The New England Patriots closed out preseason in embarrassing fashion, losing to the Giants, 42-10. Although the Patriots were able to make it a four-point game at halftime, the Giants dominated them the rest of the game.
Now, we’re only 16 days away from seeing the Patriots play a meaningful game. Before they can gameplan for the Raiders, the Patriots must make some difficult decisions and trim the active roster down to 53 players by 4:00 pm Tuesday.
After failing to secure a roster spot during training camp and preseason, we can expect these three players to be cut in the coming days.
1. Javon Baker, Wide Receiver
Javon Baker was selected by the Patriots in the fourth round of the 2024 draft. Entering a weak receiver room, Baker was expected to make an immediate impact.
However, Baker primarily played on special teams last year, managing only 90 snaps on offense, 39 of which came in the last game. Baker ended last season with only one catch on four targets for 12 yards.
In the offseason, the Patriots overhauled their coaching staff and made numerous additions to the offense, resulting in a crowded wide receiver room. With Baker entering camp towards the back of the depth chart, Baker needed to display progression.
While Baker received praise from head coach Mike Vrabel for his play on special teams, Baker was unable to have any noteworthy performances in practices and preseason. Through three preseason games, Baker recorded one reception on ten targets for 13 yards and three drops. Per PFF, Baker’s performance received a 33.7 overall grade.
His failure to display his contested catch ability from college ultimately sealed his fate. Unfortunately, Baker couldn’t live up to his self-imposed hype.
2. Andy Borregales, Kicker
The casual Patriots fan focused on the wide receiver and offensive line position battles, but they hardly glanced at the most important camp battle: the kicking job.
Andy Borregales and John Parker Romo have been going at it with one another since the start of OTAs. Borregales was expected to win the job quickly and had the advantage over Romo, as he was selected by the Patriots in the sixth round of this year’s draft.
He was one of the best kickers in college, as he was named First-team All-ACC the last two years, finishing his 2024 season 18 for 19 on his field goals, and hitting all 62 extra point attempts. Even with all the success he achieved in college, you have to earn it in the pros.
Romo proved just that this Summer, hitting 38 of 42 of his field goals, while Borregales made 42 of 49. In preseason, Romo nailed all his field goals and extra points, while Borregales made three of five, missing two field goals in consecutive games.
Mike Vrabel’s comment on Borregales' 49-yard miss last night likely sealed his tenure.
"We expect to make those kicks." - Vrabel on Andres Borregales, who missed a 49-yarder.
— Mike Giardi (@MikeGiardi) August 22, 2025
3. Cole Strange, Guard/Center
With the Patriots adding five offensive linemen in the offseason, Cole Strange knew his job was in jeopardy. Strange was a surprising first-round selection back in 2022, infamously shocking Sean McVay that he was picked so early.
After starting all 17 games at left guard his rookie year, Strange would only play a combined 12 games the next two seasons, missing time due to multiple injuries. Last year, he only played in the last two games, this time at center.
At the start of training camp, Strange was moved back to left guard, where he played with the first team. In just a few practices, however, rookie Jared Wilson would take over as the starting left guard, pushing Strange to the second team.
Since then, Strange has strictly been working with the second team, moving back and forth to left guard, center, and right guard. When Wilson went down last week with an injury, it was Ben Brown who replaced him at left guard, not Strange.
With Wilson and Brown’s emergence, it has opened the door to moving on from Strange. The Patriots tried Strange out at three different positions, and he has failed to flourish anywhere on the line.
Unfortunately, it couldn’t work out in New England, as Strange displayed no reason to keep him. While it could be useful to retain him as a backup, he’s in the final year of his contract, and the Patriots weren’t going to re-sign him.