Every NFL offseason, jobs are won and lost in the summer.
It’s in training camp and the preseason where players battle for spots on a team’s 53-man roster and practice squad. What begins as a 90-man roster is quickly trimmed to 53 players on cutdown day, which is next Tuesday.
For Patriots bubble players, Thursday night against the New York Giants was one of the last opportunities to earn a role on Mike Vrabel’s team. The end result wasn’t pretty – the Patriots lost 42-10.
In this game, there were a few bright spots, but there were also a handful of players who didn’t help their cause. Here’s a look at who’s trending up and who’s trending down with cut-down day coming up soon.
Trending up
Kyle Dugger
Dugger has been surprisingly buried on the Patriots’ depth chart this summer, playing behind Jabrill Peppers, Jaylinn Hawkins, and Craig Woodson. On Thursday night, he was once again on the field with the bubble players.
However, Dugger stood out. In the first series he played, in the second quarter, the veteran safety notched an interception, a pass breakup, and three tackles.
Dugger played in the second half with a group of players on the bubble. If he isn’t long for New England, he probably helped his trade value.
Jack Gibbens
In Tennessee, Gibbens earned the nickname ‘Doctor’ from Mike Vrabel for being so smart. That’s why it wasn’t a surprise when he signed with the Patriots this offseason. On Thursday, he had a good showing against the Giants.
Gibbens recorded a sack, three solo tackles (one for a loss), and nearly forced a fumble. The linebacker hit Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart, jarring the ball loose. Jabrill Peppers recovered, but the play was negated due to a penalty.
Parker Romo
In the spring, it looked like Andy Borregales would run away with the kicker competition as he was more consistent than Parker Romo. This summer, however, the veteran has outperformed the rookie.
On Thursday night, Borregales missed a 49-yard field goal at 3:28 of the first quarter. That marked his second miss of the preseason after missing a 57-yard attempt in Minnesota. Borregales hit a 30-yard attempt in New England, bringing his preseason total to 3-of-5. The sixth-round pick also hit an extra point.
Romo got the night off in New York. That feels like a good sign. Romo went 2-of-2 this preseason, hitting a long of 57 yards.
Trending down
Javon Baker
Baker didn’t have a bad training camp. The second-year receiver made a series of highlight plays in practice. In the preseason, he made an impact on special teams. His ability as a gunner showed Thursday when he helped force a muffed punt that the Patriots recovered.
However, as a receiver, Baker didn’t do much. He caught one of seven passes last week in Minnesota. On Thursday, he dropped his first target and was later called for offensive pass interference.
2024 Patriots draft class
It’s been a rough offseason for the Patriots 2024 draft class outside of Drake Maye.
Their second-round pick, Ja’Lynn Polk, is headed for the injured reserve due to a shoulder injury. Third-rounder Caedan Wallace was shifted from tackle to guard and, on Thursday night, played alongside a group of players likely to be cut — Demontrey Jacobs, Mehki Butler, Alec Lindstrom, and Jack Conley.
That group included fourth-round pick Layden Robinson. He started 11 games as a rookie and has been on the third-string unit this offseason. The other fourth-round pick, Baker (mentioned above), had fewer catches than Jeremiah Webb, John Jiles, and Phil Lutz, who was signed three days ago.
Sixth-round pick Marcellus Dial is out for the season. The other sixth-rounder, Joe Milton, was traded. Seventh-round pick Jaheim Bell is playing behind Jack Westover (an undrafted player from 2024) and Cole Frotheringham.
Cole Strange
Strange started the offseason as the favorite for the team’s starting left guard. He was passed in training camp by Jared Wilson – and then on the depth chart by Ben Brown.
On Thursday, Strange played into the second half with most of the third-string players. The former first-round pick was also called for a hold on the 1-yard line. The Patriots weren’t able to convert and settled for a field goal. Strange has versatility, but is on the bubble.
Patriots backup cornerbacks
After Marcellus Dial went on the injured reserve, there was more opportunity for a Patriots cornerback to make it on this roster. On Thursday night, most of the candidates struggled.
In the first half, cornerbacks Miles Battles and Kobee Minor both allowed touchdown receptions. Cornerback Jordan Polk, who had played well this summer, was flagged twice for defensive holding. One penalty negated a fumble recovery for the Patriots. The other negated a pass breakup on fourth down.
The Patriots could keep five cornerbacks – Christian Gonzalez, Carlton Davis, Marcus Jones, Alex Austin, and D.J. James.
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