MORSE: Patriots Final 53-Man Roster Projection

Patriots Final 53-Man Roster Projection

I am giving you a 50-man roster because I believe they will be claiming some players off the Waivers. They will be cut down to 53 on Tuesday on at 4:00. The Patriots have the 3^rd priority in making claims. They need help at O-line, D-line and Tight End. They have no backup to Davin Godchaux at Nose Tackle. It’s unreasonable to think that Godchaux will make it through the entire season unscathed. Wouldn’t be surprised to see Milton cut if a WR comes up they want to look at. The roster will be fluid from now until game time on Sunday the 8^th.

QB (3) J.Brissett, D.Maye, J. Milton

Brissett has not looked good in any of the Pre-season games. He has thrown the ball high or outside the receivers. Other times he lays the ball in there perfectly and the receiver doesn’t make the play (KJ Osborn). He was hurt in the game Sunday, but it doesn’t appear serious. Maye has steadily made progress. I don’t think the average fan had any idea of how far behind Maye was when he was drafted. We knew his footwork was bad and he had a hitch in his throwing motion. But I don’t think we were aware of how small his hands were, the fact that he never called his own plays, always played out of the shotgun (not under center), and that he only played two years of college football. He also missed his Senior year of High School due to COVID. Maye is just 21. Milton is no lock to make the team. He has a very strong arm, but lacks the touch required to play in the NFL. He hasn’t done anything in the Pre-season therefore he could be cut. Milton would be a Practice Squad candidate. By the way, if Trace McSorley was cut I would re-sign him as the backup to Brissett, thus ensuring that Maye does not play behind the abysmal Offensive Line. McSorley was 12-21 and 4 PI penalties and ran 4 times for 40 yards.

RB (4) R.Stevenson, K.Harris, J.Hasty, A.Gibson

Kevin Harris surprised me with that catch and TD run in Sunday’s game. He is another big back and should make the team. Hasty has been the surprise of camp for me. He is very good as a 3^rd down back and for the most part has been reliable in pass protection. Hasty was 3 for 3 when targeted Sunday. Gibson will be productive both as a change of pace back to Stevenson and as a receiver. AVP is going to want to be a very good screen pass team. Gibson will help with that.

Jennings will make the Practice Squad.

WR (5) D.Douglas, J.Baker, T.Thornton, K.Boutte, J.Polk, (waiver pick up)

IR Kendrick Bourne

Douglas has made it through the pre-season healthy. They have been treating him with kid gloves, and he was open a few times Sunday besides catching 3 of 4 targets. Polk and Maye seem to have a connection, and I am very excited to see how much he will progress over the season. I was not impressed with Osborn when he failed to get his other hand up and make the catch from the Brissett deep throw. Later he was wide open on that brilliant Maye throw, on the run and throw across his body. Osborn then cut to the middle to take it to the house. The play was nullified by an Okorafor Illegal Procedure penalty for not lining up on the line of scrimmage. Bourne will be back soon, and he and Osborn are redundant. Boutte did not play at all Sunday. Was he injured? Are they unhappy with him? Hiding him so they can get him through waivers to Practice Squad? I was impressed with what I saw of Matt Landers. He is 6’4”, 200 pounds and runs a 4.37 40-yard dash. Absolutely worth keeping on the Practice Squad. Javon Baker has been mediocre for weeks now. He will make the team because he is a 4^th round pick. He will be inactive every week unless there are injuries. Thornton is a starter … get use to that. Wallis will be kept on Practice Squad because of his Punt Return ability. Reagor won’t get saved by his Kick Return ability. Others can do just as good. He has too many drops.

TE (2) H.Henry, A.Hooper

Henry and Hooper were held out with injuries but will be available if it were a game week. The team got a lot of film on 7^th Round pick Jaheim Bell. He is not big at 6’2” 241 pounds. His blocking leaves a lot to be desired and therefore will be cut and signed to Practice Squad.

C (1) D.Andrews

David Andrews is 32 years old. He signed a new contract extension for an additional year with more guaranteed money. He missed a few games last season and as players get older, they don’t recover as easily as they did when younger. The Patriots don’t have a backup, Center. They failed to draft a Center and could have taken Mason McCormack and took Layden Robinson instead.

