The New England Patriots are an underrated team heading into the 2021 season. In 2020, they finished with a record of 7-9 in third place in the tough AFC East.
The Patriots have had a great offseason that has set themselves up for a successful 2021 campaign.
In free agency, the Patriots added key players on both the offense and defense. They added edge rusher Matt Judon who will increase production in the pass rush this season.
Offensively the Patriots added weapons in tight end Hunter Henry and tight end Jonnu Smith. Those players will help out quarterback Cam Newton or rookie first-round pick Mac Jones.
While the Pats have talented players, they still have cut candidates.
Here are 3 cut candidates on the Patriots' roster bubble entering 2021 training camp.
Patriots cut candidates:
3. Offensive lineman Marcus Martin
Marcus Martin has been a depth lineman but hasn't done anything to stand out. He is projected to be the 3rd or 4th string center for the team and would likely not see much playing time. Martin only appeared in 1 game for the Patriots last season.
He is a big cut candidate for the Pats as he is simply a depth lineman for them.
2. Defensive tackle Akeem Space
Akeem Space has been a solid backup defensive tackle but isn't anything special. Space is projected to be the 4th string nose tackle for the Pats and will see less playing time than last year. He only played in 6 games last season and didn't have much production. Space had 9 total tackles and 0 sacks in 2020, which is not enough production to keep a spot on the roster.
Look for Space to be another cut candidate for the Patriots.
1. Wide receiver N'Keal Harry
The most surprising candidate on this list is wide receiver, N'Keal Harry. Harry was the Patriots' first-round selection in 2019 but has not lived up to expectations. He played in 14 games last season and only had 309 yards along with 2 touchdowns. Harry was supposed to be an elite wide receiver but hasn't lived up to his potential in his two seasons with the Pats.
That led to Harry requesting a trade from the Patriots. While he requested the trade, they may not get any offers. His value is really low right now, and teams could be stubborn and wait for the Patriots to cut him.
Harry is a prime candidate to get cut if the Patriots can't find a trade partner.
What to look for as we head into training camp
Despite these candidates potentially leaving the team, the Patriots look to have a great season ahead. The offseason couldn't have gone better for them as they added a ton of talent. They are in a very tough division that includes the Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, and New York Jets. The Bills won the division last year and made it to the AFC Championship game. They will be the biggest threat to the Pats next season.
The other threat will be the Dolphins as they narrowly missed the playoffs at 10-6. They added more talent in the offseason and will be tough for the Patriots to beat. Lastly, the Jets are in the midst of a rebuild but still have talent on the roster. Although this division is tough, the Pats are ready to meet the challenge.
The big decision to come will be who the starting quarterback will be. Cam Newton struggled last season but has the veteran experience. Mac Jones is the rookie first-round pick who has a ton of potential.
Training camp has a lot of storylines for the Patriots, and it will be exciting to see what happens.
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