The New England Patriots may have ended a few underdog stories on Sunday, with the team cutting 10 players as a precaution for COVID-19.
The NFL mandated that teams operate with split squads if they roster 90 players before cutting to 80 players on Aug. 16. But because the Patriots cut to 80 before the start of training camp, they do not have to operate in split-squad format. So in order to meet as a full team, the Patriots have elected to cut: quarterbacks J’Mar Smith and Brian Lewerke, receivers Isaiah Zuber, Sean Riley and Will Hastings, linebacker Kyahva Tezino, defensive tackle Courtney Wallace, cornerback Lenzy Pipkins and safety Adarius Pickett and Malik Gant.
“You just hate to see so many young guys not get an opportunity,” Patriots safety Devin McCourty said Sunday night on his “Double Coverage” live stream. “(With) everything that’s happening now, you see a lot of teams cut down from 90 to 80 guys, you’re seeing guys get released who never really got an opportunity because of the pandemic, and that really sucks. …
“Especially for us. Our team is always … looking for the next guy that’s undrafted. The J.C. Jacksons, the Malcolm Butlers, the David Andrews — the guys that come in undrafted that no one thinks about and next thing you know, they’re starting playing in the biggest games of the year. So it is tough to watch some of these young guys have to get released before even getting a chance to step into the building.”
No doubt, it’s a rough outcome for those 10 players. Here are five quick thoughts on what this decision means for the Patriots.
1. Bill Belichick values the full-squad opportunities more than the 10 players he cut.
Clearly, Belichick wanted the opportunity for his team to meet fully when they can to do so. There’s also the element of time. NFL teams would typically be taking the field on Monday. Instead, they’ll just be taking their first of many COVID tests. With such little time — and no preseason games — the Patriots are acknowledging that they’ll already be stretched too thin with 80 players, let alone 90.