The New England Patriots will have a few interesting roster position battles going into training camp, which will have these 5 players looking over their shoulder.
For the first time in two decades, the quarterback position will be a roster position battle to watch for the New England Patriots going into the 2020 NFL season.
With Tom Brady taking his talents to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Patriots will have a major question mark to solve. Will it be second-year quarterback Jarrett Stidham, journeyman veteran Brian Hoyer or someone else under center?
Definitely a major storyline going into camp, but that is not the only roster battle to watch.
There are other position battles that are wide open due to other key departures. Some of those battles could have some veterans looking over their shoulder just to make the 55-man roster.
Of course, when it comes to Bill Belichick and his roster building skills, one never knows what direction he will go at any position. Player salary and age sometimes factors into his decisions.
Many times, those are actually the factors with surprise cuts prior to a season. We all remember the Lawyer Milloy release prior to the 2003 season and the shocking trade of Logan Mankins prior to the 2014 NFL season, both were influenced by contract negotiations.
Besides offensive lineman Joe Thuney and potentially a player like Dont’a Hightower not restructuring his contract, not many players fall under that category. Therefore, any surprise cuts will be based on performance.
So, in taking a look at the roster as currently constructed, here are five veteran players on the early roster bubble for the New England Patriots prior to 2020 training camp activities.
Can Derek Rivers give New England Patriots a valued edge?
With just one sack in his NFL career, New England Patriots third-year linebacker Derek Rivers is looking to stay healthy enough to finally make some sort of impact on a team that believed that he was an undervalued treasure when they selected him in the 2017 NFL Draft.
Viewed as a talented pass rusher out of Youngstown State, the former third-round pick has been hampered with injuries his first three seasons. Not only did he miss his entire rookie season, he also missed the 2019 NFL campaign with a right knee injury.
More from Chowder and Champions
- 3 Midseason Chaim Bloom Decisions That Have Killed the 2023 Red Sox
- 10 Patriots Who Will Be Cut by Tuesday’s Roster Deadline
- MLB Screws Red Sox Fans With Broadcast for Mookie Betts Return
- 3 Most Underpaid Celtics Heading Into the 2023 Season
- Red Sox Continue Rollercoaster Season With Massive Win
Combined with the left ACL tear he suffered in his rookie season, Derek Rivers is not only focused on getting back to full strength on the field, he is also looking to be a player who emerges for the New England Patriots.
With the loss of Kyle Van Noy to free agency, Rivers is one of a few players who will have an opportunity to shine in 2020, but he is also a player who will have to battle just to make the team because of those injuries.
Can Derek Rivers bring value to the edge as a linebacker?
There are a lot of young players he will be competing with, including 2020 rookie linebackers John Uche and Anfernee Jennings.
There are also veterans like Brandon Copeland, Tashwan Bower and Shilique Calhoun who Rivers would have to leap over to show Bill Belichick that he is both ready and healthy to be the player the New England Patriots drafted back in 2017.
Can Rex Burkhead give the New England Patriots a full season?
The question always surrounding veteran running back Rex Burkhead is whether he will stay healthy for an entire season.
We all know when health Burkhead gives the New England Patriots a duel threat out of the backfield. Not only can he run the ball between the tackles, he is a viable pass-catching option out of the backfield.
The only problem is Burkhead has spent more time on the injured list than actually on the field since the Patriots signed him.
With 2019 third-round pick Damien Harris ready to emerge in 2020, Burkhead could be looking over his shoulder just to make the team. Along with his special teams contributions and the latest question marks surrounding Sony Michel, Rex Burkhead may be more of a short bet before training camp.
However, if he can’t get through camp and/or the preseason without injury, the Patriots may give some serious through to breaking ties with Burkhead, especially if Damien Harris or undrafted rookie J.J. Taylor make a greater impact.
So, as usual with Rex Burkhead, it will come down to his health.
Will Brandon Bolden remain a New England Patriots key special teamer?
If Sony Michel has any kind of setback that enables him from starting the 2020 NFL season, New England Patriots running back and special teamer Brandon Bolden should have a roster spot set.
However, a roster spot is seemingly never set in stone for Bolden even though he appears to be a Bill Belichick favorite.
Through both the draft and free agency, Belichick has brought in players capable of playing special teams. That could make the versatile Bolden expendable if another player emerges at the running back position.
Like Rex Burkhead, Bolden’s role could be impacted by the emergence of power back Damien Harris, especially if Michel is healthy.
Fullback Danny Vitale and what he can possibly bring to the table will also influence any role Brandon Bolden may have in 2020.
With NFL rosters expanding to 55 players, Bolden’s best chance to make the New England Patriots roster will be on special teams where he could be in the running to be the team’s kickoff returner. However, there are also players like wide receiver Damiere Byrd, second-round pick Kyle Dugger and undrafted rookie running back J.J. Taylor who could factor in there as well.
In all, it’s going to be an uphill battle once again for Brandon Bolden.
New England Patriots tight end Matt LaCosse has major competition.
If veteran tight end Matt LaCosse had any kind of season in 2019, he may be a lock to make the roster in 2020.
But, due to both injury and ineffectiveness in his first season with the New England Patriots, LaCosse is certainly not a lock given the team drafted a pair of talented tight end in the 2020 NFL Draft.
More from New England Patriots
- Former Patriot Stevan Ridley Put Kevin Hart in a Wheelchair
- 3 Patriots Who Can Clinch a Roster Spot in Final Preseason Game
- Patriots Get Win Over Division Rivals Before Season Even Begins
- New Massachusetts Sportsbook Promos: $450 Bonus to Bet on Your Patriots at Caesars + DraftKings
- Ezekiel Elliott Reveals 3 Reasons Why He Signed With Patriots
Both Dalton Keene and UCLA product Devin Asiasi will be the tight ends everyone will be looking at in training camp, but LaCosse and third-year tight end Ryan Izzo are the tight ends with the experience in the system, which will give them the upper hand to start.
With just 13 receptions for 131 yards, Matt LaCosse will have to show a lot as a pass catching tight end if either Keene or Asiasi show flashes prior to the season.
The Patriots would likely keep a veteran around. Unless they sign another tight end or trade for one, Matt LaCosse could be kept around another season, but that is not a guarantee given his injury issues in 2019 and his inability to break through as a pass-catching option when Tom Brady was under center.
In all, it would be a huge surprise if LaCosse was on the New England Patriots 2020 NFL roster.
Time for Deatrich Wise to shine for the New England Patriots.
Coming into the 2019 NFL season with 9.5 career sacks, New England Patriots defensive end Deatrich Wise was a player looked to breakout as a defensive star after a solid rookie and second season in the NFL.
But, in his third season, Wise took somewhat of a step back as he recorded just two sacks and at times looked out of place on the field.
Part of that was due to the depth the Patriots had in 2019 along the defensive line. With Kyle Van Noy, John Simon, Jamie Collins, Lawrence Guy, Chase Winovich and Adam Butler, Wise didn’t have a lot of pressure on him last season, but in 2020 there will be more expectations on him to become a consistent pass rusher for the Patriots.
With more experience than Derek Rivers, Deatrich Wise will have a role that is his to lose, but a player like Butler, Byron Cowart or even undrafted rookie Nick Coe could put pressure on Wise at the right defensive end position.
So, while Deatrich Wise can certainly break out as a starter for the New England Patriots in 2020, he could also be a player the team parts ways with if one or more of the players mentioned above emerges.