New England Patriots Roster Will Emphasize Special Teams
Photo via Nancy Lane (Boston Herald)
On Thursday night, the New England Patriots will play their final preseason game. With that still upcoming, here's a look at how the 53-man roster likely stands at this point, although the game could cause some movement.
Quarterback (2)
Keep: Tom Brady, Brian Hoyer
Cut: Danny Etling
There's a slight chance the Patriots keep all three quarterbacks, but Etling hasn't gotten much play in the preseason, which likely means he isn't considered worth keeping as more than a practice squad member.
Fullback (1)
Keep: James Develin
Cut: Henry Poggi
On a team that uses a fullback more than anyone, Develin is a fixture, and there's no need to keep more than one. This spot is set in stone.
Running Back (5)
Keep: Rex Burkhead, James White, Sony Michel, Jeremy Hill, Brandon Bolden
Cut: Mike Gillislee, Ralph Webb, Kenneth Farrow, Khalfani Muhammad
Bolden makes the roster for special teams. As long as Michel is healthy, the only battle is between Hill and Gillislee, in which the former seems to be in the lead. Webb should be in consideration for a practice squad position.
Wide Receiver (5)
Keep: Chris Hogan, Phillip Dorsett, Cordarrelle Patterson, Riley McCarron, Matthew Slater
Suspended: Julian Edelman (4 games)
Cut: Braxton Berrios, Devin Lucien, Paul Turner, K.J. Maye
The Patriots have gone through multiple veteran wide receivers this offseason, hoping to stumble upon a fourth receiver (ahead of special teams ace Matthew Slater), but they haven't worked out, except for Patterson, who will double as an offensive weapon and punt returner.
Berrios was presumed to be ahead of McCarron throughout the process, but McCarron has had a solid preseason showing, whereas Berrios has missed the last two contests, so he gets the nod as a reserve wideout and potential kick returner.
Tight End (3)
Keep: Rob Gronkoswki, Jacob Hollister, Dwayne Allen
Cut: Ryan Izzo, Will Tye
Very little seems to be up in the air at tight end, outside of whether Izzo, who hasn't been entirely healthy himself, deserves to be kept in the organization.
What may become interesting, however, is Hollister's usage. He is beginning to be molded as an H-back and has gotten reps as a fullback, in addition to in-line tight end. There won't be any changes yet, but he may eventually make Develin expendable.
Offensive Line (8)
Keep: Trent Brown, Joe Thuney, David Andrews, Shaq Mason, Marcus Cannon, LaAdrian Waddle, Ted Karras, Matt Tobin
IR Candiate: Isaiah Wynn
Cut: Ulrick John, Luke Bowanko, James Ferentz, Brian Schwenke, Cole Croston, Jason King
The starters, plus Waddle and Karras, appear to be safe. Wynn would have filled the remaining hole, but Tobin and John have been entrenched in a tight battle since his departure. Tobin is slightly more versatile, however, so he will likely get the nod.
Defensive Interior (4)
Keep: Malcom Brown, Lawrence Guy, Danny Shelton, Adam Butler
Cut: Vincent Valentine, John Atkins, Frank Herron
It hurts to axe Valentine, but he doesn't figure to be a primary backup at either defensive tackle position, and five players at those spots is a bit redundant.
Edge Defender (4)
Keep: Trey Flowers, Adrian Clayborn, Deatrich Wise, Derek Rivers
IR Candidate: Harvey Langi
Cut: Keionta Davis, Geneo Grissom, Eric Lee, Trent Harris
Many projections include Davis as a fifth defensive end — and it may still happen — but it may not be the ideal allocation of resources. The biggest decision will be determining whether he can make it to the practice squad without being claimed by another club. If management doesn't think so, the team will likely keep him.
Linebacker (6)
Keep: Dont'a Hightower, Kyle Van Noy, Elandon Roberts, Ja'Whaun Bentley, Marquis Flowers, Nicholas Grigsby
Cut: Christian Sam
For a team that tends to go light at times with linebackers on the field, six is a lot. This isn't about having options at those spots, though; it's about special teams, where Flowers and Grigsby are established as key contributors.
With that said, Bentley — a rookie and relative unknown in the kicking game — must be retained. He's been sensational during camp and preseason play. There's a chance that he even jumps Roberts for a starting role sooner rather than later.
Cornerback (6)
Keep: Stephon Gilmore, Eric Rowe, Jonathan Jones, Jason McCourty, Duke Dawson, J.C. Jackson
Cut: Cyrus Jones, Keion Crossen, Ryan Lewis, Jomal Wiltz
There's lots of competition among the coverage unit. Gilmore and Rowe should start on the outside with Jonathan Jones in the slot, and second round pick Duke Dawson almost has to stay. After that, three men are battling for two spots. Ideally, Jason McCourty sticks, and Jackson has shown major flashes, (miscues notwithstanding), leaving Cyrus Jones on the outside looking in. Then again, Jones missed 2017 and could fill in as a returner. This battle won't be resolved until the game is over.
Safety (6)
Keep: Devin McCourty, Patrick Chung, Duron Harmon, Jordan Richards, Nate Ebner, Brandon King
Cut: Damarius Travis, A.J. Moore
There's a legitimate chance that Richards doesn't make it to the regular season in New England, but that will only happen if someone else steps up at safety. The top three are dependable, but they're often all on the field together, leaving no one in reserve — Ebner and King are strictly special teamers.
Specialists (3)
Keep: Stephen Gostkowski, Ryan Allen, Joe Cardona
Cut: Corey Bojorquez
Nothing fancy is going on here. The Patriots' specialists are among the most reliable in the league, so there's no reason to make any changes.
The only true battle that remains is within the secondary, where the specific cornerback and safety depth pieces are still somewhat in flux. However, how they handle Keionta Davis will also have a trickle down effect at another position, most likely linebacker.
Practice Squad
Given the projected moves, here is what the ideal practice squad, including only in-house options, would look like.
QB Danny Etling
WR Braxton Berrios
TE Ryan Izzo
OL Ulrick John
OL Cole Croston
DT Vincent Valentine
DE Keionta Davis
LB Christian Sam
CB Keion Crossen
DB Ryan Lewis or Damarius Travis
Look to "the League"
It's worth noting that the Patriots could look outside of the organization for players "exposed to the league," in the words of Bill Belichick, to fill a roster or practice squad need. The wide receiver room is the most likely to be added to, and possibly in a major way.
Tate has averaged over 90 receptions and 1,000 yards since joining the Detroit Lions in 2014, and has often been featured in the slot, making him a perfect band-aid during Julian Edelman's absence and a long term replacement (and likely an upgrade) over Danny Amendola. Additionally, the Lions have close ties to the Patriots, which always helps orchestrate deals, especially quick ones. Bob Quinn, their general manager, served as either a scout or director of scouting for New England from 2000–2015, and new head coach Matt Patricia was most recently the Patriots' defensive coordinator.
All rosters must be trimmed from up to 90 players down to 53 by 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 1. Be on the lookout for notable cuts across the league. New England will likely be on the prowl.