The Patriots will close out their 2024 season at home against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday and could lock up the draft's first overall pick with a loss. Buffalo, having already locked up the AFC's second seed, has little to play for and though Josh Allen is expected to start, most of their most impactful starters should have the day off. The playoff-bound Bills will be looking to avoid any critical injuries first and foremost.
That means the Patriots should see a good dose of Bills backups and could have the opportunity to give their own younger players some increased reps and a chance to close out the season on a personal high note.
This week it's all about the young Patriots in the 10 to Watch, as New England searches for any late-season sparks who could carry over a strong performance in the finale into the offseason and give the team something to think about when they begin to construct the 2025 team.
Here's the final 10 to Watch of the 2024 season.
Joe Milton
Milton has served as the team's emergency quarterback this season while also running the scout team during practices. The 2024 6th-round pick showcased his high-powered arm last summer but was a work in progress during team drills where his sporadic accuracy and processing hurt him. Some pressure-free snaps against the Bills would be a nice reward to Milton's hard work this season. Whether he starts or just gets some time at the end of the game, the rookie and team could benefit from some live reps that could serve as valuable input when it comes to deciding whether or not the team needs to sign another veteran backup quarterback this offseason. "I think his ability to read coverages has definitely improved," said Jerod Mayo of Milton this week. "He has all the physical tools. I would say the command of the huddle has also improved, and he's done a good job on the show teams throughout the week."
Terrell Jennings
Jennings was recently promoted to the active roster but has not seen any action in the two games since. The undrafted rookie had spent the entire season on the practice squad after a solid training camp where his hard running turned some heads during summer practices. Jennings seems like a good candidate for playing time in the season finale as the Patriots weigh their running back depth and consider how much competition to bring in this offseason.
Javon Baker
It's mostly been a season behind the scenes for Baker, he's played 51 total offensive snaps in 10 game appearances with three targets and no catches during that time. Both he and Ja'Lynn Polk have failed to make an impact this season and the finale is the last chance for them to find any kind of positive momentum at the end of the season. Polk has played 436 offensive snaps (45 percent) but has been stuck at 12 catches for 87 yards since his last catch on November 24 against Miami. The two rookie receivers will have a lot of eyes on them this weekend.
Caedan Wallace
Wallace returned to the active roster last week and played 15 snaps, his first game action since he was lost to injury in late September. It's mostly been a lost rookie season for Wallace, who was constantly in the team's tackle mix during the summer, only to be lost for most of the year with an injury back in September that landed him on IR. The tackle position remains a huge question mark heading to the offseason and some bright spots from Wallace in the finale might be reason for some optimism that he'll be back and part of the mix like he was last summer.
Cole Strange
Strange made his season debut against the Chargers and played center for the first time in his NFL career. The highly athletic Strange just might've found his future home in the middle of the line, earning praise from head coach Jerod Mayo for the job he did while coming back from a major knee injury suffered in 2023. Strange should be in line for a second start against the Bills while laying the foundation for the future at the important position. "I guess if you want to say one thing positive, it was good to see Cole Strange out there," said Mayo on Monday. "I would say he played pretty well, graded out pretty well in the game. For a guy who hasn't played football in a year to go in there and play center, definitely was encouraging."
Keion White
It's been a frustrating season for the second-year defender, who is still tied for the team lead with five sacks on the year but hasn't registered one since the win over the Bears in early November. White leads the team with 16 QB hits and has still been one of the team's defensive bright spots yet he's remained highly critical of himself. If there's one defender who could use a strong performance in the finale to cap off a solid season it's White.
Alex Austin
Austin played a career-high 73 snaps against the Chargers as he's seeing similar opportunities to those he had at the end of 2023 with increased playing time. Injuries quickly derailed Austin last summer after showing signs of promise over those final four games last year, but now the young cornerback is getting back on that track. Austin is set to be an exclusive rights free agent this offseason, a second-straight strong finish could ensure that he's back in the mix in 2025.
Isaiah Bolden
Bolden also played a career-high in cornerback snaps last week (60) as he was thrust into extended action after Gonzalez went down. Bolden delivered a nice tackle for loss to go with three solo tackles in the game against Los Angeles. 2023 was a lost year for Bolden after suffering a concussion in the preseason against the Packers. He's been a solid special teams contributor this season and is at last getting the chance to show what he can do on defense
Marcellas Dial
The lone defender drafted by the Patriots in 2024 has quietly appeared in every game, playing 84 percent of the special teams snaps. Could Dial be in line to build on the mere five defensive snaps he's played? With Christian Gonzalez in concussion protocol, the team's cornerback depth could be further tapped, giving Dial an opportunity to finish his rookie season on a high note.
Marte Mapu
Mapu's usage has been up and down this season. He returned from IR and played 100 percent of the snaps against Miami in Week 5, but by November he was in and out of the lineup, being a healthy scratch in Weeks 11, 13 and 15. Over the last two weeks, Mapu has re-emerged on defense, playing about 75 percent of the snaps against both the Bills and Chargers. Despite limited action, he's picked off a pass and has three forced fumbles, impressive numbers for a defense that ranks near the bottom of the league in takeaways. Mapu figures to be a key piece of the secondary in the finale as he continues to try to carve out a permanent and stable role on defense.
DISCLAIMER: The views and thoughts expressed in this article are those of the writer and don't necessarily reflect those of the organization. Read Full Disclaimer
