New England Patriots
Lan Larison made a compelling case for New England’s vacancy at RB3 during Saturday’s preseason game against the Eagles.
The Patriots’ day of roster reckoning is drawing closer.
With NFL teams needing to cut their respective rosters down to 53 players next Sunday, Aug. 30, at 6 p.m., Mike Vrabel, Eliot Wolf, and the rest of the Patriots’ top brass have their work cut out for them.
Even with Vrabel not exactly mincing words about the state of the team’s depth after Saturday’s preseason win over the Eagles, the Patriots still have seen several players on the roster bubble make the most of their opportunities over the last two preseason games.
But, many other players are on the outside looking in at a roster spot — with only one more preseason game left on the docket (Thursday night in Cleveland) to try and reverse their fortunes in Foxborough.
As the start of the NFL season gets closer, here’s a look at our latest stock watch for the Patriots’ roster:
STOCK UP
CB Kindle Vildor
The veteran corner seems to be making his way toward locking up a roster spot in New England. After recording an interception in the Patriots’ preseason opener against the Colts, Kindle Vildor was strong once again on Saturday against the Eagles.
Not only did the 28-year-old defensive back break up three passes against Philly, he nearly had another interception that was negated by an ill-timed unnecessary roughness penalty on Gabe Jacas.
Given the valid injury concerns surrounding both Christian Gonzalez and Carlton Davis, New England needs some stability further down the depth chart at corner. So far, Vildor looks like a deserving candidate for snaps when called upon.
RB Lan Larison
After a pretty underwhelming start to the summer, Lan Larison is making a late charge to seize the vacant RB3 spot on New England’s depth chart. The former UC Davis standout did a bit of everything in Saturday’s win over the Eagles — recording 33 rushing yards with a touchdown off nine carries while also reeling in three catches for 41 yards.
Beyond his versatility as a receiving threat, capable rushing option, and contributor on special teams, Vrabel applauded the 24-year-old’s tenacity when it came to fighting through contact — especially during a 4th-and-1 play in the third quarter where Larison trucked through a wall of Eagles defenders.
“It is fourth-and-1, and he gets hit behind the line of scrimmage and finds a way to get the first down,” Vrabel said. “And then we have another long pass, and then he makes [a move] and then he is able to break a couple tackles there in third down when we needed it at the end of the game, so he did some good things.”
There are still several worthy candidates for that RB3 job, with Jam Miller, JaMychal Hasty, and Hassan Haskins all still in the mix for those snaps behind Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson.
But Larison’s ability to move the chains as an adept pass-catcher could separate himself from a pack of backs that are more known for being between-the-tackles runners.
QB Behren Morton
Tommy DeVito might be locked in as New England’s backup QB after Drake Maye. But Behren Morton — a 2026 seventh-round pick — is continuing to showcase why he warrants a roster spot and shouldn’t be exposed to waivers as part of a practice-squad assignment.
Morton was solid on Saturday against the Eagles, completing 13-of-17 passes for 129 yards — culminating in a game-winning touchdown to Nick DeGennaro with just 57 seconds left on the clock. For what it’s worth, Morton also isn’t too shabby as an emergency punter — booting the ball three times on Saturday for 133 total yards.
WR Efton Chism III
Even with New England’s wideout room already logjammed with several viable starters, Chism seems like a depth option that has earned a spot on that 53-man roster. The undrafted receiver out of Eastern Washington snagged all four passes that sailed toward him on Saturday, recording 45 yards in the win over Philly.
Chism might be a contingency option out of the slot behind DeMario Douglas, but the shifty receiver also offers value as a punt returner. He’s not leapfrogging Douglas, who has been one of New England’s most consistent performers this summer.
But Chism doesn’t seem to be on the roster bubble anymore.
LB Namdi Obiazor
Namdi Obiazor is making a late push for a role on a pretty thin linebacker corps. The 2026 sixth-round pick out of TCU has seen his snaps ramp up over the last week, including a featured role during Saturday’s game against the Eagles.
