With the NFL preseason now in the rearview mirror, the Patriots and the rest of the NFL must go through the arduous process of cutting their roster down from 90 players to 53 before the league’s mandated deadline on Tuesday at 4 p.m.
It’s a painful 30 hours in the lead-up to Tuesday’s deadline, with many players’ stints in the NFL ranks coming to a close.
As is the case every August, cutdown day always has its fair share of surprises when it comes to established veterans and intriguing players on the roster bubble not making the 53-man squad.
Follow along below for the latest updates on the Patriots’ roster cuts ahead of Tuesday’s deadline.
LIVE UPDATES
4:00 p.m.: The Patriots officially announce 14 cuts: LS Tucker Addington, WR Kawaan Baker, DE William Bradley-King, DT Josiah Bronson, LB Steele Chambers, RB Deshaun Fenwick, CB Azizi Hearn, T Zuri Henry, DE Christian McCarroll, TE La’Michael Pettway, DT Sam Roberts, C Charles Turner, CB Mikey Victor, and TE Jacob Warren.
Not a whole lot of surprises among this group, with 22 cuts still to go for New England.
2:45 p.m.: The Patriots are releasing running back Deshaun Fenwick, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. Fenwick was going to have an uphill climb in terms of making the roster, especially with Rhamondre Stevenson and Antonio Gibson locked into two roster spots already.
1:53 p.m.: The Patriots waived defensive end William-Bradley King, according to the Boston Herald’s Doug Kyed. New England’s pass rush has actually been one of the few bright spots this preseason, with Oshane Ximines rising up the depth chart alongside the usual suspects like Deatrich Wise, Josh Uche, and Keion White.
1:15 p.m.: The Patriots are cutting wide receiver Kawaan Baker, per MassLive’s Mark Daniels. One of many expected cuts at wideout, Baker could not leapfrog past other wideouts already on the bubble like Kayshon Boutte.
1:13 p.m.: The Patriots are cutting defensive tackle Sam Roberts, according to Doug Kyed. Roberts, a 2022 sixth-round pick, was passed on the depth chart by other D-linemen like Jermiah Pharms.
12:58 p.m.: New England is also cutting cornerback Azizi Hearn, per Doug Kyed. Hearn does add some physicality in the secondary, but he had a tough preseason finale against Washington — getting whistled on a 45-yard DPI call that led to a Commanders touchdown before giving up another TD in coverage later in the fourth quarter. He could be a practice squad candidate.
12:57 p.m.: The Patriots are releasing tight end La’Michael Pettway, according to the Boston Herald’s Doug Kyed. With Hunter Henry and Austin Hooper atop the tight end depth chart, Pettway was on the bubble — especially with Mitchell Wilcox and Jaheim Bell in front of him.
11:23 a.m.: The Patriots have reportedly made their first cut, as long snapper Tucker Addington did not make the team — per Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald.
Joe Cardonna is expected to remain in place as New England’s long snapper for the 10th straight season.
