Patriots Could Plug Roster Holes With These Five Cut Candidates

The Patriots need to make some offensive additions, if not only to fill out the roster.

New England currently doesn’t have a viable option at left tackle, no matter what those in charge are telling you, and the depth at the position seems to be dwindling by the day. Hunter Henry and Austin Hooper, whether they do or don’t come back from their current injuries, need a reliable third option behind them. Rhamondre Stevenson and Antonio Gibson could use some help in the running back room.

It’s fairly clear to see that those are issues that need to be addressed, and the only way of doing that will be outside of the building. The Patriots luckily will be third in the waiver order, so they could do just that by claiming any of these cut candidates to upgrade the spots currently filled by Vederian Lowe, Jaheim Bell and Kevin Harris.

OFFENSIVE TACKLE

Jackson Carman
The Bengals whiffed on Carman, who was selected in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft and has started a total of six games. It’s been a rough stay in Cincinnati for the athletic tackle, and perhaps a change of scenery could help him get things going.

New England could use an upgrade at swing tackle, with Carman giving Caedan Wallace someone to battle with as they await the eventual Lowe benching.

Blake Freeland
It’s been a rough few weeks for Freeland, who has a 34.9 mark in offensive line performance, according to Pro Football Focus. The Colts might not feel that it’s worth holding onto the 23-year-old as they try to put the best possible group together in front of Anthony Richardson.

The Patriots, looking for upside, might be interested in taking a stab at claiming such a young tackle.

TIGHT END

Ko Kieft
The Patriots’ biggest issue in the tight end room is the lack of serviceable blocking options. Kieft could immediately fix that, though his lack of pass-catching skills is a bit startling. The Buccaneers got some contributions from the 26-year-old in the kicking/run game, but that might not be enough to keep him over more dynamic options.

Peyton Hendershot
The Cowboys haven’t really needed to showcase Hendershot in his first two seasons. as Dalton Schultz and Jake Ferguson thrived catching passes from Dak Prescott. He’s a solid ballplayer, though, who can bring added athleticism to a group that needs it in New England.

RUNNING BACK

Jeff Wilson Jr.
The Patriots could benefit from adding speed to the running back room, and the speediest cut candidate that is likely to hit the market is Wilson. New England got a good look at him from his time in Miami and should be looking to get faster in their new offense.