I track the roster all year long and start making projections all the way back to after the draft.\u00a0 Saturday is cut down day and it’s always interesting to see what the Patriots do and how many of their players they have cut get picked up by other teams.\u00a0 Jeff Howe had a great article on Wednesday about how difficult under normal circumstances it is for an Undrafted Free Agent to make the team.\u00a0 Jon Jones was one of those players and he was in a 3 way battle with CreVon Leblanc and Darryl Roberts for the last spot.\u00a0 Jones won, but both LeBlanc and Roberts were claimed when they were waived.\u00a0 Both are still in the league with the Eagles and lions respectively.<\/p>\n
This is also a very difficult year for an UDFA to make a team.\u00a0 They have no game film to go on.\u00a0 The 4 pre-season games normally would give the coaching staff and the staffs of all 32 other teams an opportunity to assess them.\u00a0 The Patriots have an UDFA make the 53 man roster for 16 straight seasons.\u00a0 It may be in jeopardy this year.<\/p>\n
Barring trades or waiver claims this is what I think the final 53 man roster will look like.<\/p>\n
Offense 25<\/strong><\/p>\n QUARTERBACK (3) <\/strong>\u00a0 Cam Newton, Jarrett Stidham, Brian Hoyer<\/p>\n Lewerke was just another camp arm.\u00a0 Hoyer is insurance given Newton\u2019s injury history and Stidhams hip problem.<\/p>\n RUNNING BACK (5) <\/strong>\u00a0 James White, Rex Burkhead, Damien Harris, Sony Michel, JJ Taylor<\/p>\n The problem I have is that neither Miller nor Michel play special teams.\u00a0 Reports have Harris with a hand injury.\u00a0 The second issue is that Burkhead, White and Miller are Free Agents next season.\u00a0 I think they tell Miller he is going to be cut for the initial 53.\u00a0 As a vested veteran he does not go through waivers and becomes a Free Agent immediately.\u00a0 The Pats cut him with a promise they will re-sign him as soon as a player goes on IR. If Miller is on the roster for the 1st<\/sup> game his salary is guaranteed for the season.<\/p>\n FULLBACK (1<\/strong>) Jakub Johnson<\/p>\n Paul Quessenberry may make the PS as a developmental player similar to James Devlin<\/p>\n WIDE RECEIVER (5)\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong>Julian Edelman, Gunner Olszewski, N\u2019Keal Harry, Damiere Byrd, Jeff Thomas<\/p>\n Sanu was just too slow and couldn\u2019t separate.\u00a0 Ross was the star early in camp, but faded.\u00a0 Thomas had a small signing bonus indicating there was not much interest.\u00a0 However, Thomas has made it this far without any incidents.\u00a0 This could be like Tyreek Hill and they just might have a viable threat on their hands.\u00a0 They were hoping to get him through waivers but thought it was too risky. Thomas becomes the KR.\u00a0\u00a0 Meyers is just too slow.\u00a0 Gunner is the PR and could be a replacement for Edelman in the future.<\/p>\n TIGHT END (2)<\/strong>, Devin Asiasi, Dalton Keene,<\/p>\n Have to make a cut somewhere to keep the extra RB.\u00a0 An O lineman can be the 3rd<\/sup> TE.\u00a0 Izzo is the cut.\u00a0 Izzo, Burt and Berry have a chance at PS<\/p>\n OFFENSIVE LINE (9)<\/strong> It came down to Owenwu and Cunningham.\u00a0 Owenwu\u2019s potential and his flexibility to play both G and T win out.<\/p>\n Defense 24<\/strong><\/p>\n DEFENSIVE TACKLE (5) <\/strong>Lawrence Guy, Adam Butler, Byron Cowart, Beau Allen, Detrick Wise<\/p>\n Concerned with this group, if they can\u2019t stop the run it will be a long season.\u00a0 Allen goes to IR after he makes the final 53 so that he can be recalled.\u00a0 Wise really came on at the end of camp showing pass rushing skills from the DT position<\/p>\n DEFENSIVE END (5) <\/strong>John Simon, Chase Winowich, Afernee Jennings, Derek Rivers, Shilique Calhoun<\/p>\n Calhoun did nothing wrong to get cut, just a numbers game.\u00a0 They will try and bring him back when Allen goes on IR.\u00a0 Pats want to see if Rivers pass rushing skills are real.<\/p>\n INEBACKER (4) <\/strong>\u00a0 Ja\u2019Whaun Bentley, Josh Uche, Cassh Mulai, Brandon Copeland,<\/p>\n Somebody has to be cut and Harris received a big bonus to sign with the Pats ($140K).\u00a0 That shows that there was interest from other teams and he is likely to be picked up off waivers.\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0Copeland may play strictly on the outside.<\/p>\n PUP<\/strong> Brandon King,<\/p>\n CORNERBACK (5)\u00a0 <\/strong>Stephon Gilmore, Jason McCourty, JC Jackson, Jonathan Jones, Jojuan Williams,<\/p>\n Justin Bethel just can\u2019t play DB in this league.\u00a0 He is great as a ST only player, but at the end of the roster you need to do more.\u00a0 There are plenty of other players that can fill his ST role as gunner.\u00a0 Jackson may go on IR after the final 53 also.\u00a0 DeAngelo Ross and Myles Bryant performed well in camp and may make their way to the PS.<\/p>\n SAFETY (5)\u00a0 <\/strong>Devin McCourty,\u00a0 Terrence Brooks, Cody Davis, Kyle Dugger,\u00a0 Adrian Phillips<\/p>\n Williams has played Safety in camp giving more flexibility.<\/p>\n Special Teams 4<\/strong><\/p>\n K <\/strong>Nick Folk (1), \u00a0P<\/strong> P Jake Bailey(1), LS <\/strong>Joe Cardona (1), Matthew Slater ST<\/strong> Capt (1)<\/p>\n There is no bigger disappointment in camp than Justin Rohrwasser, especially since I wanted Tyler Bass and he beat out Hauschka in Buffalo<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Saturday is cut down day and it’s always interesting to see what the Patriots do and how many of their players they have cut get picked up by other teams.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":23,"featured_media":25662,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2216,11],"tags":[22202,34,22201],"class_list":["post-32020","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-2020-patriots-offseason","category-patriots-commentary","tag-2020-patriots-season","tag-bill-belichick","tag-patriots-roster-cuts"],"yoast_head":"\n
\nJoe Thuney, Shaq Mason, Jason Eluemanor, Isaiah Wynn, David Andrews, Hjalte Froholdt, Jodny Cajuste, Michael Owenu, Justin Herron,<\/p>\n