Efton Chism, Drake Maye and other Patriots risers and fallers after preseason win

New York Times

15 hours ago

Even after a pair of intense joint practices in Minnesota with the Vikings, New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel still wanted to see his starters iron out some issues.
So even though Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell told Vrabel on Saturday morning that Minnesota would hold out all of its starters — the Vikings sat more than 30 players in total — Vrabel had his starters play.
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The result, a 20-12 win, wasn't as important as the individual performances in the second of three exhibition games. So with the preseason finale against the New York Giants up next on Thursday, and with roster cutdown day just 10 days away, here's a look at who helped and hurt his case in Saturday's victory.
The undrafted rookie was so good that it's hard to pick his most impressive play from Saturday, even though he played less than half the game. Was it the strength shown in fighting for his 12-yard touchdown reception? Or his 33-yard catch and run? Or the impressive third-and-5 conversion he picked up after fighting through multiple would-be tacklers?
Chism with 6 to put the Pats up!
📺: WBZ pic.twitter.com/zWsWVls2E4
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) August 16, 2025
Either way, Chism probably played his way onto the 53-man roster Saturday (if he hadn't already been penciled in). Any hope of quietly sneaking him onto the practice squad is probably gone.
Chism III caught all six targets and turned those catches into 71 yards and a touchdown. DeMario Douglas is still the team's starting slot receiver, but Chism looks like a more-than-capable backup who can step in if the Pats need him.
His speed is lacking, but his strength with the ball in his hands is so impressive as he routinely breaks out of arm tackles.
On the TV broadcast, Eliot Wolf, the Patriots' executive vice president of player personnel, said Chism's consistency has stood out from the beginning. He noted that Chism does 5 a.m. film studies with wide receivers coach Todd Downing and shouted out his ability to 'set up a defender at the top of his route.'
With roster cutdown day approaching, Chism looks to be safely on the team.
'He's certainly made the most of his opportunities,' Vrabel said during his halftime interview on the TV broadcast.
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With Rhamondre Stevenson already hurt, the Patriots didn't use Henderson a ton. But even in a limited role, he shone again. He might already be the Patriots' most reliable offensive player.
The rookie running back has such an impressive mix of speed, toughness and pass-catching skills. He frequently turns nothing into something, including a third-and-10 conversion on one carry and his 8-yard touchdown on another.
It's telling, too, that when the Patriots tried to hit him on a wheel route on an early third down, the Vikings defense (after facing the Pats for two straight practices) put a safety over the top of Henderson, which helped break up the play.
Still, Henderson finished with four carries for 20 yards and a touchdown. Each week of camp, he seems to earn more and more touches.
So far, it hasn't seemed like Jennings fits what the Patriots want to do defensively, even after recent years of thriving as an edge setter in Bill Belichick's scheme.
That he was still playing in the fourth quarter of a preseason game doesn't speak highly of Jennings' standing on the depth chart or his chances of making the 53-man roster. But his performance Saturday might give coaches some pause and perhaps earn Jennings more playing time this week.
Jenning had 2.5 sacks against the Vikings, and at one point, he was in on sacks on back-to-back plays. Oh, and pass rushing isn't even the strength of his game.
Things have pointed toward Jennings getting cut, but maybe this jump-starts a late surge up the depth chart.
33 gets there! @anferneejenning | #NEPats
📺: WBZ pic.twitter.com/X5JPE0DZOh
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) August 16, 2025
His interception wasn't the most impressive part of his game, since Sam Howell threw one up for grabs, but it was a nice afternoon for Austin nonetheless.
What was especially impressive was Austin's versatility. He started the game on the outside. Then, when Marcus Jones exited, Austin moved into the slot. At 6-foot-1, Austin is five inches taller than Jones and is playing well enough that perhaps the Pats would consider using him as their nickel corner when matched up against bigger receivers.
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This isn't really cause for concern considering the small sample size and the (lack of) meaning of this game, but Maye didn't have his best stuff Saturday.
He missed high on a pair of throws, one of which landed right in the hands of a Vikings defender (though it was dropped), and at one point didn't get the offense in position quickly enough, resulting in a delay-of-game penalty.
Maye finished 4-of-7 for 46 yards against the Vikings' second- and third-string defenders. It's not anything to worry about in the big picture, but it wasn't a great day for the 22-year-old.
With Chism showing coaches why they shouldn't leave him off this roster, Baker didn't take advantage of the opportunity the same way.
On Saturday, Baker was … fine. He made some mistakes, including a false start in the red zone, and couldn't come down with the catch on an out route on the next play. In the fourth quarter, he made a nice reception on the sideline.
Still, with Chism basically writing his name on the 53-man roster in pen Saturday, Baker needs to convince the team to keep seven wide receivers for him to make it. It feels like a tall task for a guy who caught one of seven targets for 13 yards against the Vikings.
A Vikings rookie fifth-round pick stiff-armed Bradbury several yards into the backfield in the first quarter, showing the veteran center's issues against strong, bullying defensive linemen.
The Patriots don't really have a better option while Ben Brown, Cole Strange and Jared Wilson all focus on guard. But Bradbury could let up quite a few interior pressures this season, even though he moves well in the run game.
It's not that Dugger made any horrendous plays on Saturday, but the team's seventh-highest-paid player (based on annual average value) was out there with mostly third-stringers in the final minutes of a preseason game. He made an interception on the last play when the Vikings threw it up for the tie, but then failed to get down right away. If it had been a regular-season game, the refs may have overturned the call and determined he fumbled.
Just the fact that he was in for the final drive is awfully telling — and damning — about what the Patriots coaches think of Dugger right now.
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