5 notable Patriots on the bubble heading into roster cuts

On one hand, the announcement of the Patriots’ 53-man roster serves as an exciting moment — one of the final steps in preparing for the start of the regular season.

Of course, it’s also not thrilling for everyone — at least, not in a good way.

A number of players might have played their last down of Patriots football Sunday, whether just for this season or for good. Some might never play professional football again at all.

Particularly for those players on the roster bubble, flirting between the joy of making the team and the disappointment of having to figure out the next step if they don’t, the period between the conclusion of Sunday’s game and Tuesday at 4 p.m. could be the most stressful time of their year.

Here are a few of those Patriots players who could potentially go either way ahead of Tuesday’s roster deadline.

Kristian Wilkerson

There was a point early in training camp when Wilkerson looked like he was going to push N’Keal Harry for his roster spot while both players were healthy.

His speed and ability to separate from defenders was popping, and he was regularly catching passes from both Cam Newton and Mac Jones.

But though he had a solid first preseason game, he couldn’t haul in his biggest opportunity on Jones’s deep sideline throw. After that, it felt like the formerly undrafted receiver hit a wall.

The drops snowballed in practice, including a few costly ones during joint practices against the Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants. And as a result, his opportunities to make plays decreased as well.

He did have a good close to the preseason, leading all Patriots receivers against the Giants Sunday. That included a nice 21-yard catch from Jones on the backups’ first offensive drive.

But it feels like too little, too late as far as Wilkerson is concerned. And even if he were to make the 53-man roster, there might be no guarantee he stays on it.

Brandon Bolden

The veteran running back looked great in his initial return to the Patriots after opting out last season. His speed, special teams contributions and ability to catch the football out of the backfield had him in great position to make the final roster.

The problem is that we haven’t seen him much since those first few weeks of training camp.

Bolden hasn’t played in any of the teams’ three preseason games and only just returned to practice recently, wearing a red non-contact jersey. So while he participated in early practice drills, he didn’t get any run in team segments against the Giants.

Meanwhile, Rhamondre Stevenson has elevated himself to almost true RB2 status behind Damien Harris with an electric preseason, and J.J. Taylor has all but punched his ticket to the 53-man roster with his brilliant all-around performance in the exhibitions.

The Patriots could certainly elect to keep Bolden as another core special teams contributor. His experience in that regard would certainly be welcome.

But the running back play has been so strong without him that the veteran certainly isn’t a safe bet to make the team. Leaving him off the roster could open doors for more depth at needier positions as well.

Joejuan Williams

One could certainly argue Williams has improved markedly from where he started training camp.

Once he got his hands on that tipped-ball interception against Washington and broke up a potential game-tying two-point conversion in the same game, his fortunes have lifted significantly. He’s even seen a solid share of starting reps at cornerback opposite J.C. Jackson after injuries to Jonathan Jones and Myles Bryant forced Jalen Mills into the slot.

But it still feels as if that expanded playing time hasn’t yielded much in the way of tangible results for Williams.

The third-year cornerback simply doesn’t play sticky enough coverage to contribute regularly as an outside cornerback in this scheme. It often seems as if he has to make up for separation he’s allowed with his long frame, trying to dislodge balls after receivers have already caught them.

Newly acquired rookie cornerback Shaun Wade already has shown better feel for press coverage in his limited time with the Patriots and might well be a higher-upside player to keep on the roster with Stephon Gilmore’s situation still uncertain.

Williams definitely has a stronger case to make the team than Michael Jackson Sr., who struggled badly Sunday and hasn’t done much to distinguish himself in camp. But there just might not be enough space for the former Vanderbilt Commodore unless room is made at other positions.

Yodny Cajuste

The last offensive line roster spot essentially comes down Cajuste and James Ferentz.

The latter has had a strong camp and has been particularly valuable when starting center David Andrews and backup center/guard Ted Karras have been out with injuries. The only catch: Ferentz basically only plays center. If Karras is healthy, it feels like a luxury to have him on the roster.

Cajuste, like Justin Herron, can potentially play either tackle spot in a pinch and has gotten better as camp has progressed. His athleticism and ability to block on the edge fit well with this team’s focus on running the football.

Furthermore, with both Isaiah Wynn and Trent Brown having question marks about their full-season durability, having two versatile backups feels better than having just one.

Of course, Andrews has had his own injury issues this preseason, so Ferentz could provide needed insurance there.

So the question essentially becomes: has Cajuste come far enough since OTAs to force himself on the roster? There’s a strong argument for that case. And even if he winds up getting the short end of the stick by Tuesday afternoon, the Patriots could certainly use him on the practice squad.

Akeem Spence

Though Spence has typically worked with the starting defense in training camp and during the preseason games, he’s typically not showing up on film for the right reasons. He’s been getting cleared out of holes more easily than you’d like for a guy playing inside in a two-gap system.

Moreover, Christian Barmore’s emergence has likely made Spence obsolete. The second-round pick has held his ground against the run and has been destructive as an interior pass-rusher. Just watch the way he collapsed the pocket on Josh Uche’s sack Sunday night.

With the rookie likely to get more snaps with the starting unit, Carl Davis playing well in a reserve role, and Henry Anderson making $3 million guaranteed as a run-stopping depth signing, there isn’t a ton of room here for Spence.

The Patriots would even save almost his entire $1.225 million cap hit by cutting him. The business of football can be a cruel place sometimes, and Spence, unfortunately, hasn’t done quite enough to guarantee himself a spot.