He made his presence felt in the third quarter, breaking up a pass in the end zone to force a Philly turnover on fourth down. With Chad Muma laboring after a strong start to camp, Obiazor remains in the mix for reps at linebacker alongside other depth options like K.J. Britt and Khalil Jacobs.
STOCK STEADY
OT Caleb Lomu
It’s an up-and-down summer so far for Caleb Lomu, who is expected to serve as a stalwart on New England’s offensive line for the foreseeable future.
Granted, those expectations were never set with the plan for him to start immediately in 2026, with the Patriots ideally utilizing this year as a “redshirt” season for the 21-year-old as he eventually slots in as Morgan Moses’ long-term replacement.
But, if Lomu is pressed into immediate service this year — especially if injuries sprout up for the 35-year-old Moses — things could snowball in a hurry.
Much like his play during camp, Lomu had a so-so showing against Philly on Saturday. While he held his own on a majority of his 53 snaps at left tackle in that game, he was overmatched on a sequence in the second quarter that ended with DeVito getting sacked.
So far, it seems pretty evident that Lomu isn’t ready for regular snaps at the NFL’s highest level. That isn’t exactly a surprise. But if injuries arise this fall? It could get ugly.
WR Kyle Williams
For the second week in a row, Williams made an impact in a preseason game — hauling in a 69-yard touchdown on Saturday off a heave down the field from DeVito.
Granted, he still has some issues with route running and fighting through physicality. But the 23-year-old wideout has a spot on Josh McDaniels’ offense thanks to his straight-line speed and his releases off the line.
If New England does find a trade suitor for Kayshon Boutte, Williams could be due for an even greater role moving forward.
STOCK DOWN
Edge Gabe Jacas
This one might be a bit harsh against Jacas, who admittedly has been playing catch-up over the last few weeks after missing all of OTAs and mandatory minicamp due to a contract dispute and an extended recovery from offseason surgery.
And to his credit, Jacas had some impactful plays during joint practices against Philly last week — winning some 1-on-1 battles against the Eagles’ stout offensive line and generating pressure against Jalen Hurts during 11-on-11 drills.
But, Jacas was shaky during Saturday’s preseason game at Gillette Stadium. Even with a few snaps where he generated pressure due to his quick initial burst, he was also knocked for a roughing-the-passer penalty that negated a Vildor interception — and was also outmuscled in the trenches while trying to slow down the run.
“I think just still inconsistent,” Vrabel said of Jacas. “I think that the effort is certainly there. The willingness. He’s a very coachable player. We’re just putting a lot on him right now as far as special teams and covering kicks and the plan on kick return. We have to be able to see what he can do, or maybe what we feel like we can count on when the regular season comes.”
Similar to Lomu, it shouldn’t necessarily be a surprise that a rookie like Jacas is laboring at times in his first training camp and preseason slate. But given how thin New England’s pass-rushing corps is, a lackluster showing from Jacas this fall could be a major hit to a team already lacking in depth.
OL James Hudson
The signing of veteran guard Greg Van Roten might spell the end of Hudson’s time in Foxborough, with the 27-year-old lineman struggling throughout the summer — especially when asked to shift to the interior of the O-line.
Hudson was a liability during his reps on Saturday against the Eagles, getting knocked for a pair of holding penalties on New England’s opening drive of the evening. The second drive wasn’t much better, with Hudson unable to corral a blitzing Jeremiah Trotter Jr. en route to a sack against DeVito.
LB Chad Muma
It’s been a disheartening dip down the depth chart for Muma, who was looking like one of the safer bets to make New England’s roster as the club’s go-to depth linebacker behind Robert Spillane and Christian Elliss.
After initially earning regular snaps on New England’s first-team defense a few weeks ago, the 2022 third-round pick has looked very shaky during preseason action. He struggled last week against the Colts, especially when it came to getting beat on screens, sweeps and other runs to his side of the field.
But, he also blew a coverage on Saturday against the Eagles, leading to a chunk-yardage play from Darius Cooper. It wasn’t a good sign that Muma was playing deep into the fourth quarter on Saturday, with the linebacker leaving late in the game due to an apparent injury.
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