Washington Football Team: Key storylines to watch vs Patriots

Every year, the preseason gives NFL franchises the opportunity to resolve roster battles, get into football shape, and build chemistry. Veterans knock the rust off. Rookies get acclimated to the speed of the NFL, and unheralded free agents like Torry McTyer get a chance to go from “good camp story” to earning a roster spot.

The Washington Football Team heads into their first preseason game looking for answers to a bunch of questions.

The reality is, the Washington Football Team has unproven players with lots of upside in quite a few key positions, and some unfamiliar veterans in others. Only time will tell who emerges as a reliable option for Ron Rivera and his staff.

And while they’ve already released an unofficial depth chart leading up to their first preseason game, nobody in their right mind actually believes there is much effort put into making that extremely accurate at this point in the preseason.

Thursday’s game against New England is Rivera’s first chance to see how many of his players perform under the lights, and so whatever depth chart he’s currently got in his head will inevitably change after Thursday night. Who will shine? Who will struggle? I can’t wait to find out, and here are a few key storylines I’ll be focused on that you should be watching, too.