Who could be candidates for surprise cuts this next month?

[Gumby]

I count Westover as a surprise cut (cause he was on the 53 last year & he is an effort guy),
- but I think his limited physical abilities catch up in a TE -WR room with surging young TE talent and a surplus of good & developmental WRs. I don’t think his willingness to do FB last year gets him any traction in the RB room. Not keepin* Westover instead of Jam M.

I would be sad to see either of Hollins or Boutte cut or traded, but I could envision alternate universes where it happens. So those would surprise ME. But since others have advocated for such moves, maybe not a surprise cut in general.

Efton and several other guys in wr room just have PS written all over. So I don’t count them as „surprise“ cuts, but not sure they survive cut-claims to make it to PS either. Will be too bad if that happens.

I would be very surprised if we cut to 2 QBs and try to slip one to PS. But roster spots are at a premium, so ???

I would be shocked to see a change (cut) at either P or K, but folks have advocated…so theoretically could happen.

OL, DL, LBs all seem very competitive for that 2d level depth spots. Too early to judge who I think would be a surpise. I could see a whole bunch of variations, so nobody is a surprise. Need more pad practices.
- If Lomu came on HYUGE, I could see an argument (age) to cut Moses. But I think that would be a HORRIBLE MOVE in addition to probably the biggest possible surprise of all.

 

[Triumph]

Moses is a Vrabes guy.

Hard to believe that he would be cut unless he totally went South overnight.

 

[Gumby]

Boutte is a ticking time bomb.

One does not need to suspend disbelief to think that there are underlying issues and that they relate to money. Boutte wants out of NE. Doubs had the Packers highest number of targets in 2025 @ 85. It looks like Doubs is going to be Mayes new go to guy. Just wait until AJ Brown and Doubs see more looks from Maye digging into Bouttes targets. Or, the play calling steers towards Doubs and Brown because theyre being paid to produce.

I sense fireworks that no team wants or needs.

I seriously doubt that Maye or Josh are defining targets based on salary cap hit.

I do NOT share your concern.

 

[Family]

Heard Lomu has looked solid so far?

And yeah, Moses crossed my mind. But even if Lomu really showed out, cutting a reliable experienced starter like Moses for a rookie and basically destroying your depth would be a major mistake.

Take advantage of the development year for Lomu like we did with Solder in 2011. You don’t often get to have this problem.

Moses is a Vrabes guy.

Hard to believe that he would be cut unless he totally went South overnight.

Bedard reporting Lomu is trending in the wrong direction and was #1 down today.

The cap/dead cap numbers favor Moses staying.

I doubt he's a surprise cut.

 

[Rob0729]

I can't see Moses cut.
if Lomu were to beat him out, Moses would still be valuable to the team, and have some value around the league in a trade, rather than cut
in addition, his dead cap would be over $7m

If Lomu wins the starting job, I don't think Moses wants to be a back up. I doubt it will happen at the start of the season, but I can see the Pats letting Moses go so he doesn't spend the end of his career as a back up.

Again, I am not betting on it.

 

[Rob0729]

Heard Lomu has looked solid so far?

And yeah, Moses crossed my mind. But even if Lomu really showed out, cutting a reliable experienced starter like Moses for a rookie and basically destroying your depth would be a major mistake.

Take advantage of the development year for Lomu like we did with Solder in 2011. You don’t often get to have this problem.

Bedard has said Lomu has been getting beat in one on ones.

I just don't know if Moses wants to be a back up. He may ask for a release if Lomu wins the starting job. I think the Pats may grant it.

 

[rkarp1]

If Lomu wins the starting job, I don't think Moses wants to be a back up. I doubt it will happen at the start of the season, but I can see the Pats letting Moses go so he doesn't spend the end of his career as a back up.

Again, I am not betting on it.

but why cut him, even if Lomu beats him out, if he has trade value?

 

[BobDigital]

I think there really is no reason to trade Boutte at this time. IF they let him be a free agent next year he will likely be signed to a good contract and i expect him to get them at least a 6th round comp. IF all they would get offered is a 5th for a trade, I'd rather just keep the insurance for this year. If there is a 4th offered (which i don't think there would be) that be more worth it.

Given i don't think we'd get offered a 4th, i'd rather just keep him.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Chism is both small AND slow. Great story, but let’s not overthink it.

On the flip side, he has @SammyBlueCat's favorite attribute, quickness, and the ability to power through defenders.

 

[Triumph]

Bedard reporting Lomu is trending in the wrong direction and was #1 down today.

