Patriots roster watch: 5 possible candidates for a surprise cut
The cases for and against a few possible cuts, and why such moves might be shocking.
Training camp is in the books, and the Patriots now have a decent body of work available to evaluate players from.
There’s been a couple weeks of padded practices and a preseason game. With two preseason games left and just under a month before the regular-season kicks off on Sept. 7, there’s still time for players to earn a role on the team Mike Vrabel is building.
But, cutdown day can often bring surprises, and an unfortunate reality of the business is that sometimes players lose their jobs.
Here’s a look at five players who made several starts for the Patriots last year who could be on the bubble.
Cole Strange
The case for the cut: The coaching staff seems to prefer rookie Jared Wilson over Strange at the left guard spot. Wilson started the preseason opener against the Commanders, and has consistently gotten reps with the first team over Strange in practice.
New England seems to be choosing to build a young, athletic left-side of the line to protect Drake Maye’s blindside with Wilson and Will Campbell lined up next to each other.
“They’ve earned that right,” offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels said Monday, citing the steady progress both rookies have made during training camp.
Strange has also had a pretty significant knee injury, missing all but three games in 2024 with a torn patellar tendon.
He was a Bill Belichick pick, and this coaching staff does not seem very sentimental about hanging on to the past.
The case against the cut:
The Patriots’ depth is still very thin on the interior of the offensive line, which is part of the reason why they’ve moved Strange around a bit during training camp.
His natural position is left guard, but he has also gotten some work in at center where the Patriots have struggled to get their snaps right.
Having another big body who is familiar with the team at a position group that has been weak for recent years isn’t the worst thing.
The fact that he has enough snapping ability that the coaching staff decided to take a look at it could be helpful in a pinch.
Why it would be a surprise: Strange came into the camp as the starter at left guard, and he was a 2022 first round pick. Cutting him would be an admission from the organization that they botched that pick.
Acknowledging that might be easier now that Belichick is gone, but still, first-round picks are supposed to be around for longer than three years, and they’re supposed to be starters.
In contrast, defensive end George Karlaftis, whom the Chiefs took with the very next pick after the Patriots took Strange, signed a four-year, $93 million extension with Kansas City last month.
Kyle Dugger
The case for the cut: Dugger hasn’t looked like the same player since he signed his contract extension.
Last season was the first time since his rookie year that he did not record an interception. His numbers were down almost across the board last year compared to 2023.
Dugger is on this list because of recent developments in training camp, where he was spotted taking reps with the second-team defense over the last couple of days. Jaylinn Hawkins and rookie Craig Wilson have seen an uptick in first-team reps recently.
Dugger would be a very expensive backup if that’s the route that this coaching staff chooses to go in, having just signed a four-year deal worth up to $58 million.
But, if there’s a team that can afford to eat the cost of a pricey cut while they figure out how to move forward with younger players, it’s the Patriots.
The case against the cut: Dugger earned that money for a reason.
He’s not that far removed from the 109-tackle, four-interception season he had in 2023. He has a nose for creating turnovers and last year seemed like a bit of an outlier.
He’s respected in the locker room, having been voted as a team captain. He’s only 29, so he should still have plenty of gas left in the tank.
Seeing him return to form elsewhere would not be a good look for the front office.
His work ethic is remarkable, and something that younger players can almost certainly learn from. Earning a starting role in the NFL for multiple seasons out of a Division II school such as Lenior Rhyne is no easy task.
Why it would be a surprise:
Dugger would have never been on this list at the start of the season. He’s been one of the best players on one of the team’s strongest units for years.
Seeing him slip in the depth chart the last few days has been shocking.
The Patriots have made a significant investment in Dugger. He’s been a building block during tough times.
Ja’Lynn Polk
The case for the cut: Polk had offseason shoulder surgery, was hurt during most of training camp, and got hurt again during the preseason game.
We haven’t seen much of him this summer, and his rookie year was unremarkable. He had 12 catches for 87 yards. He has popped with a few nice catches during this training camp, but nothing that would make him a lock to make the roster.
The Patriots’ wide-receiver room is crowded. Stefon Diggs, Kayshon Boutte, DeMario Douglas, Kyle Williams and Mack Hollins look like they all are in a strong position to make the team.
There’s only another spot or two left, depending on what the Patriots decide to do. Javon Baker has been establishing a role as a gunner on special teams, which Vrabel called “fantastic” for his development. Undrafted rookie Efton Chism has made some noise. Kendrick Bourne is an established veteran and has been one of New England’s most productive receivers over the past few seasons.
The Patriots will have some tough decisions to make at that spot.
The case against the cut: The Patriots must’ve seen something in Polk to make them draft him No. 37 overall in the second-round last year.
They’ve committed to improving the receiver situation, and at age 23 there’s still room for Polk to improve and develop into a weapon for Drake Maye.
He was a high draft pick, and wasting too many top-40 picks is never good for a franchise.
Why it would be a surprise: Cutting a player taken near the top of the second-round, especially when he plays a position that has been a weak spot for the team in the past couple years, could be viewed as wasteful.
At some point, this team needs to figure out how to hit on receivers in the draft. It’s been a long time since they drafted and developed a quality receiver. Jakobi Meyers, whom the Patriots will see Week 1 with the Raiders, comes to mind as the most recent one.
Jahlani Tavai
The case for the cut: Vrabel seems to have brought in his own guys at the linebacker spots. Robert Spillane, Harold Landry, and Jack Gibbens played for him in Tennessee. They know his expectations and what their fit in the scheme is.
Although Tavai has been productive for the Patriots over the last few years, the new coaching staff doesn’t have previous experience with him.
He had a bumpy start to his career in Detroit, which ultimately led to him getting cut. The Patriots took a chance on him, but that was during a past regime.
Tavai has also dealt with a calf injury that has limited him during training camp.
The case against the cut: Tavai makes tackles. He’s had at least 110 of them over the past two seasons after signing with the Patriots.
He’s also durable. He has played in every single game since joining the team.
He’s not that expensive. The Patriots signed him to a three-year deal worth up to $15 million.
He’s consistent, having established a role here under two previous regimes.
Why it would be a surprise: Cutting your leading tackler in back-to-back years could be a dicey move for any franchise, but it’s exactly what the Patriots would be doing if they cut Tavai. They released Ja’Whaun Bentley last year.
Kendrick Bourne
The case for the cut: Injuries have been an issue recently, with Bourne missing 14 games over the past two seasons.
At age 30, he’s one of the Patriots’ older receivers, and the team might opt to develop Baker or Chism instead of hanging on to the veteran.
He hasn’t topped 450 yards in a season since 2021, although he was on-pace for what could have been his best season in 2023 before a torn ACL ended his season halfway through.
The case against the cut: He’s an established veteran, a respected locker room guy, and he has flashed bursts of productivity.
He had a career-high 800 yards and five touchdowns in Josh McDaniels’s offense in 2021. He was the Patriots’ best receiver in 2023 before his injury.
He’s familiar with the offensive coordinator, and he adds a mature presence to a relatively young position group.
Why it would be a surprise: The Patriots have overhauled this position group, but Bourne has been productive when he has been healthy.
Unlike many of the players he is competing with, Bourne has shown that he can produce in NFL games.
The question is: How consistent can he be in 2025?
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