The Patriots traveled to Minnesota this week for two back-and-forth joint practices—and another fight that head coach Mike Vrabel got in the middle of—with the Vikings. By all accounts, the teams split the two sessions evenly, with New England getting the better of their opponent on Day 1, and vice versa on Day 2.
The two squads then faced off at Minneapolis's U.S. Bank Stadium for preseason game No. 2 on Saturday afternoon, with New England coming away with a 20-12 win. For context, roughly 35 Vikings players sat out of this one, while the Patriots played their starters for several drives before folding in their reserves and roster bubble candidates throughout the remainder of the contest.
With plenty of roster spots and starting roles still up for grabs, here are five Patriots who impressed in the win:
S Craig Woodson
The Patriots drafted Craig Woodson out of Cal in the fourth round of April's draft and immediately placed him into a crowded safety room alongside the likes of Jabrill Peppers, Kyle Dugger, and Jaylinn Hawkins. He's since made the most of his opportunities.
With Dugger slowly losing steam this preseason and Peppers sidelined alongside a handful of other New England starters, Woodson began Saturday's contest with the first team and recorded two tackles in the first half..
The 24-year-old has also been a mainstay across three of New England's special teams units throughout the summer.
T Will Campbell
After an up-and-down week of practice from left tackle Will Campbell, the first-round pick put together an impressive performance in his second career NFL game.
Not only did Campbell keep quarterback Drake Maye upright by not allowing a sack, but he also showed off his skills in the run game. The 21-year-old opened up a lane for running back TreVeyon Henderson with an impressive seal—leading to a touchdown.
A good bounce back from the former LSU Tiger.
CB Alex Austin
Third-year pro Alex Austin has been the beneficiary of injuries to the Patriots' cornerback room, seeing an uptick in reps with New England's starting defense.
He lined up opposite Carlton Davis III on Saturday against Minnesota and put together a string of high-quality reps before coming down with an interception off quarterback Sam Howell:
A interceptação do Alex Austin! 💪
— Patriots Brasil (@patriotsbrasil) August 16, 2025
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RB TreVeyon Henderson
Though it wasn't as electric as last week's start, running back TreVeyon Henderson once again shined for the Patriots on Saturday afternoon.
The rookie ran the ball five times for 20 yards and a touchdown, and was able to show off both his playmaking ability and electric speed while finding paydirt—giving New England a 7-0 lead:
Another week, another TreVeyon Henderson TD
— NFL (@NFL) August 16, 2025
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/9LW2fv6gdz
Henderson also saw a target in the passing game, but was unable to come down with the drop in the bucket from Drake Maye.
WR Efton Chism III
UDFA wide receiver Efton Chism II all but locked himself into a 53-man roster spot on Saturday afternoon in Minnesota.
After an impressive performance for New England last Friday, Chism put together a six-catch, 71-yard showing this weekend, highlighted by an impressive 12-yard touchdown where he broke three tackles to cross the goalline.
Chism with 6 to put the Pats up!
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) August 16, 2025
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The 23-year-old also served as New England's backup punt returner behind Marcus Jones. He had one attempt for nine yards on Saturday.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as 5 Patriots Players Who Impressed During Preseason Win Over Vikings.
