What experts say about Thursday's Patriots-Panthers match

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The Patriots will face the Carolina Panthers on Thursday night in their third pre-season game. Just weeks before the start of the season, here's what the experts say about the pre-season game.

The Patriots should play more starters.

According to ESPN's Mike Reiss, it looks like the Patriots are looking to give more reps to the starters, since head coach Bill Belichick has limited his shots this week in practice. This could include defensive starters like Stephon Gilmore or Dont'a Hightower, who have never seen the field this pre-season.

But above all, it seems that Tom Brady will make his first steps of the pre-season tonight. In an interview on the Greg Hill Show show, Brady said he "hopes to play" tonight against the Panthers. The Patriots played veteran Brian Hoyer and rookie Jarrett Stidham at this point in the pre-season, replacing the 42-year-old quarterback.

Questions about the wide receiver

One of the most controversial battles in the camp was the wide receiver position. With Josh Gordon, Demaryius Thomas, Julian Edelman and N'Keal Harry, we guarantee almost all the locks for the places in the lineup, leaving very little room for many unproven receivers still present in the meadow alignment. -season of the Patriots. With Thomas's health, Harry and Edelman leaving their statutes for Thursday, many recipients will have a chance to shine, being photographed with Brady and giving them the opportunity to prove their membership in the Patriots 53-men list.

Uncertainty persists at the end of the race.

Matt Lacosse and Stephen Anderson are likely injured, the other opponents of the preparatory team of the Patriots will have a chance on Thursday. This includes Lance Kendricks and Eric Saubert, recently acquired, as well as Ryan Izzo and Andrew Beck. Without the presence of Lacosse and Anderson, these four tight ends will have the opportunity to qualify for the 53-player lineup.

Cam Newton will play.

Brady is not the only quarterback in the franchise to prepare for the first time this season. Panthers quarterback Cam Newton will be taking part in his first preseason photos on Thursday.

Is the transition from Duke Dawson to security permanent?

Dawson was not an asset to New England last Saturday against the Titans, striving to make a positive impact on the pitch.

This led the Patriots to start looking for alternatives for the second year defensive back. In particular, Belichick tried to keep Dawson safe, as it seems Keion Crossen may have been overtaken in the rear corner depth chart. One thing to look for tonight is the number of shots taken by the former second round pick and the number of them coming into the security position.

Is Duron Harmon's lineup in trouble?

While most Patriots veterans have seen few or no photos this season, Duron Harmon has been on the field quite often. Even if it's not a red flag, it's something to note. As pointed out Jeff Howe of The Athletic, Harmon has finished in the top eight defensive selections each of the past two seasons. A large number of preseason representatives therefore seem unnecessary. Howe speculates that Harmon, who owes $ 2.5 million this season, could be on the bubble while Terrance Brooks and Nate Ebner fight for clichés, as well as young protections Obi Melifonwu, Malik Gant and maybe even Dawson, becoming intriguing options. Harmon's playing time will be interesting to watch tonight to see if he really risks losing his spot in the lineup.

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