MORSE: Patriots 53-Man Roster Projection 8/21
A lot can happen to the roster between now and September 8th when the Patriots face the Bengals.
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Patriots 53-man Roster Projection
Lots can happen to the roster between now and September 8th when the Patriots face the Bengals. The Patriots are the third team in the waiver claim priority and the Pats should take advantage of this position. They will maintain the 3rd claim position for the 1st four weeks of the season. The Patriots used that position already, claiming WR Matt Landers from Cleveland.
I am giving you a 53-man roster projection but that will change with a claim or two from waivers.
Offense
QB (3) J.Brissett, D.Maye, J. Milton
This was an obvious choice. Quite frankly Milton hasn’t done anything to prevent him from being cut. His skills are strictly raw. It was fun watching him run around in that 1st pre-season game but that was against players that will be in the unemployment line on the cutdown date of August 27th at 4 PM. The Patriots don’t want to chance exposing him to waivers, but he could be waived if they need that spot for another player.
RB (4) R.Stevenson, K.Harris, J.Hasty, A.Gibson
No real issue here. JaMycal Hasty has had a good camp and solidified his position as the 4th back. He is good in the pass game and has performed well at picking up blitzing LBs despite being on the smaller side. Terrell Jennings has looked good and should be resigned to the Practice Squad.
WR (6) D.Douglas, J.Polk, J.Reagor, J.Baker, T. Thornton, K. Boutte
Bourne (PUP)
I’m going with 6 WRs. Douglas is the top receiver and has been, at times, uncoverable. Rookies Polk and Baker are locks because of where they were taken so high in the draft. Baker has regressed in the last couple of weeks. Thornton has speed and has been running with the 1st team as the outside receiver. He had a big catch on a deep ball from Brissett in Monday’s practice to help set up an FG in a simulated two-minute drill. Jalen Reagor makes the team over Osborn because he can play Special Teams Kick Off returner. Keeping Osborn would inhibit the development of the rookies. Boutte makes some spectacular catches but has been inconsistent in camp. I keep him over the veteran. I like David Wallis for his punt return ability. He should make the Practice Squad. JaQuae Jackson got hurt in the Philly game. He was added to the Injured Reserve on Tuesday. Matt Landers was signed, and the Patriots will get two weeks to evaluate him.
TE (3) H.Henry, A.Hooper, J. Bell
Henry has been injured and hasn’t played in either Pre-season game. Jerod Mayo says the injury isn’t serious and they are just holding him out as a precaution. Hooper has looked good, but he is now nicked up. This is a position that Alex Van Pelt relies upon and it’s not surprising to see three tight ends used. Jaheim Bell makes the team because of the injuries to the two top TEs. Bell can’t block and Wilcox can’t catch. Jacob Warren is strictly a blocker and La’Michael Pettway has been invisible. Warren should make the Practice Squad. Bell could easily be waived if they claim another player.
Offensive Line (8)
C (1) D.Andrews
G (3) S.Sow, L.Robinson, N.Leverett
T (4) M.Onwenu, Ca.Wallace, V.Lowe, C.Okorafor
Strange (PUP)
The best line the Patriots can put out there is Vederian Lowe at Left Tackle, Sidy Sow at Left Guard, David Andrews at Center, Layden Robinson at Right Guard and Michael Onwenu at Right Tackle. Onwenu is a Pro Bowl caliber Right Guard, but the team may need him at Right Tackle because he is better at that position than anyone else on the roster. Caeden Wallace and Chuks Okorafor are the backup Tackles with Nick Leverett able to play both Guard and Center. Cole Strange will start the year on PUP and is not expected to be back until mid-season. Liam Fornadel, the former UFL All-Star has been pressed into duty as a Center, a position he has played for just two weeks. He had a rough game versus the Eagles, with a fumbled shotgun snap, but overall, he has impressed enough to be added to the Practice Squad. Greg Bedard sees him as another Dan Connolly type of player worth developing.
Defense
DE (2) D.Wise, K.White
I expect a big jump from second year player Keon White. He will play on the edge standing up or as a DT in passing downs. He has that bull rush mentality and can put pressure on the QB from either position. Wise is a Captain and veteran leader on the team. He does nothing really well, but his experience always puts him in the right place. There are no other players that fit this role on the team.
DT (5) A.Watts, J.Pharms Jr., D.Ekuale, D.Godchaux, M. Purcell
IR C.Barmore
The loss of Barmore hurts. We don’t know how long he will be out but using David Andrews bout with blood clots as a barometer, it’s safe to say he will be out for the year. Barmore will be placed on IR before the team has cut down to 53 and can be re-activated during the season. This is a change to the IR rule implemented last year. It was great to see him at practice last week. That was a big boost to the team. Just the fact that he was up and around is a good sign. Could he be involved in game film study and planning? Jeremiah Pharms came on late last season and he has continued to dominate on the DL. He was a force in the joint practice with the Eagles, who have a very good O-line. I have Watts making the 5th spot. They keep Mike Purcell because he has NT size at 328 lbs. Godchaux is getting up there in years (turns 30 in Nov). Can you expect Godchaux to play all 17 games again this year?
