Patriots Make Cuts, Finalize 53-Man Roster

It’s a sad day among fringe NFL players, every year dreams are made and shattered. On NFL cut-down day, the Patriots have some tough decisions to make regarding their final roster. We’ve seen pre-season stars come and go watching this team. But it doesn’t get easier to make those decisions. Thankfully, the Patriots have Bill Belichick to do that for them. They didn’t call him “Doom” during his tenure with the Giants for nothing!

Those decisions have been made as of 4 PM EST. Let’s go over who didn’t make the cut, then run through the final 53-man roster the Patriots will be showcasing in a week and a half when they take on the Miami Dolphins.

Tight End Devin Asiasi

After getting drafted by New England in the third round along with Dalton Keene in 2020, the Patriots parted ways with both Asiasi and Keene this training camp. The UCLA product didn’t do much with his snaps in Foxboro, catching two passes for 39 yards and a score. All coming in the same game, the 2020 season finale against the Jets. He didn’t record a single statistic in 2021. With Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith ahead of him, Asiasi was a far cry to make the 53-man.

CB Terrance Mitchell

Both veteran additions of the 2022 free agency class have been released by the Patriots. First Malcolm Butler last week on an injury settlement. Now Terrance Mitchell, who was signed from the Houston Texans back in March. Their cornerback room was already thin, it gets even thinner with this transaction. Rookies Jack Jones, Marcus Jones, and second-year player Shaun Wade will be called upon to step up.

LB Harvey Langi

If you’ve never heard of Langi until now, I wouldn’t blame you. His presence on the Patriots wasn’t all that productive. Playing one game for New England in 2017. He was on the Jets in 2019 and 2020 before returning to Foxboro in 2021 and playing in seven games. He racked up just four tackles in his time with the Pats. Not a monumental decision by any means.

OL Drew Desjarlais

Another low-impact guy for New England. Desjarlais was signed back in January from the Canadian Football league and wasn’t a huge presence for the Patriots this past pre-season. With plenty of offensive line depth on this team, the team probably won’t be hurt too much by this transaction.

RB Kevin Harris

This cut comes as a bit of a surprise. The Patriots drafted two running backs in the 2022 NFL Draft. Pierre Strong of UCLA, and Kevin Harris from South Carolina. Harris didn’t show much promise through camp or the preseason until the final game. Even then he committed the Belichickian sin of losing a fumble. I think this is a player to look at for the practice squad when today is all said and done. This bodes well for the chances of Pierre Strong and Ty Montgomery to make the final roster.

OL Arlington Hambright

Like Desjarlais, Hambright was another depth piece that just fell short of the roster. He had a hot start to camp, but it was tough sledding the rest of the way. We’ll see if he’s a practice squad candidate when cut-down day comes and goes.

DL Henry Anderson

Henry Anderson hasn’t panned out how the Patriots would’ve hoped. After signing in New England in 2021, he racked up just three tackles in one year. Belichick wipes his hands clean of this one and looks to his other talent on the defensive line to provide what Anderson couldn’t.

Correction: ESPN’s Field Yates reported that Anderson (as well as Kristian Wilkerson) was placed on injured reserve. Not released.

DB Justin Bethel

Bethel was a special teams ace alongside Matthew Slater since joining the team in 2020. But it seems as though the Patriots are moving on to a younger option as they cut the 32-year-old veteran. He’ll have a market elsewhere if he chooses to continue his NFL career.

RB J.J. Taylor

Many will say this is a surprise cut, but Taylor was a long shot to make this roster the whole time. He was stuck in a loaded running back room that didn’t have much wiggle room. He’d have to explode to beat out all of the talents ahead of him and carve a roster spot. That explosion didn’t happen, so he got waived. Maybe we see a practice squad spot for him, or a team sees something the Patriots didn’t get out of him.

OL Will Sherman

Sherman just never found his footing in New England. The 2021 sixth-round pick wasn’t ever going to be a starter on this line, but he never showed too much promise as a backup either. Maybe a practice squad candidate, but the Patriots continue to trim down their offensive line depth.

WR Josh Hammond

Hammond was always the low man in the Patriots’ receiving corps. He never really popped during camp or pre-season and now makes room for others to make the roster.

LB Nate Wieland

More depth is being trimmed. Wieland was signed as a camp body just ahead of the preseason and just didn’t make the cut. Plenty of young linebackers in this room, Wieland was just the odd man out with Langi.

DT Jeremiah Phams Jr.

