Eight players who are facing key stretch in race for roster spot

FOXBOROUGH — With the third preseason game of the summer looming at the end of the week and the regular-season opener drawing closer, we wanted to get a sense of where some Patriots stood as the team enters a key stretch. And so, after talking with a couple of league sources, here’s our list of guys who are facing a big week in their hopes to make the roster.

Two quick notes: One, in most cases, it’s a good thing to be on this list. It means you have had a good summer by upending popular wisdom and forcing your way into the discussion for a roster spot. At the very least, the coaches and front office are talking about you as a practice squad possibility. And two, all of these players have practice squad eligibility. The Patriots would have to release them and cross their fingers that they would go unclaimed, but it’s an important thing to remember when you consider the team-building process.



Defensive lineman Adam Butler (No. 70): Like just about everyone on this list, Butler faces a sizable challenge when it comes to crashing this position group. But he’s certainly trending in the right direction, thanks in large part to a nice performance last weekend against the Texans in Houston. Butler could ultimately follow the same path as defensive lineman Anthony Johnson, an underdog who made it through to the practice squad before getting the call to the active roster last October.

Cornerback Justin Coleman (No. 22): As it stands right now, Coleman is the guy on this list with the best chance of making the final 53 roster. That’s not to dismiss the others, but his two years in the system and sharp night against the Texans (with multiple passes defensed) would seem to give him an in. The only question? Where he lands on the depth chart. A good two weeks could bump him up to the role of third corner, but an inconsistent stretch could mean he’d end up behind the likes of Eric Rowe or Jonathan Jones.

Linebacker Trevor Bates (No. 44): Another young guy who will face an uphill battle when it comes to cracking the 53-man roster at his position, but he’s done well with the opportunities he’s been given. (And he certainly got a ton of them against the Texans.) There could be an opportunity there for him as a middle/inside linebacker if the Patriots decide to utilize Harvey Langi on the outside. Look for how Langi is utilized in Friday’s preseason game against the Lions — his spot and overall level of play could impact Bates’ future.

Linebacker Harvey Langi (No. 48): Among the rookies on this list, Langi has the best chance to reach the final 53, at least at this point in the summer. Langi has been moved around to multiple spots throughout camp and in the preseason, and he got a long look as an edge presence last weekend against the Texans. He was a mixed bag — he overran the quarterback on multiple occasions — but the amount of snaps he got and his overall skill set combine to make him an intriguing prospect. If he continues to improve over the next two weeks, he should make it through to the final 53.

Defensive end Geneo Grissom (No. 92): With the retirement of Rob Ninkovich and the recent injuries to Deatrich Wise and Derek Rivers, Grissom could seize a roster spot with a good stretch here at the end of the summer. Entering his third year out of Oklahoma, he was released and signed to the practice squad last year before being called up again to the 53-man roster and becoming a core special teamer. If things click for him over the next two weeks, he won’t have to worry about making a similar trip in 2017. (For what it’s worth, Bill Belichick singled Grissom out as someone who has already “made a jump,” and continues to impress with his versatility along the defensive front.)

Wide receiver Austin Carr (No. 84): Carr is in the thick of the battle with the likes of Devin Lucien for what could be one lone roster spot at the back end of the wide receiver depth chart. While he flashed positively in the preseason opener against the Jaguars, he was comparatively quiet (at least from a production standpoint) in last weekend’s game against the Texans with three catches for 31 yards. He needs to keep his foot on the pedal for the next two weeks if he wants to have a chance of sticking around.

Wide receiver Devin Lucien (No. 13): Lucien is in pretty much the same boat as Carr; they’re the two young wide receivers who have the best chance of sticking around Foxborough in some form or fashion when the regular season starts. While Carr is more of a slot type, Lucien has shown a knack as a dependable outside receiver. If you’re wondering about special teams value, neither one of them have taken a single special teams snap in the two preseason games.

Running back D.J. Foster (No. 27): We had our eyes opened this week when we walked into the locker room and saw Foster’s locker set up in the high-rent district alongside the likes of Tom Brady, Jimmy Garoppolo, Malcolm Mitchell and Danny Amendola. While some would dismiss it as happenstance, real estate can play a sizable role in the locker room. When young players are placed near veterans, it means something. Ultimately, Foster’s best chance of making the final 53 will come if he continues the mostly positive arc he’s been on the last week or so -- a stretch that included 75 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown in the second half against the Texans -- but his new locker location could give him an added boost when it comes to finding a way to stick around.