Patriots Players Who Need Impressive Camp to Avoid Being Cut

The New England Patriots have a large amount of wide receivers on their roster as they enter training camp.

The Patriots coaching staff needs to sort out which players will be on the field when Jacoby Brissett or Drake Maye lines up under center in Week 1.

Kendrick Bourne, Demario Douglas, Ja'Lynn Polk, K.J. Osborn and JuJu Smith-Schuster should make the roster with ease, so if that is the case, there will be a lengthy battle for the between the remaining wide outs.

Some of those players will not just be fighting for a spot on the Patriots roster, but maybe their performances in August allow them to link up with other teams.

New England can't keep all of its offensive skill position players, so some tough decisions will have to be made.

Jalen Reagor

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ORCHARD PARK, NEW YORK - DECEMBER 31: Jalen Reagor #83 of the New England Patriots runs the kickoff back for a touchdown during the first quarter of a game against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium on December 31, 2023 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Timothy T Ludwig/Getty Images)

Jalen Reagor feels like he might be on his last chance in the NFL.

The former first-round pick of the Philadelphia Eagles is one of the many wide receivers fighting to earn the last wide receiver spot on the Patriots roster.

Reagor has never had more than 400 receiving yards in his four seasons between Philadelphia, Minnesota and New England.

He only had seven catches for 138 yards last season in New England. He may save his roster spot with his speed in the return game.

But the return position is up for grabs as well because so many players in need of a roster spot could fit that role.

Reagor must get the best of everyone in the return competition because it does not feel like he has a clear path to the roster at wide receiver.

Kayshon Boutte

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FOXBOROUGH, MA - JUNE 12: New England Patriots wide receiver Kayshon Boutte (80) carries the ball during New England Patriots Minicamp on June 12, 2024, at The Patriots practice facility at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Kayshon Boutte was drafted in the sixth round in 2023 as a potential steal out of LSU.

Boutte was excellent at LSU, but that has not translated to the NFL yet. He had 19 yards on two catches in his rookie season.

The LSU product may face an uphill climb just to find himself on the fringe of the Patriots roster given how many wide receivers are on the current roster.

Boutte does not excel in the return game, which pits him at a disadvantage in competition with Reagor and Tyquan Thornton.

He may need an injury or two to help his cause to remain with the Patriots.

Tyquan Thornton

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FOXBOROUGH, MA - JUNE 04: New England Patriots wide receiver Tyquan Thornton (11) makes a catch during New England Patriots OTA on June 4, 2024, at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Tyquan Thornton could go from second-round pick to off the Patriots roster in the span of three years.

The Patriots opted to sign K.J, Osborn in free agency and draft Ja'Lynn Polk in April to take up two spots on the depth chart.

Thornton displayed some bright spots in his rookie season, but he only had 91 receiving yards in 2023.

The Patriots may be more willing to surround Drake Maye with veteran wide receivers so that he can achieve some sort of success in his rookie season.

A unit of Bourne, Smith-Schuster, Douglas, Polk and Osborn may not be the best in the NFL, but there's a ton of reliability within that group.

Thornton is one injury or trade away from being in play for a roster spot, so he must impress in August to beat out Reagor, Boutte and others to be in the first spot on the outside of the roster.