Unlikely Patriots Camp Star Demanding Roster Spot With Strong Play

Sixth-year OLB Oshane Ximines continued his stellar summer with an excellent practice on Tuesday seemingly demanding a roster spot by standing out as one of the New England Patriots' better edge rushers during training camp.

The former third-round pick was one of New England's stars during their Preseason Week 1 victory over the Carolina Panthers, recording four tackles and a sack. He helped create two more sacks and drew a hold on Tuesday, proving the point he deserves to make New England's final 53-man group.

For an organization dealing with uncertainty at the position surrounding Matthew Judon's contract saga, Ximines represents a potential diamond in the rough.

Patriots OLB Oshane Ximines Pushing for Roster Spot

Ximines is still fighting an uphill battle to make the team, yet his strong play could leave the Patriots no choice.

He spent the first five years of his career with the New York Giants, compiling 4.5 sacks during a promising rookie season but failing to reach those heights again, playing in only three games in 2023 partly due to injury.

Some of that ineffectiveness can be blamed on the Giants' organization too. Teams routinely target former high draft picks to see if that exciting skillset could translate positively in a different environment. Ximines' excellent work on special teams increases his chances to earn a roster spot.

A star at Old Dominion in college, Ximines notched a spectacular 33 sacks over a five-year career, including a dozen and 18.5 tackles for loss during his final season.

Teams like the Patriots must find hidden gems to accelerate the rebuilding process. There's a long way to go until the final cut day but as of now, it's getting difficult to argue that Ximines shouldn't factor into the organization's 2024 plans and beyond.

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