Capable Patriots Who Surprisingly Cleared Waivers End Up On Pratice Squad
A wise man once said, “there’s always a plan B.” The New England Patriots stock up on talent with their practice squad.
On Tuesday, NFL teams trimmed their rosters to 53 men. The Patriots shocked fans when leaving off some shining stars throughout the preseason. Fans exhaled when seeing the team sign them to the practice squad.
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Announced via Patriots.com, the group signed 15 players to the eventual 16-man roster. Those players are listed as follows:
James Ferentz (OL)
Kevin Harris (RB)
Brad Hawkins (DB)
Lil’Jordan Humphrey (WR)
Harvey Langi (LB)
Cameron McGrone (LB)
Terrance Mitchel (CB)
Bill Murray (OL)
Tre Nixon (WR)
Jeremiah Pharms Jr. (DL)
LaBryan Ray (DL)
Kody Russey (OL)
Matt Sokol (TE)
JJ Taylor (RB)
Jalen Mydermyer (TE)
Patriots Nation believed most of the players above would be on the final roster, including me! These guys showed spurts of potential, just not enough in Belichick’s eyes. Luckily, they have a chance to redeem themselves with a bit more practice.
Some Names Should Not Be On This Patriots Practice Squad.
When someone makes me mad, I struggle to get over it. The case intensifies when it involves my favorite sports teams and players.
Lil’Jordan Humphrey deserved a roster spot. His play sparked fierce debates in the media about his role on the team. With Thorton on the IR, Humphrey seems like a no-brainer for his replacement. He stands six feet, four inches tall, with blazing game speed.
Mac would be over the moon to have a receiver like him. However, his final performance against the Raiders, where he caught two passes for seven yards, foreshadowed how Belichick saw his future with the team.
J.J Taylor’s cut sent shockwaves around Foxboro. Taylor seemed to be filling in an excellent third down, a pass-catching back who could also return punts. He shined in training camp during drills and scrimmages. Unfortunately, it did not translate onto the field. Also, Taylor takes away touches from Stevenson, which no one wants to see.
Finally, Tre Nixon ships down to the B-team. I’m afraid I have to disagree with this decision, but I understand Belichick’s vision. Nixon looks like a Patriots receiver in more ways than one. However, the Patriots’ core is deep this season. Timing stinks.
Lil’Jordan Humphrey, Tre Nixon and rookie RB Kevin Harris are among the guys who were cut Tuesday that are back out practicing today. @NBC10 #patriots pic.twitter.com/q5CGVlwy6y — Joe Kayata (@NBC10_Joe) August 31, 2022
What’s The Hype With These Patriots Practice Squad Players?
Before training camp, people could not stop talking about Cameron McGrone, LB, who did not play in 2021 due to injury. The fans waited a year to see what the kid could bring to the table. He left us hungry.
None of the plays I saw from McGrone made me believe he could be a contributing member on defense. He did not make any outstanding highlight plays throughout the preseason. He just did enough to slide down to development. Development is not the wrong place to be. Now, McGrone has the opportunity to sharpen his skills in hopes of being brought up during an inevitable injury.
Kevin Harris did not live up to expectations. He bored me during training camp, even more so in preseason games. Again, the timing stinks because he was one of six running backs looking for a roster spot. It seemed as if the team liked what they saw from Pierre Strong Jr more than Harris’s performance. It does not surprise me at this cutting.
Is There Any Chance Fans See These Practice Squad Players In The Regular Season?
Injuries happen constantly. It’s part of the game. We do not root for it but know it’s bound to happen. They are moments practice squad guys pounce onto when in sight.
It is impossible to predict these moments and which player will step up during them. As fans, it is our job to get our ducks in a row and cheer blindly.
Go Pats.
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