The 2019 NFL Draft is in the books, which means we’ve reached the point in the offseason where leaguewide activity probably will die down a bit before training camps begin later this summer.
It’s still possible for teams to tweak their rosters, though, and sometimes an organization’s draft results play a role in how a veteran player’s situation is handled.
Look at the Arizona Cardinals, for instance. They drafted Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray with the No. 1 overall pick and subsequently traded second-year signal caller Josh Rosen, whom they chose with the No. 10 overall pick in 2018.
Of course, most moves won’t be as high-profile as Arizona’s quarterback swap, but they could prove significant nonetheless. ESPN’s Bill Barnwell on Tuesday identified the player on each team who’s most likely to be traded or cut in the wake of the 2019 NFL Draft.
Barnwell’s pick for the New England Patriots: punter Ryan Allen.
The Patriots signed Allen to a one-year contract earlier this offseason, but they traded up in the draft to select Stanford punter Jake Bailey in the fifth round. Could that spell the end of Allen’s tenure in New England?
Here’s more from Barnwell, who also believes wide receiver Demaryius Thomas’ job could be in jeopardy after the Patriots selected fellow wideout N’Keal Harry with the 32nd overall pick Friday:
You don’t think Bill Belichick traded up to draft punter Ryan Bailey in the fifth round by accident, do you? I’d also worry a bit about Demaryius Thomas’ spot on the roster after the Patriots drafted 6-foot-2 wideout N’Keal Harry in the first round. The former Broncos standout was guaranteed only a $150,000 signing bonus when he joined the team, and if Thomas’ rehab from a torn Achilles doesn’t go well, the Pats might be more inclined to hand him an injury settlement in August.
Allen has spent the past six seasons with the Patriots after signing as an undrafted free agent in 2013. He has won three titles with the Pats and even played a huge role in New England’s Super Bowl LIII win over the Los Angeles Rams.
Perhaps Belichick is bringing in Bailey just to create some competition. That would make the fifth-round selection even more head-scratching, though, despite the Patriots entering the draft with a surplus of picks.
As for Thomas, there’s no guarantee he’ll crack New England’s roster this season even if he sticks around through the preseason. The 31-year-old is a five-time Pro Bowl selection who had some excellent seasons with the Denver Broncos, but his production has dipped in recent years. The Patriots basically just took a flier on Thomas last month while looking to bolster their depleted receiving corps.
