3 Patriots Who've Locked Up a Roster Spot Before Preseason Finale

With one preseason game left to be played, the New England Patriots roster for the 2024 season is starting to come into focus. Although, at the time of this post being written, we don't yet know who will be the starting quarterback, there are plenty of other roster battles that have been taking place over the course of the last handful of months.

Which players entered training camp and preseason games on the roster bubble, and may have already locked up spots before the final exhibition contest?

Let's take a look at a handful of names who have been rather impressive and could already have their spots solidified.

1. Joey Slye, kicker

This may not have been the ideal outcome to the kicking competition, but getting someone who can -- you know -- make kicks was the primary goal. In an ideal world, the Patriots would have been able to continue forward with Chad Ryland, who was selected by the team in the fourth round of last year's draft.

The fourth round...

You don't take specialists that high in the NFL Draft with the idea that they're going to get cut the very next year. But Joey Slye, who has a big leg, has come in and done a pretty good job. He likely solidified his 53-man roster spot with the performance we saw against the Philadelphia Eagles where he hit kicks from 51 yards out as well as 45 yards out.

And so, it'll be the veteran Slye kicking for the Patriots this year. His career field goal percentage over 82 percent will feel like a gift from the football gods after what the Patriots fan base had to endure last season when Chad Ryland made just 64 percent of his kicks overall.