SS Eddie Pleasant ― No. 26
Safety Jordan Richards hasn’t quite met expectations since being drafted in the second round of the 2015 draft, and Eddie Pleasant has the potential to take his roster spot.
The Patriots signed Pleasant prior to the start of training camp and he logged 26 defensive snaps (47%) and 15 special teams snaps (56%) in Thursday’s win. He appears to be in competition with Richards for the backup strong safety spot and it wouldn’t be a surprise if he earned the job. The six-year veteran can play a similar role as Patrick Chung, lining up in the box against the run or covering tight ends and running backs in the passing game.
He can also contribute on special teams, a unit Richards has become a key member of. According to Pro Football Reference, Pleasant logged 1,191 special team snaps in six seasons with the Texans.
The Patriots occasionally deploy three safeties on defense, however, their depth at the position behind Chung, Devin McCourty, and Duron Harmon is alarmingly thin. Pleasant would be an upgrade over current backups Nate Ebner and the aforementioned Richards and can make a case for a roster spot with a strong performance against the Eagles.
Statistics and playtime percentages from Preseason Week 1 courtesy of NFL Game Summary.