The New England Patriots will play in their preseason opener on Thursday night, and it'll be an opportunity for the players to take what they've learned on the practice field into a game situation.
There have been enough practices at this point to gauge where players are trending this season. Some are moving upwards, and others are plummeting in the other direction.
Keep in mind, things can change within the blink of an eye in the NFL. Just because a player's stock is down doesn't mean they won't get the arrow pointed up again. A strong showing in the preseason opener would go a long way toward changing the perception from the early practices.