Many of us seem to expect several additions before Game 1. We had lots of needs last year as we do now.
While there were lots of bottom of the roster moves between the draft and the final 53 cut, I don't recall any additions that stayed: NONE.
Because of our place in the order, we were able to claim DiVito and Woods the day after the cut, and Gregory a day later. Durden was signed to the Practice Squad and then to the roster on August 6th.
No. Durden wasn't signed to the Roster on August 6th. FFS. Durden was waived by the Giants on August 27th. He was signed to the Pats PS on August 28th and the 53 on September 6th. You can see that on my roster tracker or on his Pro-Football-Reference Player page.
Your entire premise is garbage. There are ALWAYS a ton of "bottom of the roster moves between the draft and final 53 cut downs". For EVERY TEAM. And your premise is incorrect that none of them stayed because the Pats had 3 UDFA in Chism, Ponder and Dippre who contributed all through last year. That's not to mention Mehki Butler and Brandon Crossley who saw multiple stints on the PS and were brought back.
Again, you could see that from the transaction page.
Efton Chism - UDFA WR
Elijah Ponder - UDFA DE
Lan Larison - UDFA RB - IRed
Brock Lampe - UDFA FB - IRed
CJ Dippre - UDFA TE - PS and 53..
Mekhi Butler - UDFA G - On and off the PS
Brandon Crossley - UDFA CB - On and off the PS.
Now, I'm sure you're going to make some excuse that those players are included in your "draft" statement, but they really aren't.
Had you said that no veterans that were signed between the draft and the final 53 cut down made the team, you'd have been more accurate. But there weren't a LOTS of those types of moves. 7 moves when you have a 90-man roster prior to cutdowns is not a lot.
Trayveon Williams, Ma'Mychal Hasty, Cole Fotheringham, Tyler Davis, Alec Lindstrom, David Olajiga, and Tre Avery (claimed off waivers) are the only ones that fit the "Veteran" mold.
All things considered, Vrabel and CO made it a point to get what they could in the primary part of free agency and stick with those guys while focusing on trying to find players who would provide the team with depth by being on the PS. I doubt that any team can foresee having 5 RBs on the IR at the same time as the Pats did at one point when you include Larison and Prince from Pre-season, then Gibson, Jennings and Corbin. I don't know of ANY team that could have 5 RBs on IR and still maintain proper depth there.