The cap/dead cap numbers favor Moses staying.

I doubt he's a surprise cut.

Agreed.

Vrabel sought Moses out post Super Bowl and told him how glad he was that Moses was on the team. Moses, Landry, Hollins, Henry are leaders on the Pats in one way or another.

 

[BennyBledsoe]

The only attribute a receiver has that I really care about is getting open. Anything that advances the chains reliably is welcome. How many guys have we had in the past who have otherwise great speed, size numbers... yet can't get the *bleep* open? Yeah, I don't care about anything other than the ability to get in position for an easy throw and catch.

 

[Triumph]

I seriously doubt that Maye or Josh are defining targets based on salary cap hit.

I do NOT share your concern.

The Pats specifically went out and bought Doubs, Gilliam and AJ Brown because they had a plan for 2026.

It stands to reason that those guys will play a big role in the 2026 Pats offense and playcalling.

 

[UGAPatsfan]

The Pats specifically went out and bought Doubs, Gilliam and AJ Brown because they had a plan for 2026.

It stands to reason that those guys will play a big role in the 2026 Pats offense and playcalling.

Doubs worries me. Just doesn’t seem to do anything at an elite level. But…it’s early. I yawned last year at Hollins and he was fantastic

 

[n1997y]

The only attribute a receiver has that I really care about is getting open. Anything that advances the chains reliably is welcome. How many guys have we had in the past who have otherwise great speed, size numbers... yet can't get the *bleep* open? Yeah, I don't care about anything other than the ability to get in position for an easy throw and catch.

There’s more to it than that. Blocking, setting picks, running precise routes to clear out defenders and get other guys open. Guys who get open by running the wrong route and not being where the QB expects aren’t really an asset.

 

[DaBruinz]

WR room had me thinking that if they truly decide to keep Boutte around, it could lead to someone surprising not making the team in that room.

Chism is the obvious answer and would be less of a shock. But if they also really wanted to keep him and didn’t want to keep 7 WR’s, it would be worth watching any one of Williams, Hollins and Douglas as a surprise cut.


I don’t see anyone else on the roster getting cut that would be much of a “surprise” at any other position. Maybe Josh Farmer on the DL if he loses out within that competition? Any other cuts seem like ones that would be feasible decisions.

Chism wouldn't be a surprise. He's at the bottom of a very deep WR room.
Douglas wouldn't be a surprise cut. Again, he's behind Brown, Doubs, Boutte, and Hollins.

HOLLINS would be a surprise cut.

Barmore would be a surprise cut/Trade.


Ben Brown would be a surprise cut. It would mean that Rupcich, Rizy and Wallace showed up.


This is probably one of the few years that I wouldn't

 

[Water Boy]

MY HOT TAKE POTENTIAL SURPRISE CUT: If Lomu was showing more at this point, I would have gone with Morgan Moses. If Lomu is seriously pushing for the starting RT role by the end of summer, I think there would be a possibility they let Moses go so he can get a starting job elsewhere. Lomu doesn't look to be up for that at this point. So I think this hot take is more hot air than realistic at this point. But thinks could change.

I don't think that would happen. We'd be dangerously thin at OT.

 

[Gumby]

The Pats specifically went out and bought Doubs, Gilliam and AJ Brown because they had a plan for 2026.

It stands to reason that those guys will play a big role in the 2026 Pats offense and playcalling.

Yes true, BUT….
A. I specifically bolded the part of your response where you said „play calling steers towards Doubs and Brown because theyre being paid to produce.“ with the intent of disagreeing SOLELY about Doubs. Including Brown and now Gilliam too into your counterpoint is just obfuscation.
B. My disagreement was that neither the players CAP HIT nor the „original plan“ (as you now imply what ‚ paid to produce’ means) for the player is going to dictate how much usage (& therefore targets) the player gets. Vrabes says it: ‚if you produce when you get opportunities, you get more opportunities.‘
C. (Also) The argument I heard (true or not ??) for why Doubs was given FA offer was that he was the WR1-alternative in event AJB trade DIDNT happen. So since AJB is here, Doubs is icing, but NOT cake mix. Based on camp performance, maybe they ice the cake with Boutte and not Doubs. They don’t have to force the ball to Doubs to stay with a BACKUP PLAN, that isn’t needed anymore since 2 June.

BL: We got a long way to go, this is all seriously speculative & can all change as players acclimate (connect w Maye-learn Josh O) & we see real football instead of camp football happening ( maybe Doubs is more than what we seen so far).