It feels like the NFL offseason just started yesterday, but the final days of August mean that the regular season is right around the corner. The Patriots have one final exhibition game remaining as they’re scheduled to pay a visit to the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium this Friday.
All eyes will be on the Pats to see if they can head into the 2023 NFL season with some momentum. After opening the exhibition slate with a loss, they managed to secure a 21-17 win over the Green Bay Packers this past weekend.
Although the preseason finale is relatively meaningless, it’s important to bubble players as it’s their final opportunity to crack the 53-man roster. If certain players don’t deliver this weekend, they could be in for a season-long ride on the ‘Practice Squad Express’ or even lose their jobs altogether.
Here’s a look at three Patriots who can clinch a roster spot in Friday’s preseason finale.
3 Patriots Roster Projections
1. Sidy Sow, OT
Sidy Sow is one Patriot who’s been making noise throughout the offseason. The offensive tackle — taken 117th overall in April — began training camp in a reserve role, but his play in practice quickly saw him in competition for a starting job.
Sow looked like he was on his way to being a 53-man lock when he played 88.5% of offensive snaps in the preseason opener against the Houston Texans. His performance was also impressive, especially how he handled 2023 third-overall pick Will Anderson Jr.
#Patriots 4th rd pick Sidy Sow playing right tackle matched up against 3rd overall pick Will Anderson five times in pass protection and did not lose a rep
— Louie Benjamin (@PFF_Louie) August 13, 2023
Unfortunately, Sow didn’t do a good job of following up on that performance when he faced the Packers. He looked out of place at times throughout the night, even surrendering a sack. It likely has to do with the fact that he hasn’t been an everyday tackle since his high school days.
Sow can’t afford another lackluster performance on Saturday night if he wants to make his case to Bill Belichick. The Titans were a middle-of-the-pack team when it came to the pass rush last season, so there’s no excuse for the 25-year-old not to stand his ground at Nissan Stadium.
If he looks more like he did in the first preseason game, chances are Sow will have a job protecting Mac Jones this fall.
2. Kayshon Boutte, WR
Sow isn’t the only rookie who’s been impressing the New England coaching staff and fans alike this summer. Wide receiver Kayshon Boute — Round 6, 187th overall — has also turned heads recently.
Boutte didn’t exactly impress in the preseason opener, but he bounced back against the Packers by turning a pair of catches into 49 receiving yards and a touchdown.
The moment that grabbed the football world’s attention was when backup quarterback Bailey Zappe connected with the rookie WR for an electric 42-yard TD pass in the second quarter’s dying minutes.
Kayshon to the 🏠
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) August 20, 2023
📺: @wbzsports pic.twitter.com/DRxRDAG82v
The hype around Boutte is certainly justified. As storied as the Patriots franchise is, management hasn’t exactly done a good job of drafting and developing wideouts. The fanbase has the right to be excited about an electric pass-catcher who looks like he can contribute despite being a sixth-round pick.
The thing is that Boutte must prove himself again Saturday night. While his last performance was impressive, he needs to convince Belichick & Co. that he’s more than a boom-or-bust player.
The silver lining is that fellow WR Tyquan Thornton is still week-to-week with a shoulder injury and could be sidelined to begin the new campaign. Boutte must take advantage of this situation by putting forth a performance that’s too impressive for the coaching staff to ignore.
3. Nick Folk, K
The pressure is on for Nick Folk to prove himself when he suits up for the Patriots this weekend.
The 38-year-old veteran kicker’s roster spot was put in jeopardy the second New England used a fourth-round pick to draft Chad Ryland out of Maryland earlier this year. If the Pats didn’t envision a future where Ryland plays a key role, chances are they wouldn’t have selected him.
Folk has enjoyed a solid career thus far, suiting up in 211 games across 15 seasons with a Pro Bowl appearance in 2007. Unfortunately, he isn’t exactly the kicker that he once was, highlighted by an 86.5% field-goal success rate and 9.1% touchback percentages in 2022 — both among the worst marks of his career.
He’s looked decent so far in the preseason, connecting on both extra-point attempts while also nailing a 44-yard field goal. At the same time, he’s going to need more than that to convince the Patriots that they should carry two kickers this year.
It doesn’t help that Folk’s contract is also working against him. The Pats can save $2.2 million by either cutting or trading him (per Spotrac) in favor of Ryland.
Long story short, Folk needs to have a terrific performance if he hopes to have a future in New England. If not, he better pray that one of the kicker-needy teams out there is desperate enough for his services.
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