Upcoming timeline:
- Prior to 4 p.m. Tuesday, clubs must reduce rosters to a maximum of 53 players on the Active/Inactive List.
- Claiming period for players placed on waivers at the final roster reduction will expire at Noon Wednesday. Practice squads can then be formed.
Note: Injured active players (off PUP/NFI) either have to placed on season-ending IR, or be on the initial 53 before being moved to in-season IR.
DEEP THOUGHTS...
- If numbers/injuries are a real issue, I could see the Patriots going with only two running backs (Stevenson and Elliott) on the initial 53, figuring they could sign at least two back on the practice squad. Hell, I think Rex Burkhead is still out there...
- The Patriots have three NFL-ready receivers. Three. And one (Juju Smith-Schuster) hasn't shown much this summer. The belief is that he's going to need more time, maybe a couple of games, to be fully operational.
- On a real NFL team with real offensive skill talent, no one would really know the names of Demario Douglas and Kayshon Boutte. They'd be a year away.
- The Patriots have two tight ends that deserve to be on any 53 in the NFL.
- The Patriots have one NFL-ready tackle, and that's Mr. Trent Brown. What a world.
- Riley Reiff's injury is going to be a predicament for the team. He had actually shown OK at guard - better than tackle. To sneak him on in-season IR, it could cost a real player a roster spot initially (like Carl Davis).
- If the Patriots are forced to start Mike Onwenu at tackle due to the issues there (Conor McDermott injury, Sidy Sow struggles), the Patriots could be starting Atonio Mafi and some combination of James Ferentz, Kody Russey and Bill Murray against the Eagles' vaunted defensive line.
- Either Nick Folk is traded before the 53-man cutdown, or I could see Belchick putting him on the 53 with Chad Ryland to spite other teams. Belichick is not giving away a blatant trade chip.
- Lawrence Guy could be a trade/cut candidate. But already releasing Carl Davis could reduce the chances of that. Who's playing the nose now if Davon Godchaux gets hurt?
- I have a sneaky suspicion I'm going to regret keeping Mack Wilson off. It's Belichick and linebackers. He just takes them, even if he has 57 safeties to play LB too.
- The other players I'm more likely to be wrong on: JJ Taylor, Malik Cunningham, Chasen Hines, Ronnie Perkins, Shaun Wade, Joshuah Bledsoe.
- It's just wrong that I have the Patriots keeping 10 between edge and interior (backing up four spots really) and only nine for the five offensive line spots. The big boys are people too. I'm sure this isn't specific to the Patriots, but it's staring me in the face right now.
FINAL 53-MAN ROSTER PROJECTION
