The Patriots’ preseason finale against the Browns on Thursday comes with real roster stakes attached, because the cutdown day is right behind it. Three days after the game, New England has to go from 90 players to 53, and that makes this last exhibition a pressure cooker for anyone still fighting to stick around.
For a few Patriots, Thursday night is basically one final audition. Some have been trending the right way for weeks.
Others need a clean, convincing performance to keep their names in the mix. Here are the players who can’t afford to have a rough outing in the finale.
Lan Larison has put himself right in the middle of one of the summer’s more intriguing battles. The running back room already has Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson locked in, but the rest of the depth chart is still very much open.
Larison looked like he was on the verge of taking that role last year before a season-ending injury ended that run, and he turned heads again against the Eagles last weekend by showing both his ability as a runner and as a pass-catcher. With rookie Jam Miller also in the picture, Larison still has work to do, but right now he looks like the favorite.
Another strong game Thursday would go a long way toward making that official.
At linebacker, Chad Muma went from early summer hopeful to a player sitting on the bubble. He had a strong camp and looked like one of the first names likely to make the roster, even earning a look wearing a defensive captain helmet at practice.
But his preseason play has gone the other way, and after what he showed against the Eagles last week, he needs a major bounce-back. The Patriots need linebacker help, which only raises the importance of this final chance.
Behren Morton is in a tougher spot than his draft status might suggest. New England used a sixth-round pick on him earlier this year, but Tommy DeVito’s emergence as the primary backup behind Drake Maye has changed the picture.
There’s even talk that the Patriots may keep only two quarterbacks, which would push Morton toward the practice squad. Still, his memorable outing in the win over the Eagles last week gave him some life.
If he does it again against the Browns, the coaching staff may have a harder time leaving him off the 53.
Efton Chism III is trying to make the most of a wide receiver group that suddenly has a little more room after Kayshon Boutte was traded to the Texans. The competition for what figures to be six roster spots remains crowded, but Chism has a path.
He impressed enough as a UDFA last year to make the 2025 roster, though he didn’t get enough snaps to really leave a mark. This year, he’s got a bit more special teams experience, and he has also seen a larger offensive role over the past couple of weeks.
A strong finish Thursday could force a tougher decision on the front office.
Kindle Vildor has been one of the quieter success stories of camp. Signed this spring, he has carved out a real presence in a deep Patriots secondary led by Christian Gonzalez, Carlton Davis and Kevin Byard.
The cornerback and safety groups are loaded, but Vildor has flashed enough in preseason play to heat up the fight for the CB4 job. Charles Woods has also made noise, and Marcus Jones remains part of the picture, but Vildor’s experience gives him a legitimate edge if he can back it up one more time against the Browns.
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