Five guys who have made most of their early opportunities

FOXBOROUGH — Roster spots are going to be few and far between when cuts come down later this month. But because of injuries, roster shuffling and other personnel decisions, there have been a handful of Patriots’ players who have done well to take advantage of the opportunities they’ve been in over the first week of camp and gain a foothold in the race for a roster spot.

Here are five guys who have seen an uptick in reps as of late and have made the most of their chances. Basically, think of this story as a companion piece to this one that was posted on Thursday. If those guys are feeling the heat, it’s likely that the five guys we have listed below are the ones turning up the temperature.



DE Deatrich Wise: Two things that stick out about Wise: One, the 6-foot-5, 271-pounder has been an absolute force through his first week-plus of camp while playing multiple spots along the line. Disruptive, with a lanky frame and high motor, he’s managed to force his way into a role with the No. 1 defense in a very short time. He was all over the place on Friday morning, working with the rest of the starting defense and generally wreaking havoc against whoever he lined up against. And two, he’s got a Greg Oden thing working in that he appears much older than his age, which he swears is 23. Basically, he doesn’t look much like a guy in the first month of his professional career. Instead, he’s looked right at home in the middle of the New England defense. A lot can change between now and the start of the regular season, but the fourth-round pick out of Arkansas has had a good a start as he and the team might have hoped for.

OL Ted Karras: The Patriots have always loved those offensive linemen who can come in and play multiple spots, the sort of get-you-over guys like Dan Connolly and Ryan Wendell, who have the ability to fill in as needed at different positions. (For more of a definition of the jack-of-all-trade types, check out this piece here with quotes from Dante Scarnecchia.) To this point in camp, Karras has done an excellent job filling that role, working at guard and center. The 24-year-old, a sixth-round pick out of Illinois last year, has the early lead in the race to land the utility role, holding up well in pass protection while clearing the way in the run game. The 6-foot-4, 305-pounder, who started at right guard in the opener against the Cardinals but played in all 16 games, could be in line for a bigger role in 2017 if he continues on this upward trend.

OL James Ferentz: I’ll be completely honest — I thought the addition of the 6-foot-2, 284-pounder this offseason was done because Bill Belichick was doing a favor for his old coaching colleague, Kirk Ferentz, Brian’s father who coached with Belichick in Cleveland. But the 28-year-old has thrust himself into the mix as a potential backup along the offensive line with a series of solid practices. And like Karras, he’s been able to maximize his reps. Look, Ferentz has a nondescript frame that is really not at all athletic. (If we’re arguing about the fastest guys on the roster, Ferentz might be one of the slowest based on his body type.) But at the very least, if he continues playing like this, he’s going to force the coaching staff into some tough decisions when cuts come down.

Running back Rex Burkhead: The 27-year-old Burkhead has managed to carve out a niche as someone who appears comfortable running between the tackles or catching the ball out of the backfield. The former Bengal has to continue on his current arc, but the 5-foot-10, 214-pounder has certainly done nothing to dissuade us from a belief that he will head into the season as the wild-card of the New England backfield — the guy who could end up making Brandon Bolden expendable.

Wide receiver Devin Lucien: The Patriots receiving corps has been really banged up over the last few days, with Julian Edelman, Danny Amendola, Malcolm Mitchell and Matthew Slater all limited. Lucien has been one of a few young pass catchers who have managed to distinguish himself and gain some separation from the rest of the pack. On Friday, he was able to come up with a couple of really impressive plays as part of the backup offense, including big catches from both Tom Brady and Jacoby Brissett. He’s not going to unseat one of the more established starters, but if he keeps heading into this direction, it should be enough for him to stick around Foxborough in 2017 in some form or fashion.