FOXBORO — The second NFL preseason game is usually the toughest one to call. There isn’t the getting-to-know-you process that comes with the  opener, and it still doesn’t have the intensity of the third preseason game. Coming off an opener where many starters didn't play at all, Thursday night should be a good opportunity for the Patriots to see where many of the veterans are at this stage of the preseason, as well as get a handle on how some of the rookies and other youngsters are shaping up.

To that end, here are 10 players we’ll be watching against Tampa Bay:

Quarterback Tom Brady

The signal-caller did not see any time in the preseason opener against the Jags. Based on how the Patriots have historically used him in the preseason, it would be a bit of a surprise if he sat again Thursday night against Tampa. How well does he work with the new offensive options? It’s not like he needs the extra reps, but with other offensive starters suggesting they are going to see some time on Thursday, it makes sense that the Patriots will at least trot Brady out there for 15 snaps or so to get a feel for where he’s at when it comes to game action.

Backup quarterbacks Brian Hoyer/Ryan Mallett

Presuming Brady play in this one, who follows him out of the chute? Mallett has been getting a lot of reps this week in practice, which could be a sign he’s in for an increased role Thursday against Tampa. Both backups looked very sharp in the preseason opener against the Jaguars, with Hoyer going 15-for-21 for 171 yards and one touchdown in the first half and Mallett following that up with a 12-for-19 effort with 164 yards and one touchdown in his debut. Mallett continues to struggle with touch on short passes, but his footwork has improved and his arm strength continues to amaze.

Left tackle Nate Solder

Based on the amount of work he got in camp this week, Matt Light probably won’t play much if at all. That means Brady (presuming he plays) will have a rookie in Solder guarding his blindside at the start of the game. This is something everyone should start to get used to — Solder has looked impressive through the first two weeks of camp and in his first preseason game, and appears to be positioning himself very well to be the successor to Light. Solder might not start the season at left tackle -- and Light may continue to hold him off for much of the season -- but it’s clear that he is going to be there sooner rather than later.

Running back Stevan Ridley

Ridley delivered a positive opening statement in the preseason opener against the Jaguars last week (61 rushing yards, 47 receiving yards, two touchdowns), but running back remains one of the best positional battles on the team. With Shane Vereen and Kevin Faulk still sidelined, this should present another opportunity for Ridley to make his case as to why he should be a serious part of the offense this season. Meanwhile, look for Sammy Morris to continue to get reps at the fullback spot and Danny Woodhead and BenJarvus Green-Ellis to get the majority of touches with the starters.

Wide receiver Chad Ochocinco

Everyone is anxious to see Ochocinco and how he’s acclimated to the New England offense. Over the last few weeks, the receiver has certainly done his due diligence, at least publicly acting like someone who is very interested in getting on the same page with the quarterback and the rest of the receivers. For what it’s worth, there aren’t as many drops as he had the first week or so, and he’s been Brady's constant companion, as well as fellow receivers Wes Welker and Deion Branch. (He’s been one of the last receivers off the field pretty consistently over the last couple of weeks.) Plus, it’ll be interesting to see if he wears the gold cleats he was rocking in practice earlier this week.

Defensive lineman Kyle Love

With Albert Haynesworth on the sidelines, the rookie free agent out of Mississippi State has made the most of extra playing time in camp, lining up next to Vince Wilfork at the defensive tackle spot in New England’s four-man fronts. The 6-foot-1, 310-pounder, who is entering his second season in the league, has appeared to make great strides. He's positioned himself as (likely) the top backup at the position and is distinguishing himself among the young defensive linemen for several reasons, not the least of which he’s been able to stay on the field consistently. With no Haynesworth likely on Thursday against the Bucs, Love will have another chance to get added playing time.

Safety Brandon Meriweather

Much has been made this week over the fact that Meriweather has seen reduced reps at the safety position in favor of Sergio Brown, but what does this mean going forward? Thursday’s game could provide an indication regarding Meriweather’s future. While you don’t want to read too much into preseason reps, it was this time last year when Laurence Maroney’s career with the Patriots was in its final throes. How did we know? He hardly saw the field in the preseason. (My feeling on Meriweather? Other than offensive and defensive line, safety is the only spot on the field that demands you work in tandem with another, and so the Patriots were trying to gauge which pairing works best together.)

Cornerback Darius Butler

The corner struggled in the preseason opener against the Jaguars, and could be in for a serious positional battle for the role of either fourth or fifth corner on the roster with Jonathan Wilhite if rookie Ras-I Dowling can get on the field. However, Butler has gotten extensive work over the last few days as a kick returner, and could see time there Thursday as Brandon Tate is not expected to go. If Butler shows value as a special teamer — especially as a return man — he could end up sticking around.

Linebacker Dane Fletcher

One year ago, the undrafted free agent out of Montana State was just scraping for reps in hopes of making the team. In this year’s preseason opener against Jacksonville, he was playing the role of Mike linebacker in New England’s 4-3, wearing the green dot on the helmet and making the defensive calls. (Fletcher finished tied for the team lead with five tackles against Jacksonville, two of them for losses, while adding a quarterback hit.) If the Patriots do play their full compliment of starters on Thursday, it will be interesting to see if Fletcher is on the field at the same spot. He has seen plenty of run with what appears to be a reasonable facsimile of the starting defense for much of camp, and has looked very natural at the position.

Special teams

There are a handful of special teamers worth watching, including kicker Stephen Gostkowski, who is splitting duties with rookie Chris Koepplin as he tries to work his way back after a quad injury last season. (He certainly looked good in the preseason opener, nailing a pair of field-goal attempts from 40-plus yards, probably the best thing about the performance of New England’s special teams in the Jacksonville game.) But there are a number of other things worth keeping an eye on: Will linebacker Rob Ninkovich continue to get part-time work as a long snapper? Does Patrick Chung continue to serve as the punt protector? If Taylor Price is ready to go (chances are he won’t be), does he see time at kick returner, along with a possible cameo from Darius Butler? And if Julian Edelman can’t go, who will field punts?