FOXBOROUGH — The Patriots have a number of players battling for a spot on the roster once it has to be reduced to 53 players later this month.
Performances in joint practices and preseason games likely carry more weight than a generic practice, so Thursday was a big night for a number of players.
There are several positions that figure to have decisions that will come down to the very last day, so players would like to do as much as they can to prove they are deserving.
Here are five players potentially on the bubble who impressed Thursday in the win over Washington.
WR Kristian Wilkerson- In his second year with the team, Wilkerson was the Patriots’ leading receiver, hauling in six passes for 39 yards. He also seems to be developing a nice connection with rookie quarterback Mac Jones. Wilkerson was the No. 4/5 receiver Thursday, but being as productive as he was and showing up on the practice field could make him a very tough cut at the end of the month. As of now, it feels like he’s the leader in the clubhouse for the final spot at wide receiver.
DL Tashawn Bower- The 26-year-old had three tackles and a sack in the win, while playing a decent amount in the first half. Bower is familiar with the system as he played in seven games, including three starts, last year and could be even better in his second season. The Patriots’ front-seven is a very competitive group, but being with the team last year and having some versatility could make it worth keeping him around.
DL Akeem Spence- Spence is part of the competitive front-seven group and to see him start along with Lawrence Guy and Davon Godchaux certainly feels like a good thing for the 29-year-old who has played for six different NFL teams. Even though he didn’t make the stat sheet, starting in the game makes it seem like he’s viewed highly with the coaching staff — or they wanted to see what he could do against Washington’s starting unit. Either way, Spence is definitely on the bubble.
OL James Ferentz- With David Andrews not dressing and Ted Karras working his way back from an injury and not playing, Ferentz started at center. He also played the most of any other offensive lineman. It feels like he’s viewed more highly than interior backups Marcus Martin, Alex Redmond, etc., so if the Patriots keep another backup lineman on the interior besides Karras, right now Ferentz is the guy.
DB Joejuan Williams- Although it wasn’t good the 2019 second-round pick was playing well into the fourth quarter, he did record an interception off a deflected pass in the secondary. So, regardless of when it occurred, he still made a big play. It’s also worth noting Myles Bryant, who he is competing with for a roster spot, went down with an injury. And while he’s down on the defensive backs depth chart, Williams still played with the core special teams units.
