Five things to watch Saturday in the Vikings’ preseason game against the Patriots

Two days of extensive work in joint practices against the Patriots mean most of the Vikings’ starters won’t play in the team’s Saturday preseason game at U.S. Bank Stadium.

“I’m really proud of the work the guys put in,” Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell said after the second joint practice on Thursday. “Far from perfect. It never is. But joint practice gives you the chance to see some game-like situations and feel and tempo without some of the game negatives that can come out from an injury standpoint.”

J.J. McCarthy, who closed the joint practices with one of his best days of training camp, won’t play Saturday, as Sam Howell starts for the Vikings at quarterback. It seems likely the Vikings will sit most of their first-team offense after the joint practices, meaning the game against the Patriots will provide more work to the Vikings’ backups.

As the team tries to sort out its depth across the roster, the game will be the main event of the week for the Vikings’ backups.

Position battles, especially at backup quarterback, lead our list of things to watch between the Vikings and Patriots (Noon, Fox 9):

Howell completed 11 of his 13 passes for 105 yards against the Texans last week, while running for a 1-yard touchdown. He could get at least as much work on Saturday against the Patriots, as one of the three quarterbacks who’ll play in the game. Brett Rypien, who completed only one of his four passes against the Texans after Tremon Smith knocked his deep throw out of Jeshaun Jones’ hands, will likely get more work on Saturday. But O’Connell said Max Brosmer, who hit Myles Price for a decisive scoring pass last week, “has earned” more playing time; the former Gophers QB is pushing for a spot on the roster, while Howell is trying to solidify the No. 2 QB job behind McCarthy.

Edge rusher Gabriel Murphy had a sack and five QB hits last Saturday, continuing to build on a training camp where O’Connell said he’s looked like “a man on a mission.” He’ll likely get more work against the Patriots, and could start for a second straight week with veteran defenders out. The Vikings are as deep at edge rusher as anywhere on the roster, but Murphy seems to have a good chance at joining Jonathan Greenard, Andrew Van Ginkel and Dallas Turner on the roster if he continues to do what he’s doing.

Wide receiver depth is becoming an issue for the Vikings, with Jordan Addison set to miss the first three games because of a suspension, Rondale Moore out for the season because of a knee injury and Jalen Nailor nursing a hand injury after jamming it in joint practices this week. It means the Vikings need other receivers on their depth chart to assert themselves, and Saturday could be an important opportunity for players on the roster bubble.

Lucky Jackson has seemed in contention for a spot, and he caught three passes for 30 yards last week. It will be interesting to see if the Vikings use him as a punt returner after he spent some time fielding punts in practice this week. Myles Price, who caught last week’s touchdown pass, also has an opportunity; he’s done some work as a punt returner as well and has caught coaches’ eyes during camp.

Last week Tai Felton had the best play of the day on special teams, forcing Jawhar Jordan’s fumble of Oscar Chapman’s punt, and the third-round pick caught both of the passes he was thrown, for a total of 14 yards. He’s still a project as a receiver who needs to add strength to play the position in the NFL. Jones, Dontae Fleming and Silas Bolden will also get work, and it will be interesting to see if the Vikings use Addison, who thrived in the joint practices but could get additional preseason playing time with his suspension still looming.

As they did during the preseason finale in Philadelphia last year, the Vikings’ broadcast will have O’Connell on during the entire third quarter against the Patriots. The coach’s real-time reactions to plays as they happened (and his occasional insights about a play before it happened) were a highlight last year, and the segment provides a rare up-close look at a coach’s thought process. It will be worth paying attention to it or catching it on a replay later.