Welcome to Saturday, otherwise known as NFL cutdown day. We're going to put all the news and information that comes out in one place with our analysis so you can just keep coming back to this page and not having to click on individual stories (which is how you know which outlet is a clickbait factory — there are plenty of those out there):
--Here's our Live Coverage from Friday, which included a look at the first series of cuts, as well as the trade of Jordan Richards to the Falcons.
--Here's Greg's final version of the 53-man roster.
6:17 p.m.: Here's the 52-man roster. (One open spot at this point, and another will open up after Ryan Izzo is placed on IR.)
Offense -- 21
WRs (3): Hogan, Patterson, Dorsett
TEs (4): Gronkowski, Allen, Hollister, Izzo*
OL (7): T. Brown, Waddle, Thuney, Karras, Andrews, Mason, Cannon
RBs (4): Hill, Burkhead, White, Michel
FB (1): Develin
QBs (2): Brady, Hoyer
Defense -- 24
DL (10): Wise, Flowers, Shelton, Guy, Rivers, Grissom, Davis, Clayborn, M. Brown, Butler
LB (4): Hightower, Bentley, Van Noy, Roberts
CB (6): Gilmore, Rowe, Jones, Crossen, Jackson, Dawson
S (4): Chung, Harmon, D. McCourty, J. McCourty
Special Teams (7): Slater, Ebner, King, Grigsby, Cardona, Allen, Gostkowski.
*Izzo is expected to go on IR, which will open another roster spot.
5:20 p.m.: What appears to be the final wave of moves is starting. According to Field Yates, the Patriots are letting go of wide receiver Riley McCarron and running back Brandon Bolden. I'd expect Bolden back in some form or fashion -- he was released the same time last year and returned. (He can be brought back after they place Michel on short-term IR, theoretically.) But the McCarron move is a surprise. They could be doing the same thing with him, or there could be an expected move for a wide receiver. (And who's going to return punts?) Another shoe to drop, as it were. New England has also parted ways with tight end Will Tye.
5:07 p.m.: Linebacker Harvey Langi has been let go. He's a PS candidate if they can get him through waivers. And per reports, Geneo Grissom has made the 53-man roster.
4:40 p.m.: It also sounds an awful lot like Jason McCourty has made the team. That would give New England a secondary that'll look something like this...
Cornerback: Stephon Gilmore, Eric Rowe, Jonathan Jones, Keion Crossen, J.C. Jackson, Duke Dawson.
Safety: Patrick Chung, Duron Harmon, Devin McCourty, Jason McCourty, Nate Ebner.
4:34 p.m.: Matt Tobin has been released, per reports. And it sounds like, via another source, that Teddy Karras has made the team. That would likely leave the offensive line backups as Karras, Cole Croston and LaAdrian Waddle.
4:10 p.m.: As of right now -- keeping in mind there's still potential for a LOT roster shuffling -- it sounds like Keion Crossen and J.C. Jackson have both survived cutdowns, per sources. I have not heard anything one way or another, but there are several reports Jason McCourty has survived as well.
DANNY VICKLING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!pic.twitter.com/i6hlcoFa2v
— Prime Bam Childress (@fearthe_beard11) August 31, 2018
1:37 p.m.: The Patriots have reportedly cut CB Cyrus Jones, per Jeff Howe of The Athletic. This move not only impacts the cornerback situation (it increases the likelihood of rookies J.C. Jackson and Keion Crossen making the team), it also means that Riley McCarron, who appeared to work well as a punt returner, could have a role on special teams, at least over the first month of the season without Julian Edelman.
With Jones' release, the Patriots don't have one of their second-round picks since 2011 on the roster. (They're 0-fo- 8). And '18 pick Duke Dawson has barely been on practice field. Testament to coaches, Brady and doing better in later rounds.
From Bill Belichick's conference call on Friday:
1:13 p.m.: The Patriots have cut WR KJ Maye, who played very well in the preseason finale against the Giants. He does have practice squad eligibility, if New England can get him through. The count right now stands at 71 players.
1:10 p.m.: Bedard's analysis — Let me just say this about the Khalil Mack trade (and be thankful he's out of the AFC). You’ll hear a lot of takes on it by a lot of smart people and many will say it’s about the Bears viewing themselves as contenders, and the Raiders saying they are rebuilding. Forget that stuff. This is what it boils down to. Bears GM Ryan Pace is trying to keep his job. It’s his fourth season and he has to produce a winner. Raiders owner Mark Davis has no money until the team moves to Las Vegas, and he couldn’t cut a huge check to Mack. That’s it.
1:04 p.m.: Just a thought -- not sure they could convince him, but 35-year-old defensive end Brian Robison has that same sort of "veteran defensive player near the end of his career who might have one more year left" vibe to him that frequently appeals to the Patriots. Let go by Minnesota today.
Sources to ESPN: Raiders and Bears have an agreement in place to trade Khalil Mack to Chicago. Still working through it, but Raiders now planning to send Mack to Chicago.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 1, 2018