6 Patriots on the Chopping Block After 2024 Minicamp

The New England Patriots are diving headfirst into a new era for the franchise in 2024 with head coach Jerod Mayo leading the way and Drake Maye waiting to eventually take over as the team's franchise quarterback. Although the Patriots aren't considered a powerhouse in the NFL right now, it's still going to be tough for guys to make this roster with new players coming in and stepping up every single offseason.

Now that the team has finished up mandatory minicamp, which players stood out and which ones didn't? Who could ultimately be on the chopping block at the conclusion of minicamp?

Let's take a look at a handful of names of players who are going to need a big training camp and preseason in order to stick on the final 53-man roster.

1. Chad Ryland, Kicker

How is young kicker Chad Ryland going to be responding to the pressure of competition this offseason?

The fourth-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft did not have a great rookie season, but anytime you draft a kicker (at all, much less in the fourth round), you're likely going to cling to that investment as long as you possibly can. The Patriots took their lumps with Ryland last year but no matter a kicker's draft status, if a guy is costing you a chance to win close games, it can't be tolerated.

Joey Slye was brought in to compete with Ryland this offseason, and as of mandatory minicamp, it doesn't sound like Ryland was pulling away from him by any means. After ranking dead last in field goal percentage last year (64 percent), Ryland needs to start stacking the days immediately at training camp and make his opportunities count in the preseason as well.