The former USFL star was given a shot this preseason to make the NFL with the Patriots. Phams didn’t do all that much to help his case. New England has a deep roster at the defensive line, with lots of young players that are intriguing. Phams could sign with another NFL roster, but the USFL will happily take him back I would imagine.

LB Cameron McGrone

This cut comes as a bit of a surprise. McGrone was drafted as a fourth-round selection in the 2021 NFL Draft. He missed all of last year with a torn ACL but he looked like he might fit well with New England in the time we saw him. McGrone seems to be the victim of a numbers game sitting behind Ja’Whaun Bentley, Mack Wilson, and Raekwon McMillan. He’ll be a perfect practice squad if he doesn’t get scooped up.

OL/DL Bill Murray

Bill Murray changed positions this past off-season to hopefully find a spot for the Patriots this training camp. Murray is a practice squad candidate because of how familiar he is with the Patriots system. As well as his versatility being able to play both sides of the ball.

WR Tre Nixon

Nixon was a breakout candidate at the beginning of camp. Turning some heads and garnering some attention. Unfortunately, he couldn’t carry that momentum deeper into camp and preseason. Nixon could be a prime practice squad candidate if he clears waivers.

WR Lil’Jordan Humphrey

The Patriots have cleaned house on their wide reciever room. Essentially none of the young players they had their eye on made the roster with Humphrey, Nixon, and Hammond all being released. Humphrey was a standout in the first two exhibition games and could also be a practice squad candidate. However I think he’ll see some other bids from fellow NFL teams.

OL Kody Russey

More offensive line depth. He is a strong practice squad candidate because of the lack of depth at that center spot. All signs point towards that being the future for Russey. He had a solid camp, there might be something there.

DT LaBryan Ray

Another depth piece that didn’t make the biggest impact with his chances. Maybe another practice squad candidate for New England? We’ll see. But the Patriots have all but finalized their defensive tackle depth.

DB Brad Hawkins

The Patriots had a ton of depth at the safety position already. Kyle Dugger, Jabrill Peppers, Devin McCourty, and Adrian Phillips are a hard crew to carve a role out of. Hawkins had the deck against him, and now he’ll hope for a practice squad position.

TE Matt Sokol

After releasing Asiasi and Keene, the third tight end spot is up for grabs. I guess Sokol didn’t prove himself in camp enough to really take that spot for himself. He’s bounced around a little bit in the early part of his career. Not sure if he’s a real practice squad player. Although, tight end could eventually be a need for the Pats if Hunter Henry or Jonnu Smith go down.

TE Jaylen Wydermeyer

After being released by the Buffalo Bills, the Patriots were quick to scoop up Wydermeyer to compete for the third tight end job. Unfortunately, he was released as well with Asiasi and Sokol today. Although, Wydermeyer is still 21-years-old, he could be a practice squad candidate.

K Tristan Vizcaino

As good as Nick Folk is, he isn’t getting any younger. New England is going to have to address the kicker position at some point. Names like Justin Rohrwasser, Quinn Nordin, and Vizcaino have come and gone. Looks like it will be at least another year of Folk in Foxboro. Not that any of us are complaining. He’s been one of the league’s most accurate kickers since joining up in 2019.

Final 53-Man Roster

• QBs: Mac Jones, Brian Hoyer, Bailey Zappe
• RBs: Damien Harris, Rhamondre Stevenson, Pierre Strong, Ty Montgomery
• WRs: Jakobi Meyers, DeVante Parker, Kendrick Bourne, Nelson Agholor, Tyquan Thornton
• TEs: Hunter Henry, Jonnu Smith
• OL: Trent Brown, Cole Strange, Isaiah Wynn, Yodny Cajuste, Justin Herron, Chasen Hines
• DL: Davon Godchaux, Lawrence Guy, Christian Barmore, Deatrich Wise Jr, DaMarcus Mitchell, Carl Davis Jr, Sam Roberts
• LBs: Matthew Judon, Ja’Whaun Bentley, Raekwon McMillan, Mack Wilson, Josh Uche, Anfernee Jennings, Jahlani Tavai
• CBs: Jalen Mills, Jonathan Jones, Myles Bryant, Marcus Jones, Jack Jones, Shaun Wade
• S: Devin McCourty, Adrian Phillips, Kyle Dugger, Jabrill Peppers, Joshua Bledsoe
• ST: Nick Folk, Jake Bailey, Joe Cardona, Matthew Slater, Cody Davis, Brenden Schooler.

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