40 man Roster Core & The End Of the Roster

[50-yard-line]

I expect that these 40 positions get almost all of the non-ST reps and provide backups. IMHO, there can be considerable flexibility on the other THIRTEEN roster spots (plus Practice Squad). The bottom 13 includes special teamers, developmental players and additional positional backups. IMHO, we need the players/positions below to play plus Sters (including returners).
I would be fine by only having the below active with the rest being STers and returners.

OFFENSE (17)
QB 2
WR 3
TE 2
RB 3
OL 7

DEFENSE (19)
DL 8
LB 4
CB 4
S 3

SPECIALISTS (4)
K 1
P 1
LS 1
ST 1

Oh hell, just for fun...

QB 2: Brady, Tebow
WR 4: DA, Jones, Dobson/Boyce. Justin Blackmon (acquired for Mallette)
TE 3: Gronk, Ahern, Ballard
RB 3: Ridley, Vereen, Blount/Bolden
OL 7: Connolly, Wendell, Mankins, Vollmer, Cannon, Solder, Svitek/Zeus, McDonald

Defense:

DL 8: Wilfork, Kelly, Abraham, Jones, Love, Armstead, Francis, Ninko
LB 4: Hightower, Spikes, Mayo, Collins
CB 4: Dennard, Talib, Arrington, Ras-I (last chance)
S 3: McCourty, Wilson, Wilson

K: Ghost
P: Mesco
LS: Aiken
ST: Edelman, Washington, Slater

That's 44 core.
Moe and either Dobson/Bryce either stay for ST or make the practice squad. Fletcher stays if healthy.
Cunningham is truly in "prove it" mode.

At least one guy, Buchanon, gets red-shirted.

I DO think they're getting Abraham.
The Blackmon/Mallette/Tebow thing is just my SHOCK pick - honestly, it's more likely they get Blackmon as an FA if the Jags cut him.

 

[jmt57]

Out of everyone's 40 or JMTs "locks" who is this year's shock cut?

Slater. I hope we could find someone who can do what he does and more.

Aside from his contributions on Special Teams, if the Pats cut Slater then they take on $1,333,334 of dead cap money. I believe his job is safe.

If the team wants to replace ST specialists with guys who are better positional players, then I believe it is unlikely that they would do so with their best ST player. In my opinion more likely candidates to be released for that reason would be other primarily ST players like Marquice Cole, Niko Koutouvides, and Nate Ebner.