots have had on their offensive line this season, it could have been good to see the fourth-round pick of Troy get extra work in his first season.
Belichick had a tepid response to Andrews’ offensive debut, merely replying, “Yeah,” when requested if it appeared just like the rookie “hung in there OK.”
Andrews may be very undersized at a listed 6-foot-3, 308 kilos. Given Mafi’s struggles this season, it is price giving him extra snaps in opposition to the Jets.
S Marte Mapu
The rookie defender out of Sacramento State has seen his snaps wax and wane all through the season. The most he is performed got here in Week 4 in opposition to the Cowboys with 35 snaps. From weeks 10-14, he performed simply eight whole defensive snaps.
Now during the last three weeks, he is averaged 16 defensive snaps per sport. It’s helped his playtime that security Jabrill Peppers is coping with a hamstring harm.
Mapu is listed as a linebacker however is usually known as a security round Gillette Stadium. Whether it is as a robust security or linebacker, his finest play has come within the field this season, not deep at free security.
Starting security Kyle Dugger is a free agent after the season. If the Patriots do not convey him again, then Mapu would doubtless tackle a a lot bigger position. It’s time to evaluate whether or not or not he might take that on.
Source: www.bostonherald.com