New England Patriots players are set to report to training camp on July 28, along with most other teams in the league.
Looking down the roster, the Patriots appear to be set at most starting positions. The majority of the team is returning from 2019 and the few spots that opened up will have some competition between rookies and veterans to determine who wins the job.
In just over a month’s time, the 90-man roster will be trimmed down to the 53 guys who will start the season in New England. While some players’ jobs are secure, these seven players are fighting for the opportunity to remain with the Patriots.
Jakobi Meyers
The former NC State receiver had an impressive preseason showing with Jarrett Stidham in his rookie year. While he didn’t put up incredible numbers (26 receptions for 359 yards) in the regular season, Meyers was able to get some looks from Tom Brady.
With new quarterbacks up for the job in Cam Newton and Stidham, Meyers may be able to earn himself a job on the team again this year. However, to do it, he’ll likely have to beat out Marquis Lee and either Damiere Byrd or Gunner Olszewski.
Matt LaCosse
New England took advantage of the draft to restock their tight end position, taking Dalton Keene and Devin Asiasi in the third round. These moves put a guy like LaCosse in a tough position to keep his spot on the 53-man roster.
In the 2019 season, his first in New England, LaCosse put up only 13 receptions for 131 yards and a touchdown. Injuries kept the tight end out of a lot of games and slowed him down in those he did appear in. He can’t have another slow start if he wants to make the team.
Jermaine Eluemunor
The Patriots acquired Eluemunor and a sixth-round pick from the Baltimore Ravens in exchange for a fourth-round pick right before the 2019 preseason finale. Without much time to learn the system, Eluemunor made the roster, but wasn’t able to contribute in his first year with New England.
Now, with a full season in the system, Eluemunor has a bit of a head start on some other depth pieces on the offensive line. However, 2019 draft pick Hjalte Froholdt and 2020 draft pick Michael Onwenu could give Eluemunor a strong run for his roster spot.
The $2.133 million the Patriots could save with the release of Eluemunor could also be a reason to make a move as well.
Byron Cowart
The Patriots selected Cowart in the fifth round of the 2019 draft as a potential boom-or-bust type player. The Maryland product was once the nation’s top recruit entering college, according to Rivals.com. Bill Belichick took a chance on a guy that might be able to find that dominant ability again.
However, Cowart’s rookie season was what you may expect from a fifth-round selection. He played only four percent of the defensive snaps, as he missed time with multiple injuries throughout the season and was a healthy scratch at times. If Cowart wants to make the team and see time on the field, he has a lot to prove.
Deatrich Wise Jr.
Wise can still be a really solid player in the NFL. However, the Patriots seemed to switch to a base 3-4 defense in 2019. This resulted in Wise missing time last year as a healthy scratch. He doesn’t fit as a defensive end or outside linebacker in a 3-4 system.
If New England continues to implement this strategy, Wise could be a trade candidate before the roster cutdown. A team will absolutely pick him up right away, so Belichick and company might as well get something for him even if it’s a late-round pick.
Derek Rivers
Despite being a third-round pick, Rivers was the first player taken by the Patriots in the 2017 draft. A torn ACL ended the defensive end’s rookie season in training camp. He was a healthy scratch through most of 2018 and spent all of 2019 on injured reserve.
So, this year is Rivers’ final chance to show the type of player many thought he could be coming out of Youngstown State. With young pass-rushers like Brandon Uche and Anfernee Jennings finding themselves in the mix, the switch to the 3-4 could end Rivers’ time in New England as well.
Brandon King
King has been a special teams staple for a few years in New England. For a stretch, it felt like it was either King or Matthew Slater making every single tackle on kick or punt coverage.
Last year, King missed the entirety of the season due to a torn quad that he suffered in the preseason. Since his injury, the Patriots have signed and traded for many special teams contributors including Justin Bethel, Adrian Phillips and Cody Davis. The hybrid-linebacker will have to beat out at least one of them and others at depth positions to earn a spot on the 2020 roster.
