The Patriots have moved on to the next phase of roster building after trimming from 91 players to 53 on Sunday evening, and the practice squad picture is starting to come into focus. With the 31st waiver claim, New England is not expected to be especially active on the wire, which opens the door for a familiar group of players to remain in the building.
One of the more interesting names is Efton Chism III, who looked like he might be in line for the Patriots’ third running back job before the team traded for Corey Kiner from the Arizona Cardinals on Saturday. That move changed the math for him, but after an impressive preseason - especially against the Philadelphia Eagles - he projects as a strong fit for the practice squad.
JaMycal Hasty also makes sense as a return candidate. The Patriots brought him in midway through camp after injuries to Myles Montgomery and Terrell Jennings, and while he didn’t log a heavy preseason workload, his value comes from more than carries. At 29, he brings backfield experience and special teams utility, plus he already knows the organization after spending time with New England in each of the past three seasons.
The Patriots also have a useful option in Khari Blasingame. As a member of the International Player Pathway Program, he does not count against the 16-player practice squad limit, which makes keeping him around an easy call if New England wants extra depth. The Germany native also spent most of last season’s playoff run on the Patriots’ practice squad.
Offensive line depth should keep a few more names in the mix. Marcus Bryant rotated between tackle and guard during training camp, and even though he had some rough moments in the preseason, that versatility makes him a practical depth piece.
Jack Conley, meanwhile, started camp as the team’s third center before moving up to the second unit after Ben Brown got hurt. A 53-man roster spot was in play for a while, but the signing of Greg Van Roten changed that.
Still, Conley should land back on the practice squad after showing he was ready when called upon.
Tight end Brock Westover also looks like a good bet to stay in New England. Last year he was forced into a fullback role despite originally being a tight end, but now that he’s back at his natural position, he gives Mike Vrabel and the staff a dependable option.
At receiver, the Patriots have a pair of practice-squad candidates who earned attention in different ways. Isaiah Neyor appeared in only two games, but he was sharp in the preseason, finishing with 10 catches for 81 yards and catching every target he saw.
Efton Chism III, on the other hand, stood out in camp and became a fixture with the third-team offense, regularly separating from defenders or coming down with tough grabs. If New England’s receiver depth were thinner, he might have pushed harder for the 53-man roster.
On the defensive line, Joshua Farmer may have been one of the Patriots’ best performers all summer. He could draw interest from another team, but New England should be ready to keep him close if he clears.
He was a waiver pickup on cutdown day in 2025. Cory Durden has also been a regular on the practice squad in recent years, having been with the team since 2022, and he once again appears headed for a familiar spot after a competitive summer.
Edge rusher Bradyn Swinson was one of the more surprising cuts on Sunday, with New England choosing seventh-round rookie Quintayvious Hutchins instead. Swinson was in a similar situation last season as a fifth-round pick, when he cleared waivers and returned to the practice squad. Whether he showed enough in this preseason to avoid another team taking a shot is still to be determined.
At linebacker, Kobe Muma looked like the third man in for much of camp before a shaky preseason pushed him behind veteran K.J. Britt and rookies Namdi Obiazor and Khalil Jacobs.
His experience on defense and special teams should still make him a worthwhile stash. Monty Rice also fits the practice-squad mold after a crowded linebacker room made the 53-man roster a tough climb.
He finished the preseason with 11 tackles, including four solo.
In the secondary, the Patriots could keep another pair of young defenders nearby. Isaiah Bolden, drafted by New England in the sixth round in 2024, showed promise early as a core special teamer before a torn ACL in 2025 stalled that momentum.
With his cornerback and special teams background, he looks like a natural practice-squad candidate for 2026. And Jordan Manuma, a late addition to the 2026 undrafted free agent class who earned his shot after an impressive rookie minicamp tryout, flashed enough this summer to remain in the mix despite the crowded safety room.
Another safety, John Saunders, also pushed for a roster spot before falling short. The Patriots’ already competitive safety group got even deeper when the team acquired Jaylen Reed from the Houston Texans in exchange for Kayshon Boutte.
Saunders still made his presence felt all summer, finishing with seven forced turnovers. The former undrafted free agent also spent time last year with the Dolphins’ practice squad, as well as on the Patriots’ active roster and practice squad.
Finally, punter Ryan Haack should be back in the picture after New England signed him recently because Bryce Baringer was injured. Haack is heading into his 10th NFL season, and with the severity of Baringer’s injury still unreported, he looks set to return to the practice squad with a chance to be an early gameday elevation.
In Other News...
Patriots May Have Found The Missing Piece In Their Backfield
With Terrell Jennings and Lan Larison dealing with injuries and Jam Miller no longer in the mix, the Patriots had a clear need to add some depth to their backfield. They answered it by sending a 2028 seventh-round pick to Arizona for running back Corey Kiner, a move that gives the roster another option behind the top two runners and helps stabilize a position that had been thinned out quickly.
Kiner arrives with a reputation as a versatile back, the kind of player who can give New England something useful in multiple situations if he settles in quickly. The bigger question now is how much of a role he can carve out right away, but the Patriots at least found a practical answer to an immediate problem while keeping the cost low. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Suddenly Have A Real Week 1 Backfield Concern
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Patriots Leave Key Practice Squad Spots Open For Familiar Names
The Patriots filled out most of their initial practice squad with a dozen additions, but they still left five spots open as roster-building after cutdown day continues to take shape. An International Pathway Player joined the group without counting against the 16-man limit, while veteran punter Mitch Wishnowsky landed on the practice squad after Bryce Baringer was placed on injured reserve.
For a team always fine-tuning the back end of the roster, the open slots leave room for familiar faces and practical depth at spots where injuries can quickly force movement. New England already has help lined up at offensive line, wide receiver and running back, and a few more players are either working back from injury or expected to arrive soon, so the final version of the practice squad may still look a little different before long. [Read more 🡒]