FOXBORO -- When it comes to the first game of the preseason, different players have different goals. While some rookies are just looking to get their feet wet, others will be tested to see how they do in their first relatively competitive action in the NFL. Some new veterans will be looking to see how they’ve gotten acclimated to the Patriots’ system, while established players will be trying to reacquaint themselves with the speed of the game and the uniqueness of the system after a long offseason.

With that in mind, we’re going to be watching 10 players for different reasons. Here’s our list of who to keep an eye on in Thursday’s Patriots-Saints game at Gillette Stadium:

Tom Brady: Duh. The quarterback is always worth paying attention to, and it will be particularly interesting to see how he operates in his first game action since the Super Bowl loss to the Giants. For what it’s worth, here’s how he’s done in the three preseason openers since he returned from his 2008 knee injury:

•In 2009 against the Eagles, he took 24 snaps and went 10-for-15 for 100 yards, with two touchdowns and one interception in a 27-25 win over Philadelphia.
•In 2010 against the Saints, Brady played 17 snaps -- roughly a quarter-and-a-half--and ended up 5-for-8 for 67 yards in a 27-24 win over New Orleans.
•Last year against the Jaguars, he did not play at all as Brian Hoyer and Ryan Mallett guided the offense.

Brian Hoyer: Hoyer and Ryan Mallett will get the bulk of the snaps at the quarterback position on Thursday night, and while Mallett remains an intriguing (albeit inconsistent) prospect at this stage of his career, the night should be another opportunity for Hoyer to showcase his skills. It’s a big preseason for Hoyer, who will be an unrestricted free agent following the season. If the Patriots decide not to re-sign him, a standout preseason could sweeten his chances for a nice deal somewhere else next year if he brings the same level of consistency and good decision-making to the game that he has displayed through the first two weeks of camp.

Whoever is returning kicks for the Patriots: The job of kick returner remains wide open, with the team continuing to run several different players through each day in camp in hopes of finding someone who can contribute. Julian Edelman (who appears to have sewn up the punt returner spot) and Danny Woodhead (who returned 20 for an average of 21.9 yards in 2011) have gotten most of the reps, but Stevan Ridley, Shane Vereen and Donte’ Stallworth have all been worked into the rotation as well. 

Ras-I Dowling: The corner, who is starting his second season in the league (after a rookie year where he was only on the field for a game-and-a-half because of injury) has flashed positively on a number of occasions throughout the first two weeks of camp. He’s gotten the majority of reps with the starting defense opposite Devin McCourty, but still needs to get more game action -- even if it is preseason -- to prove himself as something other than a vaguely unknown quantity.

Nick McDonald: In many ways, last year’s fourth-string center has been the most valuable offensive lineman to this point in camp, as he has played guard, center and tackle since he returned to the field after passing his physical. McDonald has done an excellent job providing depth for a relatively thin offensive line, and if he starts the preseason on a solid note, he could continue to bolster his case to secure a spot on the final 53-man roster.

Nate Solder: The left tackle has struggled at times this summer, but has been the only consistent element of an offensive line that has seen lots of movement over the first two weeks of camp. Even though he was a regular in the lineup for most of his rookie year, with the offseason retirement of Matt Light, Solder will officially get his first game action as the No. 1 left tackle on the depth chart on Thursday against the Saints. (For what it’s worth, whether it’s just a bad matchup for him or the fact that rookie Chandler Jones is truly something special, Solder has struggled at times against the first-year Syracuse product.

Shane Vereen: Like Dowling, Vereen is someone who lost almost all of his rookie season to injury. The running back out of Cal hasn’t received a whole lot of snaps to this point in camp -- he has been pushed by undrafted free agent Brandon Bolden -- but he remains an intriguing element to a relatively unknown New England running game.

Chandler Jones/Dont’a Hightower: We’re lumping the two first-round picks together because they have both gotten a tremendous amount of reps with the first-team defense, and whether or not they are on the field with the starters when the game opens Thursday. They’ve certainly looked impressive enough, as Jones has worked extensively at right defensive end (mostly standing up) while Hightower has worked at linebacker next to Jerod Mayo. (It’s worth noting that when he first arrived, Hightower was being used mostly in first- and second-down situations. Now, Hightower is getting more work in passing situations.)

Bobby Carpenter: As camp has continued, Carpenter has started to ease into the linebacking rotation on more of a regular basis, particularly in nickel packages. While Carpenter and fellow linebacker Brandon Spikes have a different skill set, and will likely have different responsibilities in this defense (Spikes’ strength is run defense, while Carpenter appears more adept at defending the pass), it will be interesting to see how many reps Carpenter gets and when he gets them Thursday against the Saints for several reasons, not the least of which is that Spikes is expected to be on the shelf, as he’s been absent from most of the practices over the last few days.

Donte’ Stallworth/Deion Branch: These two are likely in the running for the final wide receiver spot, and while Branch’s role has lessened over the last week, Stallworth has taken advantage of the reps. Stallworth certainly isn’t going to yield without a fight -- he’s also working on special teams as a kick returner, something the veteran hasn’t done in the regular season since 2003. It’s all part of a plan to expand his value to the team. Smart guy.