More than half of the New England Patriots’ roster didn’t play in the team’s fourth and final preseason game.
This has different meanings for different players. But most commonly, if you don’t play in Week 4 of the preseason, you’re probably safe to have a job after Saturday’s roster cuts.
But let’s divide up the 51 players who didn’t see game action Thursday into different categories.
RESERVE LIST
WR Cameron Meredith
T Yodny Cajuste
Meredith is on the physically unable to perform list, while Cajuste, a rookie, is on the non-football injury list. Assuming they aren’t activated Friday, they won’t be able to return until after Week 6 of the 2019 season and won’t take up roster spots.
ABSENT
TE Lance Kendricks
TE Ben Watson
T Cole Croston
LB Derek Rivers
S A.J. Howard
Kendricks (one game) and Watson (four games) are suspended to start the season, so it makes sense to keep them past the Aug. 31 cutdown date. They won’t take up roster spots until their suspensions are over.
Croston and Howard are both longshots for the roster.
We don’t know what to make of Rivers. Perhaps the Patriots will keep him on their initial 53-man roster then place him on injured reserve so he can come back after Week 8? Ultimately, it might not be worthwhile if the Patriots need that roster spot to protect someone else.
ABSENT BUT STILL MAKING THE ROSTER
RB Damien Harris
DL Michael Bennett
Harris suffered an injury in Week 3 of the preseason. We expect him to make the roster as a 2019 third-round pick. We don’t know why Bennett was absent Thursday night, but he’s making the team.
INJURED AND ON THE ROSTER BUBBLE
TE Matt LaCosse
LB Shilique Calhoun
LB Trent Harris
S Obi Melifonwu
Harris is a longshot, but the Patriots have tough decisions to make with LaCosse, Calhoun and Melifonwu. LaCosse started the summer as the Patriots’ top tight end, but he hasn’t played since Week 1 of the preseason. We still think the Patriots keep him around, but he’s not a lock.
Calhoun also was receiving first-team reps before going down with an injury in Week 2 of the preseason. We also think the Patriots will keep him around.
Melifonwu is in a numbers crunch at safety. He hasn’t played since Week 2 of the preseason. We think he’ll be left off of the roster.
LIKELY HEADED FOR INJURED RESERVE
C David Andrews
Andrews was hospitalized with a blood clot in his lungs. If the Patriots place him on injured reserve Saturday, then his season will be over.
INJURED BUT STILL MAKING THE ROSTER
WR N’Keal Harry
Harry didn’t play, but he’ll make the team as a 2019 first-round pick.
HEALTHY SCRATCHES
QB Brian Hoyer
QB Tom Brady
RB Sony Michel
RB James White
RB Rex Burkhead
RB Brandon Bolden
FB James Develin
WR Phillip Dorsett
WR Matthew Slater
TE Ryan Izzo
T Isaiah Wynn
G Joe Thuney
C Ted Karras
G Shaq Mason
T Marcus Cannon
T Korey Cunningham
G Jermaine Eluemunor
DL Adam Butler
DL Danny Shelton
DL Lawrence Guy
LB John Simon
LB Chase Winovich
LB Jamie Collins
LB Ja’Whaun Bentley
LB Elandon Roberts
LB Kyle Van Noy
LB Dont’a Hightower
CB Stephon Gilmore
CB JC Jackson
CB Jason McCourty
CB Jonathan Jones
S Terrence Brooks
S Devin McCourty
S Nate Ebner
S Duron Harmon
S Patrick Chung
So, we have Bennett, Harris, Harry and these 36 players, all of whom are almost certain to make the roster barring a trade.
The most surprising inclusions were Dorsett, Izzo, Simon, Brooks and Harmon.
So, that gives us 39 players and 14 more spots. Three will be taken up by specialists, kicker Stephen Gostkowski, punter Jake Bailey and long snapper Joe Cardona. So, that leaves 11 slots. Quarterback Jarrett Stidham, wide receivers Julian Edelman, Josh Gordon, Jakobi Meyers and Demaryius Thomas, defensive lineman Byron Cowart and cornerback Joejuan Williams all played but look, at minimum, fairly certain to make the team. Now we have four more spots for roster bubble players.
The most likely players to be traded who sat out are Hoyer and perhaps linebacker Elandon Roberts.
