Patriots Ups And Downs: Whose stock rose (or fell) in the preseason finale?

Author Matt Dolloff

August 29th, 2021 10:05 PM

It wasn’t your typical preseason finale in New York, but plenty of roster questions remain after the Patriots’ win over the Giants Sunday night.

Bill Belichick assembled a deep middle class on his 80-man roster, which has to be trimmed down to 53 by 4 p.m. on Tuesday. Between established veterans, recent draft picks, and free-agent signings, a lot of spots were already sewn up entering Sunday, with precious few remaining that were truly up for grabs.

Who seized their opportunities, and who did not? That’s the big question facing many Patriots players after Sunday. At the same time, there were some good (and not-so-good) performances among those whose roster spots are secure. For the sake of diving deep into the roster, we left the quarterbacks off this list – but you can click here to read more about the performances of Cam Newton and Mac Jones on Sunday.

So, with that in mind, let’s go over the “Ups” and “Downs” from the Patriots’ preseason finale…

• UP: TE Devin Asiasi

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  The Patriots already have durability concerns with tight ends Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith, and they'd certainly like to see Asiasi emerge as a dependable option. So it was a pleasnt sight for Asiasi to catch all four of his targets for 64 yards. There's a possibility Asiasi has to play to start the regular season, if Henry continues to miss time. So it's nice to see him make more plays with Week 1 around the corner.

• DOWN: WR Gunner Olszewski

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  Olszewski is still going to make the team as the primary punt returner after being a First Team All-Pro in 2020 ... we think. Olszewski led the reps in punt returning during camp, but he also had an opportunity to put a stranglehold on the fourth wide receiver spot after N'Keal Harry's injury. He had a rough week, making bad drops both in joint practices with the Giants and on Sunday night. He also appeared to get chewed out by Mac Jones for running the wrong route. Would Belichick cut Olszewski after an All-Pro season at punt returner? If he believes he can get something close with J.J. Taylor, and a better receiver either internally or through a trade, maybe he considers a surprise move.

• UP: RB J.J. Taylor

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  The Sony Michel trade represented a huge vote of confidence in both Taylor and rookie back Rhamondre Stevenson. But Taylor was the one who really popped on Sunday, rushing nine times for 76 yards and catching two passes for 13 yards. Taylor may be the Pats' best back for run/pass unpredictability, and he looks like a good fit to return kicks, too. Could he even push Gunner Olszewski for the punt returner spot?
• DOWN: LB Chase Winovich

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  The worst thing about Winovich's game Sunday night is that he played all the way to the end. That's often a bad sign for players seemingly on the bubble. Winovich did log half a sack, two QB hits, and two total tackles, but none of that came with the starting defense. He still has a chance to stick on the roster, and may simply need the reps as he works his way back from a long absence. But Winovich has been passed by multiple players on the linebacker depth chart, and at this point, it wouldn't be shocking if he turned out to be a trade candidate during final cut-downs.

• UP: LB Josh Uche

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  One of the linebackers who blew by Winovich on the depth chart is his former Michigan teammate, Uche, who started and recorded a sack, two QB hits, a tackle for loss, and three total tackles on Sunday. His speed has jumped out throughout the summer, and it's a great sign that it translated to game action. He has a chance to emerge as a real difference-maker for the Patriots' front-seven in his sophomore season.

• DOWN: CB Michael Jackson

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  After stringing a few good practices together early in camp, Jackson fell off in his quest to earn a roster spot, and bottomed out Sunday night against the Giants. His ideal size and length could still make him a good practice squad candidate, but Jackson doesn't appear to have done enough to make the 53. The acquisition of Shaun Wade certainly made things harder for him, and every other Patriots CB not named J.C. Jackson.
• UP: WR Kristian Wilkerson

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  You can also include Isaiah Zuber in this spot. Both Wilkerson and Zuber entered Sunday night with opportunities to seize the No. 4 receiver spot on the depth chart, amid a tough week for punt returner Gunner Olszewski. Wilkerson and Zuber both caught 4-of-5 targets, with Zuber catching one for a touchdown on a dart from Mac Jones. If Bill Belichick isn't comfortable deploying Olszewski as his fourth receiver, one of them could sneak onto the 53.

• DOWN: WR Nelson Agholor

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  Agholor caught 1-of-2 targets for four yards. He made his one catch in an awkward position with the defensive back draped over him, and couldn't gain any yards afterward. It was nice to see Agholor make a contested catch, but the lack of big plays from him late in camp and on Sunday has him needing to get better for the start of the regular season. He's expected to be a key contributor to the offense, and hasn't quite lived up to it.

• UP: CB D’Angelo Ross

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  An interception, pass breakup and three tackles for Ross, a sudden late-game candidate to squeeze his way onto the 53-man roster. The Patriots are desperate for someone to step up at a position of uncertainty amid Stephon Gilmore's absence, and Ross basically came out of nowhere to make an excellent final audition. We'll see if it's enough.
• DOWN: WR Jakobi Meyers

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  Just a small-d "down" for Meyers, who should still open the season as the team's No. 1 wide receiver. But he caught just one of his three targets for six yards on Sunday night, and on one play showed why he's still not much of a big-play receiver down the field. He nearly reeled in a deep ball down the middle from Cam Newton, but Giants linebacker Blake Martinez basically ripped the ball out of his hands for an interception. It's more of a "tip of the cap" play for Martinez than a bad mark for Meyers, but it would've been nice to see him and Newton get in a better rhythm ahead of the regular season opener.

MORE: Patriots QB Watch: How Cam Newton And Mac Jones Performed In The Preseason Finale

Matt Dolloff is a writer and podcaster for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Have a news tip, question, or comment for Matt? Yell at him on Twitter @mattdolloff and follow him on Instagram @mattydsays. You can also email him at [email protected].

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Author Matt Dolloff

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