Giardi: Who we're watching tonight in the Patriots' preseason finale; Polk to have season-ending surgery

News update:

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Even though the expectation is that most, if not all, of the Patriots' starters won't play tonight, or play very little, this is still a critical final exam for a number of players.

All teams must trim their rosters to 53 by 4 PM on Tuesday. Here's a look at some of those teetering on the edge.

Anfernee Jennings: He hasn't practiced this week, and I haven't been told it's an injury. In other words, hey kid, stay off the field until/if we trade you. Jennings was beastly in Minnesota, recording 2.5 sacks (albeit against 2nd and 3rd teamers). To his credit, he has actually moved up the depth chart over the last week or so, but there are those within the organization who don't see him as an ideal scheme fit for the Mike Vrabel/Terrell Williams defense. Jennings is viewed as a gap controller, and that's why he became an essential cog in the Belichick system. What this group wants is someone who can get upfield, attack, and close on the quarterback. Despite his preseason showing, which has included Jennings' making his best effort to adapt, the Pats don't see the explosiveness that others on the edge possess.

Kyle Dugger: Not much to say here. He's been available for months, but hasn't bounced back from his ankle surgery. The veteran has slowed, something he could ill afford. The rest of the league has taken notice, and the interest in Dugger has been lukewarm. The real question is whether the Pats would actually eat the contract and cut him if they can't find a trade partner. 

JaMychal Hasty: You're probably asking, Hasty? Really? This is if the Pats want to keep four running backs on the 53. I wouldn't, and still think Hasty could end up on the practice squad if that's the path they chose. However, if they don't, he did enough in Minnesota to make you take notice. With Terrell Jennings banged up, Hasty could get a decent number of reps to make a final case.

Javon Baker: In my first roster projection, I had Baker on. Then, playing against backups, he managed just one catch on seven targets, had a drop thanks to a sloppy route, and got whistled for a false start in the red zone. I mean, Baker was the arsonist burning his own house down, but forgetting he had no insurance. I specifically asked Vrabel about Baker earlier this week, wondering how he reconciles practice performance (generally good this summer) with preseason play (as a WR, not good).

"Well, we don't ever underestimate the performance in a game, in live action. And, yeah, I think Javon would have liked to have been able to connect on some of those passes and those targets. He stuck with it. I liked where his attitude was and his ability to play on special teams. And then even late in the game to try to block, we threw a screen out there to [John] Jiles, and he's attached and he's trying to finish, and then found a reception there late. 

"So, I think that shows some growth. I think that could be, for a young player, when it doesn't go your way early, I think maybe it could have been an opportunity to kind of just pack it up. I didn't see that from him. And, again, my indication to that is the fact that late in the game we threw a screen to Jiles, as I mentioned, and he's blocking, he's finishing, he's trying to make sure that he's protecting the guy with the ball. So, sometimes it doesn't always go the way that you anticipate, or maybe the stats don't indicate that."

Not overwhelmingly positive, but not at the opposite end of the spectrum either. Baker didn't practice this week but has made the trip to MetLife and hopes to play. Fighting through something physically would be viewed favorably by this coaching staff.

Sidy Sow, Cole Strange, and Caedan Wallace: Do any of these guys want to make the roster? That's what Vrabel has to be asking his offensive line coaches. Strange got first crack at left guard and fumbled it. His work at center hasn't been noteworthy either. Wallace got kicked inside, and other than his draft position, there's been nothing that says 'You can't lose him' this summer. He played 10 snaps at Minnesota and had a clean sheet. Beats the alternative for sure, but there were no wows mixed in there. As for Sow, he got hurt, again, and has slowly inched back into the equation, though if we're being straightforward, that may say more about the other two than his own work. His pass blocking was solid against the Vikings. His run blocking? Not so much.

Marte Mapu and Monty Rice: I also had Mapu on my first 53. Then he didn't play in Minnesota, and his inability to stay healthy has plagued nearly the entirety of his three years in New England. Like, how many practices can one guy miss before you just punt on the whole situation? Look, there's a good football player in there, but at some point, Mapu needs to show that consistently. 

Rice has been on the periphery of the 53 this entire time. He played for Vrabel, is competent if forced to play for an extended period, but can be exploited in the passing game (see the long completion in the Washington tilt).

Miles Battle, Kobee Minor, Brandon Crossley, Jordan Polk: The Pats like all four players, but can't keep all on the 53, and I envision there only being one spot available. Minor has come on after a slow start. He held up well in Minnesota, though there was one egregious coverage bust and one time he got shook like he was starring in an AC/DC song. Battle surrendered four catches on four targets in the game, but showed up on Monday and got a handful of reps with the ones in obvious passing situations. Crossley, the UDFA from SMU, has grown on me as August has gone on, although he still owes Kendrick Bourne an apology for taking him to the ground and hurting the wideout in that in-stadium practice. That said, it's kind of what I like about him. He's in the middle of a lot of stuff. Polk got shoutouts from Vrabel and Will Campbell for his effort on a kickoff (even though he may have been responsible for the bust to begin with).

Marcus Epps and Dell Pettus: The Pats gave Epps $500K to sign, and for a guy coming off a torn ACL, he has moved well and hasn't been responsible for many egregious errors. But I wonder if he's lacking the pre-injury explosiveness, which is something that Pettus has plenty of. Neither guy would be on track to play much early in the season (assuming no injuries), so do you take the younger player and hope for continued development, or stick with the vet who has started a fair amount of games in the league?

Ben Wooldridge: I think it's doubtful he'd get claimed, but do the Pats want to risk that? The UDFA QB was better in week one of the preseason than week two, but there's something there.