The 2020 NFL Draft has come and gone and now we are just over three months away from the opening week for the 2020 season.
There are currently 89 players on the Patriots roster, but by September 5 the team will have to shape it down to 53 – effectively trimming 36 players. With many talented players already on the team, head coach Bill Belichick has a tall task ahead to narrow it down. The man in the hood certainly isn’t new to this process and in the past he’s even said its one of the more difficult aspects of the season.
Here are four underdogs currently on the roster that have a chance at cracking the 53-man roster:
WR Will Hastings
Hastings is an undrafted rookie out of Auburn where he caught passes from quarterback Jarrett Stidham. The pair hooked up for 26 completions, 525 yards and four touchdowns during the 2017 season. The 5-foot-10, 175-pound receiver tore his ACL the following year and missed the entirety of the season.
On top of his already established chemistry with Stidham, another advantage Hastings has towards possibly making the team is his versatility, something Belichick deeply admires in a player. Hastings walked onto Auburn initially as a kicker, specializing in onside kicks.
Unfortunately for Hastings, those two factors still might not be enough, as there are 14 total receivers on the current roster. However, with the only clear locks being Julian Edelman, N’Keal Harry, Mohammed Sanu and Matthew Slater, that narrows the field to 10. Historically, the team usually has six to seven players at the wide receiver position.