MORSE: What to Look For in Final Patriots Pre-Season Game

The starters will not play, and it is important to see who does not play in this game. Those that don’t play have made the team. It’s difficult for any player that plays in this game to make the 53-man roster. Some players like Behren Morton are likely to make the team. These players that do play are looking to put out good tape for those teams around the league to bring them in. Last year, Tommy DeVito had a great game versus the Patriots playing for the Giants. The Patriots claimed him off waivers, and he is now their #2 QB.

Special Teams

Players who excel on Special Teams are always in demand. If a player shows up on tape, he is likely to get claimed. P Matt Haack is in for Bryce Barringer. This injury has opened an opportunity for Haack. The severity of the injury remains to be seen, but it appears that Barringer will not be available for the opening game. I am interested in seeing the field-goal kicking operation and whether there is any difference. In practice on Tuesday, Andy Borregales was 6-for-6 on his field-goal attempts, which shows the operation was pretty good.

Practice Squad

A lot of these players will be fighting for spots on the Practice Squad. Cameron Dorner, Nick DeGennaro, and Kyle Dixon are likely to make it to the Practice Squad if they clear waivers. Indianapolis was very impressed with the Patriots’ skill players and might be a team to watch to claim Dorner. Others like Eric Gregory, Leonard Taylor, Kobee Minor, and Marcellus Dial are likely to make it to the Practice Squad. Tight Ends CJ Dippre and Jack Westover won’t get claimed.

3^rd Running Back Competition

I think both Hassan Haskins and JaMychal Hasty could make it through to the Practice Squad. Haskins was available as a Free Agent all year and wasn’t signed until the Indy game. As veterans, they become Free Agents immediately and don’t have to pass through waivers. Jam Miller and Lan Larison are two who could get claimed. Both Miller and Larison are recovering from injuries, and if they don’t play, it is not an indication that they have made the team. If Haskins doesn’t play, that would be an indication he has made the team. It will be interesting to see who is kept as the 3^rd RB, especially given the ankle injury to TreVeyon Henderson.

EDGE and LB

I think this is an area of weakness on the team. The Patriots might try to trade for players that are likely to get cut from other teams. There are also Free Agents still available that might help the team, such as DT DaQuan Jones, ED Hassan Reddick, LB Shaq Thompson, and EDGE/LB Kyle Van Noy, who are still out there.

Offensive Line

The only players of real interest are Demetrious Crownover and Jacob Rizy. I think they keep Crownover on the 53-man roster, especially in light of the injury to Marcus Bryant. Given the dearth of the OT position in the league, Crownover would get claimed. What the Patriots do with Ben Brown will be interesting. I suspect he will be placed on IR/DFR, meaning he can come back after 4 weeks. Rizy should clear waivers and be signed to the Practice Squad. He hasn’t been great, but has shown enough as a UDFA to warrant a year of development on the PS. I just hope that the poor play of the 3^rd team players doesn’t get Behrens Morton killed in the game.

Christian Gonzalez Contract Negotiations

What Eliot Wolf had to say in Tuesday’s Press Conference was pretty telling. “You know, it’s about a cash budget and things like that. So, we’re very aware of the timing of these things. And we’re cognizant of having a plan for that and working with Jonathan and Robert, thankful for their support that they’re open and willing for us to be able to sign these great players.” The key phrase was “Cash Budget”. Robert Kraft has been criticized for his actual cash spending. This is not the Salary Cap but the actual cash out of pocket the team spends. Kraft will spend one year but put the clamps on the budget for the next two years.

The three-year average is in compliance with the minimum spending of the NFLPA agreement. Kraft does not like the structure of the Devin Witherspoon contract, with $60M of new money in the two years of team control (last year of rookie contract and 5th-year option the Patriots have exercised). If he gives Gonzalez new money, it is basically a new contract and not an extension. He doesn’t want to do this with Drake Maye’s extension coming up next year. Kraft has a budget that is lower than the Salary Cap, and he doesn’t want to pay! The “Packer Way,” which Eliot Wolfe aspires to, is a Draft and Development scenario.

The third part of that is re-signing those key young players when they come to the end of their rookie deals. Under Bill Belichick, the players had to go to other organizations to get their money. The structure of the deal is what is holding up the signing. The amount of guaranteed money, signing bonus, and Average Annual Value are also sticking points.

Player Safety Violations

Starting this season, the NFL and NFLPA agree to implement a system similar to soccer, where three player-safety fouls throughout the season now lead to a 1-game suspension.

The following penalties are the violations that will accumulate:

Hip Drop Tackle
Horse Collar Tackle
Launching
Hit on a Defenseless Player
Blindside Block

These violations will carry over year to year.

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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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