5 Patriots Veterans Who Will Be Training Camp Cuts
By Tyler Maher
New England Patriots training camp starts next week and many of the team’s positions are still up for grabs. That means there will be no shortage of players competing for roster spots over the next few weeks.
Bill Belichick is no stranger to making hard cuts at this stage in his career, even when it comes to established veterans. He’s always believed in letting logic rather than sentimentality or expectations guide him, which means nobody’s job is safe.
That’s particularly true this year, as New England has very little margin for error in a loaded AFC East. Belichick needs to squeeze every ounce of value he can from his roster and can’t afford to carry any dead weight, especially with his team favored at -300 to miss the playoffs on DraftKings Sportsbook.
With that in mind, here are five Patriots players who could end up being cut in training camp.
5 Patriots Veterans Who Will Be Training Camp Cuts
Jack Jones, CB
Jones is on thin ice after getting caught with two loaded weapons at Logan Airport in Boston back in June. He pleaded not guilty to nine counts of weapons violations and is due back in court in August. If he’s found guilty, the Patriots will have no choice but to cut ties with the second-year cornerback. Even if he isn’t, the team may still release him to avoid any potential headaches down the road.
Nick Folk, K
Folk’s been great during his four seasons with the Patriots, but he started to slip a bit towards the end of last year, missing 3 extra points during the final three games of the season. He’s 38 now, so it might be time for New England to move on. The Patriots just drafted a kicker (Chad Ryland) in the fourth round, which suggests he’s going to be the kicker of the future for New England. With a younger and cheaper replacement option now in place, Folk’s job is on the line.
Trent Brown, OT
Brown’s recent performance has put his job in jeopardy heading into 2023. Not only did his level of play slip in the second half of last season, but he also missed minicamp earlier this year and does not appear to be seriously committed to the team. Throw in his age (30) and recent injury history, and it could be time to move on from the former Super Bowl champ if he doesn’t redeem himself during training camp.
Kendrick Bourne, WR
Bourne was one of the team’s biggest disappointments last year, tallying just 435 receiving yards and 1 touchdown on 35 catches despite appearing in 16 games. He clearly didn’t mesh with New England’s offense last year and now runs the risk of losing snaps to younger wideouts like Tyquan Thornton, Demario Douglas and Kayshon Boutte, not to mention JuJu Smith-Schuster. If Bourne doesn’t prove he can be a consistent contributor on offense, then it might be time to cut bait.
Kevin Harris, RB
If the Patriots end up signing Dalvin Cook, there probably won’t be room for Harris in the backfield alongside Rhamondre Stevenson and Pierre Strong. He struggled in limited action as a rookie last year, averaging just 2.9 yards per carry on 18 rushing attempts. It certainly wasn’t a great first impression, and bringing in Cook would make him expendable.
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