G (3) S.Sow, L.Robinson, N.Leverett

Sow got hurt and left the facility in a walking boot. Best case it’s a lower ankle sprain. The worst case is a torn Achilles. This diagnosis will go a long way to determining who stays and goes. Layden Robinson has been pretty good but didn’t play well on Sunday. Nick Leverett played terribly at Center with a botched shotgun snap and a fumbled snap with Maye (not sure whose fault it was). If Sow’s injury is more severe and he is placed on IR, then Michael Jordan will be kept. Look for the Patriots to add a body here that can play Guard and Center. (Waiver pick up)

IR Cole Strange – look for Strange to be moved to Center when he returns

T (4) M.Onwenu, Ca.Wallace, V.Lowe, C.Okorafor

Are the Patriots Offensive Line coaches instructing their Tackles to try and stretch the rules and cheat on their drops in pass coverage? Five penalty calls on this is ridiculous. I don’t believe the Patriots will find better Offensive Tackles on waivers. Scott Peters the Offensive Line Coach needs to be held accountable for those illegal procedure / Not lined up on the Line / leaving early penalties.

DE (3) D.Wise, K.White, W.Bradley-King

Did King show enough to make the team? He has played better over the last three weeks and was particularly good versus Philly in the joint practice. Wise is coming to the end of his career. Big things are expected from White this year, especially with the loss of Judon and Barmore.

DT (4) J.Pharms Jr., D.Ekuale, T.Hill, D.Godchaux (waiver claim)

Did Armon Watts do enough to make the team? I don’t think so. They are dangerously thin here and you can’t expect Godchaux to play all 17 games again this season at his age. They need a back-up NT.

IR Christian Barmore

ILB(3) J.Bentley, Ja.Tavai, R.McMillan,

Joe Giles-Harris was a Practice Squad player last year for the Pats. He has 17 games played with 3 starts in the NFL. His slight frame and lack of great speed is atypical of the Linebacker position. However, he did play in the middle and had a nice Interception in the game Sunday. Was it enough for him to make the s53-man roster? McMillan has been one of the best players in camp. For the last two pre-seasons he played well in camp before season ending injuries felled him. He is healthy and will be a big contributor on special teams as well. Tavai played in 70% of the Defensive snaps last season as well as 70% of the Special Teams snaps. He was awarded a new contract which was well deserved. Bentley is a leader and a thumper. You know exactly what you will get from him. Giles-Harris to the Practice Squad.

IR Sione Takitaki

OLB(4) A.Jennings, J.Uche, O.Ximines, C.Elliss

Elliss is a Special Teams ace and has had a good camp. Ximines was great on the pass rush versus Philly in the joint practice. Uche is banged up again, but he is the beneficiary of the Judon trade. Jennings played well in Judon’s absence last year.

CB (6) C.Gonzalez, A.Austin, Ma.Jones, I.Bolden, Jo.Jones, M Wilson

I think it’s the end of the Shaun Wade era. Wilson and Austin passed him by. I can’t believe anyone has Marcellas Dial on their 53-man roster. He can’t play in the NFL. Two PIs for 19 yds apiece on Sunday and 7 completions against versus Eagles. CAN’T PLAY!!! I’d throw Azizzi Heard under the bus as well. Two PIs, one for 45 yards set up a TD and another for 19 yards. Hearns was beat like a rug in camp nearly every session (already waived). I keep Bolden and Wilson for special teams. Wilson has NFL experience

SS (3) D.Pettus, K.Dugger, J.Peppers

Pettus is the one UDFA that has a chance to make it. He was in position for a big hit when Azizi took him out. Azizi was called for PI. All pre-season Pettus has been the one player that has stood out in the secondary. He beat out Joshuah Bledsoe. Dugger and Peppers are free to roam between LB and SS.

IR Marte Mapu

FS (1) J.Hawkins

He has been one of the best players in the secondary all pre-season. His ability to play Free Safety will allow Dugger to go back to Strong Safety. Dugger played poorly at Free Safety. Jon Jones could play Free Safety as well therefore no backup is really needed.

ST (4) B.Baringer, B.Schooler, J.Cardona, J.Slye

I have Slye beating out Ryland, but he will be on short leash. Cardona is getting up there in age and he has been making several bad snaps. That was a bad snap on Slye’s 64yard FG at the end of the 1^st half. Tucker Addington has already been cut.

Total players: 50

Created with Pats Picker: http://patsfans.com/patspicker

Early Cuts

Mass Live is reporting the Patriots have cut the following 6 players:

LS Tucker Addington

LB Steele Chambers

TE La’Michael Pettway

WR Kawaan Baker

DL Same Roberts

CB Azizi Hearn

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About Mark Morse

Merrimack Valley native and lifelong fan of the New England Patriots. My earliest memories of the Patriots were attending as a child with my dad, the off-season practice at Phillips Academy. I was at the Patriots game at Harvard Stadium in 1970 where Bob “Harpo” Gladieux was called out of the stands by the stadium announcer over the PA to play in the game. Analyzing the draft since ESPN first started to televise it in 1980 and former writer for the Lowell Sun Newspaper.

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