ILB(3) J.Bentley, Ja.Tavai, R.McMillan
We know exactly what we are getting from Bentley and Tavai. McMillan has had a strong camp, rewarding the team for keeping him around despite back-to-back season ending injuries. He had great camps in 2022 and 2023 but succumbed to injuries which forced him to miss those seasons.
OLB(4) A.Jennings, J.Uche, O.Ximines, C.Elliss
Despite the loss of Matt Judon this remains a good group. None have the pass rush ability that Judon processed but as a group they performed very well last season, especially Anfernee Jennings. The big winner from the Judon trade is Josh Uche, who will get an opportunity to play and show that he deserves to be here. The surprise player of training camp has been Oshane Ximines. OX as he is called by his teammates has displayed some good pass rush moves and been solid on the outside against the run. Christian Ellis a waiver wire claim late last season is a core special teamer and has also had a good camp.
CB (7) C.Gonzalez, Jo.Jones, Ma.Jones, Mar.Wilson, I.Bolden, S.Wade, A.Austin
This has been the most competitive position in camp. Christian Gonzalez is rounding back into shape as a shutdown corner after a mediocre camp. Jonathan Jones has been held out of camp for the most part and returned to action this week. Marcus Jones also returned to practice, but he was a little rusty. Marco Wilson and Alex Austin were the beneficiaries of the Jones boys absence. Both have had their moments, and they are solid backups. Sean Wade and Isaiah Bolden have been in a battle for a spot on the roster. Both contribute on special teams and that is why I have kept 7 DBs. Marcellus Dial, the 6th round draft pick will be cut. Usually, Draft Picks get at least a year to show if they can play or not at this level. Dial flat out cut himself with that abysmal performance Thursday night against the Eagles. Fourth string QB Tanner McKee lit him up for 7 completions and 84 yards and then threw the game winning two-point conversion at Dial for good measure. Bottom line is that Dial can’t play in the NFL.
SS (1) K.Dugger
IR M.Mapu
I am unsure of Mapu’s status as he hasn’t practiced in weeks, and he might end up on IR to start the season. That would mean a 6-week minimum stay on IR. Before he could be activated. If that does occur, we could see a shift of roles with Peppers moving back to SS and Hawkins or Pettus playing Free Safety. Dugger signed that contract extension, and he is expected to be named a team Captain, as he went out with David Andrews for the coin flip Thursday versus the Eagles. I don’t want to see Dugger as a FS ever again.
FS (3) J.Peppers, J.Hawkins, D. Pettus
Pepper signed a well-deserved contract extension. He was ranked by PFF as the 4th rated SS in the league last season. Hawkins has been a big surprise, especially with his flexibility. He has often run with the ones during practice as the FS. Dell Pettus makes the team if Mapu goes on IR as I suspect. He impressed me during the two pre-season games. I read that he was having a good camp and that once the pads came on that he is a big hitter. Pettus also plays in Special Teams. Schooler did play some at Safety this Pre-season and Jon Jones can play there too.
ST (4) B.Baringer, B.Schooler, J.Cardona, J.Slye
Joey Slye has beaten Chad Ryland out for the kickers job. Slye will be on a short leash as he has been better than Ryland but not really good. Another big mistake by Bill Belichick in drafting Ryland with a 4th round selection. I am convinced the Patriots wanted Moody who was selected ahead of them by San Francisco.
Total players: 53
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Comings and Goings
The Patriots were very busy on Tuesday hosting 3 players for workouts and signing former Mississippi state LB Kobe Jones and Grand Valley States Chris McCarroll. Jones, 26, played at Mississippi State from 2016-20 but went undrafted in 2021. He spent time with the Atlanta Falcons, Miami Dolphins, Tennessee Titans, Green Bay Packers and Carolina Panthers in the NFL and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the CFL.
He appeared in one game for Green Bay and one game for Carolina both in 2022. He played in six games in the CFL this year, recording three tackles and a sack.
McCarroll played at Grand Valley State, earning consensus All-American honors and Conference Defensive Lineman of the Year. He received an invite to the Indianapolis Colts minicamp.
In a separate move the team claimed Wide Receiver Matt Landers off waivers from the Cleveland Browns. The former Arkansas Razorback UDFA has bounced around with stops with the Seahawks, Panthers, UFL and Browns. At 6’4 3/8”, 200 lbs, he ran a 4.37 40-yard dash and a 6.86 3-cone drill. His 40 time was the third fastest among WRs at the 2023 NFL Combine.
In a subsequent move the team placed JaQuae Jackson on season ending IR. Jackson injured his knee in the pre-season game against the Eagles and needed to be carted off the field.
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No mention of Sione TakiTaki. I guess he is really invisible.
Omission on my part. He starts the year on PUP. Also, Mayo said today that Mapu is ‘week to week” which is more of a prolonged injury.
So much for Purcell making the team! He was waived yesterday!