Down the stretch they come.
NFL teams already had one cutdown to 85 this week, and two more big ones are looming:
Tuesday, 4 p.m. ET: Rosters must be reduced to 80.
Tuesday, Aug. 30, 4 p.m.: Rosters cut to 53.
So things are starting to get a little more serious this week, and we have the Giants game and two Panthers practices to give us more data to work with. The Panthers game, two Raiders joint practices and the Raiders game will set the stage for the final cutdown.
With the Patriots ready to take the field tonight against the Panthers — reports say the Patriots' starters will play, while the Panthers will only play their second and third stringers (QBs Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold will even be held out) — it's a good time to take another look at the roster.
(On the playing time plan tonight ... the Patriots can't have it both ways. They reportedly held out their starters against the Giants to rest up for the Panthers' joint practices because those are so much more important. There are Raiders joint practices next week. Why wouldn't the starters sit again since they got so many reps in the Panthers' joint practices? It's one or the other. At the end of the day, the Patriots' starters sat against the Giants' starters who blitzed a lot, and are playing against Panthers backups who will not blitz. Read into that what you will.)
(Adam Richins for BSJ)
Brenden Schooler
Back to the roster.
Remember, I am operating on a 56-man roster due to the three elevation spots available on the practice squad. My prediction/guess is that Joe Cardona, James Ferentz and Terrance Mitchell are released at the final cutdown but signed to the practice squad and elevated to the roster, if needed (Cardona will be, similar to Nick Folk last year).
Not that the Patriots are overflowing with talent, but I had a tough time getting from 58/59 to 56 this time around for a few different reasons that I'll explain, but here's a big one:
It sure looks like unheralded UDFA safety Brendan Schooler is going to make this roster as a core special teamer, despite the fact that the Patriots already have 23 safeties and have Matthew Slater, Justin Bethel and Cody Davis as special teams-only players.
Talk about redundancy ... is Belichick really going to keep Davis and Schooler as safeties who never play defense, just for special teams? I would hope he would cut Davis for Schooler, or vice versa, but I don't have much confidence in that.
If Belichick keeps both, you are losing a fifth running back or fourth tackle or fourth tight end or sixth receiver like Tre Nixon. Doesn't make a lot of sense, but Belichick is going to Belichick.
In any event, here is our current 56-man roster and some notes on some guys who are close to the roster (yellow is a change from the last version):
LAST SIX OUT, IN ORDER
RB JJ Taylor: I have seen nothing out of Kevin Harris to this point that indicates he should make the team and I really wanted to keep Taylor just as an option, but he went out with the Schooler spot. Ty Montgomery seems to be the pass back of choice, and he can allow the team to go a little lighter at tight end.
OT Justin Herron: In a pinch, I probably feel better about Herron than I do Yodny Cajuste, but the latter has clearly been better. I decided to go light at OT because both Arlington Hambright and Yasir Durant can play there.
CB Terrance Mitchell: Need him for depth, but he's a perfect candidate to take a vet spot on the practice squad.
WR Tre Nixon: He deserves a spot, maybe not over Kristian Wilkerson if he comes back (think he goes to IR at some point), but unless the Patriots deal a Kendrick Bourne — I would watch his playing time tonight, several teams have taken notice about him becoming a non-factor in the last week — I don't see a spot or need. He should be able to get to the practice squad.
DE Sam Roberts: Has started to show up starting with the Giants game and is making a late push, but someone like Henry Anderson would need to go for Roberts to stay. Definitely possible but I like Anderson as the Deatrich Wise alternative.
CB Shaun Wade: Also making a late push with his inside/outside versatility and play of late, but the rookies have looked good enough to push him off the roster.
(Getty Images)
Kevin Harris
OTHER PLAYERS WHO ARE STILL IN IT
OG William Sherman: Looks like the light has gone on and he's playing well. I really wanted to put him on the roster, perhaps for a Durant. But not very versatile.
RB Kevin Harris: Needs to start popping tonight.
TEs Matt Sokol/Jalen Wydermyer: The latter was just added and was a good player in college, but both are slow and of the blocker variety. Patriots might need that type to start the season.
OG Drew Desjarlais: Started off well but has slowed. Needs to play well in the game.
OG Chasen Hines: The sixth-round pick was hurt for much of camp and will need to pop vs. Panthers.
DE Ronnie Perkins: Not sure how much he can prove going against third stringers again.
LB Cam McGrone: If he can make an impact vs. Panthers, that will show he's making progress and coaches will take notice.