UPDATE (12:40 p.m. ET): N’Keal Harry now is being listed as No. 8, per Patriots.com.
ORIGINAL STORY: It’s time to strap on the pads and play a real football game, which means New England Patriots rookies finally will be assigned traditional jersey numbers.
The Patriots will play their first preseason game Thursday night when they square off with the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. The contest will mark the first NFL action for a slew of rookies, who will rock jersey numbers that fit the league mandate instead of the unorthodox digits they were assigned for the early stages of the preseason.
Here’s the full list of first-year Patriot jersey numbers, per ESPN’s Mike Reiss:
It’s important to note these jersey numbers are subjects to change, but it’s tough to ignore N’Keal Harry’s selection. The first-round pick, at least for now, will don No. 10, which was worn by Josh Gordon last season. Gordon currently is under indefinite suspension but reportedly has filed for reinstatement. According to Reiss, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell alone will decide on the veteran wide receiver’s fate.
Other noteworthy number selections include Chase Winovich’s No. 50. The Michigan product will have big shoes to fill, as former defensive stalwarts Mike Vrabel and Rob Ninkovich previously wore the number.
The Patriots and Lions are set to kick off at 7:30 p.m. ET.
