The New England Patriots have no shortage of spots where the depth chart feels settled. Drake Maye is set to take snaps from Jared Wilson, while A.J.
Brown and Hunter Henry are in line to catch his passes. On defense, Christian Gonzalez, Milton Williams and Kevin Byard already have their roster places secured.
But camp has also brought a different kind of storyline: a few lesser-known Patriots are pushing hard in crowded position groups and making this a tougher team to sort through than it looked on paper.
One of the clearest early standouts has been Dorner. Among the undrafted receivers the Patriots brought in, he has separated himself from the pack.
New England’s wide receiver room is packed, and the real question seems to be whether Kayshon Boutte, a proven weapon in this league, survives as the seventh option. Kyle Williams and Efton Chism III are part of that mix too.
Dorner, though, has forced his way into the conversation.
In the preseason opener against the Indianapolis Colts, Dorner caught one pass for 18 yards and had a 48-yarder wiped out by penalty. Even with that erased play, he’s starting to carry what he’s shown in practice onto the field. He’s building chemistry with rookie quarterback Behren Morton and may be positioning himself as the eighth-best receiver on a roster that might only keep seven.
Brandon Crossley is in a different battle, but he’s making noise too. The rookie corner is the only first-year player on this list, and his path is steep with Christian Gonzalez, Carlton Davis, Marcus Jones, Charles Woods and Kindle Vildor all ahead of him. Still, he has kept stacking days, even after missing one practice for the birth of his child.
Against the Colts, the 25-year-old Crossley finished with five total tackles and played 32 defensive snaps, which ranked fourth-most on the entire team. He didn’t make the roster out of camp last year, but a few more performances - especially against the Philadelphia Eagles in joint practice - could strengthen his case in his second season.
Then there’s Canada, who has found ways to break through despite that same crowded cornerback room. The undrafted rookie out of TCU has gotten work with the first-team defense and plenty of chances as a kick returner, a role that is very much up for grabs.
Canada led the Patriots in total tackles in the preseason opener with seven, and he’s giving himself a real shot to sneak onto the 53-man roster if he can keep showing burst on defense or in the return game. If he doesn’t, he looks like a strong practice squad candidate, assuming he clears waivers in August.
In Other News...
Patriots Trade Buzz Around Kayshon Boutte Just Got More Interesting
The Patriots position on Kayshon Boutte has been hard to read, which is why the trade chatter around the young receiver has not gone away. New England has been sending mixed signals about his future, leaving enough uncertainty for rival teams to keep watching and for the rumor mill to keep moving even without anything official on the table.
New Orleans has emerged as a team to watch in that mix, especially after its receiving depth took a hit with rookie Jordyn Tyson sidelined by a hamstring injury. Whether the Saints actually push for Boutte is still unclear, but the connection makes sense on paper and adds another layer to a situation that remains very much in the speculative stage. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Fans Finally Get To Celebrate A Franchise Icon Again
Rob Gronkowski is headed back to Foxborough for a moment Patriots fans have been waiting for, as the former tight end will be inducted into the New England Patriots Hall of Fame in a public ceremony on Nov. 7 at Patriot Place Plaza. Selected as the 38th inductee, Gronkowski will receive the red jacket in his first year of eligibility after winning the fan vote, a fitting next step for one of the most recognizable players of the franchises modern era.
Over nine seasons in New England, Gronkowski built a rsum that put him among the teams defining stars, piling up 521 catches, 7,861 yards and 79 touchdowns while helping the Patriots win three Super Bowls. The Hall call adds another layer to a legacy already tied to some of the teams biggest moments, and for a fan base that watched him dominate for nearly a decade, the ceremony offers a chance to celebrate it all again in person. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Suddenly Have A Real Center Battle To Watch
Ben Browns injury in the first quarter of the Patriots preseason opener turned a routine August snap count into a much more interesting look at the center depth chart. With Brown out, undrafted rookie Jacob Rizy was forced into his NFL debut and wound up playing 55 straight snaps, a heavy load for a player who entered camp buried on the depth chart but suddenly found himself right in the middle of the action.
Head coach Mike Vrabel came away impressed with how Rizy handled the moment, which gives the Patriots something worth monitoring as the preseason rolls on. Browns absence opens the door for more work in the coming games, and with the center spot now looking far less settled than it did a week ago, Rizy has a real chance to keep turning an emergency appearance into a legitimate audition. [Read more 🡒]