6 Patriots on the Roster Bubble Heading Into Preseason Finale

The New England Patriots have made some massive changes over the last couple of weeks, coming on the heels of an offseason that was already loaded with change.

The departure of Bill Belichick is already feeling like old news as the Patriots said goodbye to 2023 big-money free agent receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster (who still hasn't been signed) and more recently, they traded away former big-money edge rusher Matthew Judon to the Atlanta Falcons.

Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo is sending a clear message: He wants players who want to be Patriots. Plain and simple. And if players aren't falling in line with the culture and vision, they are going to be gone. There will be plenty more change in the coming weeks as the preseason is already winding down for New England. Which players are firmly on the roster bubble as those decisions are about to get made?

1. Marco Wilson, cornerback

One player who has certainly played well enough to be considered on the roster bubble, at the very least, is cornerback Marco Wilson. Wilson was once a fourth-round pick of the Arizona Cardinals and there could be an intriguing roster discussion over him and 2024 rookie Marcellas Dial for the Patriots happening internally.

Wilson is as good as it gets when it comes to athletic traits and speed, and you can't discount the fact that he was a fourth-round pick as recently as the 2021 NFL Draft.

The Patriots will have some difficult decisions to make in the defensive backfield, but Wilson might be forcing his way onto this roster despite being sort of a back-end flyer type of player. Wilson even said recently that he believes the fresh start he got in New England represented a "real" start to his NFL journey. He may have found a home in New England, but the last preseason game could be telling.