NFL Cuts: 10 New England Patriots That Could Be on the Roster Bubble

The NFL season is packed with excitement and intensity. Players dream of getting the chance to play in the NFL.

But around this time of year, those dreams die for many players. Some of them are names you know, some of them are forgotten in the chaos of the preseason.

Here's my list of ten guys to watch for as the list of cuts rolls in around Saturday.

Eric Ghiaciuc

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BALTIMORE - SEPTEMBER 7: Center Eric Ghiaciuc #53 of the Cincinnati Bengals points out coverage against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on September 7, 2008 in Baltimore, Maryland. The Ravens won 17-10. (Photo by Ned Dishman/Getty Images)

Eric Ghiaciuc (pronounced GUY-check) was signed during training camp at at time when the Patriots were thinner than a piece of paper on the offensive line. Although depth may still be an issue, I project nine offensive linemen ahead of Ghiaciuc on the depth chart. He was inactive for all 16 games last year, after becoming a mainstay on the Bengals' offensive line for 2006-'08 (which was shoddy at best during those years).

He's in a bit of a competition with some of the younger guys on the roster, and his addition could have been more of a whimsical move than an answer-seeking move for a lack of depth.

Projected to make the roster: Dan Koppen, Stephen Neal, Dan Connolly, Quinn Ojinnaka, Ryan Wendell

Mark LeVoir

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FOXBORO, MA - OCTOBER 26: Mark LeVoir #64 and Matt Cassel #16 of the New England Patriots set in position during the game with the St. Louis Rams at Gillette Stadium on October 26, 2008 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)

LeVoir has played sparingly on Sundays, but has spent most of his time stuck in a series of revolving doors with several teams on the practice squad. I have him making the roster right now, but after the team signed Quinn Ojinnaka, he's one of many offensive linemen that are hanging by a thread to their job.

Although he could still land on the practice squad, he'll need to impress over candidates like George Bussey and Thomas Welch to make sure of that.

Projected to make the roster: Matt Light, Sebastian Vollmer, George Bussey, Mark LeVoir

Thomas Welch

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INDIANAPOLIS, IN - FEBRUARY 27: Offensive lineman Thomas Welch of Vanderbilt runs the 40 yard dash during the NFL Scouting Combine presented by Under Armour at Lucas Oil Stadium on February 27, 2010 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Scott Boehm/Getty Im

Seventh-round picks aren't usually expected to produce for a team immediately, so Welch isn't a disappointment in that regard. He's on the bubble more because he hasn't done anything to really overwhelm or incredibly impress anyone on the Patriots coaching staff.

A spot on the practice squad is probably in order for Welch, but he could get called up if an injury should befall one of the starters.

Projected to make the roster: Matt Light, Sebastian Vollmer, George Bussey, Mark LeVoir

Matthew Slater

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MIAMI - DECEMBER 06: Wide receiver Matthew Slater #18 of the New England Patriots gets taken down by wide receiveer Brain Hartline #82 of the Miami Dolphins at Land Shark Stadium on December 6, 2009 in Miami, Florida. The Dolphins defeated the Patriots 2

Slater has earned most of his time as a special teams player, serving as a gunner on punt returns and sometimes returning kicks. He hasn't stood out in that role, and seems to be a fish out of water with highly-touted special teamer Devin McCourty in the mix.

With the influx of young talent to the Patriots receiving corps, they now have a logjam at that position. This could leave Slater on the wrong side of the bubble in about a week's time.

Projected to make the roster: Randy Moss, Wes Welker, Julian Edelman, Brandon Tate, Taylor Price, Sam Aiken

Sam Aiken

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LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 25: Sam Aiken (#88) of the New England Patriots runs with the ball chased by Barrett Ruud of (#51) Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the NFL International Series match between New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Wembley

Aiken had the most productive season of his career last year in New England, but the Patriots would clearly have liked more from him. Even with seven starts, he only grabbed 20 passes for two touchdowns. The Patriots have done a lot about their receiving corps over the past couple of years, drafting Brandon Tate and Taylor Price, and Aiken currently ranks as my sixth-best receiver on the roster.

He could still make an impression in Thursday night's game against the Giants, and his job might be on the line if he doesn't.

Projected to make the roster: Randy Moss, Wes Welker, Julian Edelman, Brandon Tate, Taylor Price, Sam Aiken

Damione Lewis

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CHARLOTTE, NC - DECEMBER 08: Damione Lewis #92 of the Carolina Panthers celebrates a win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Bank of America Stadium on December 8, 2008 in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers won 38-23. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Im

Damione Lewis hasn't seen quality time in the preseason, logging most of his stats late in games against second- or third-stringers.

The former Panthers defensive tackle currently ranks seventh on my projected depth chart of defensive linemen. This has been called a thin position for the Patriots, but does anyone think they'll carry seven into the season, especially since only three will start? Lewis is more of a 4-3 kind of guy, where the Patriots run a 3-4 more frequently. The time he'd get on the field wouldn't be worth the time he'd be riding the pine.

Projected to make the roster: Vince Wilfork, Mike Wright, Gerard Warren, Myron Pryor, Ron Brace, Brandon Deaderick

Brandon Deaderick

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ATLANTA - SEPTEMBER 05: Defensive lineman Brandon Deaderick #95 of the Alabama Crimson Tide against the Virginia Tech Hokies during the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game at Georgia Dome on September 5, 2009 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Image

Late-round prospects don't come into the league with a lot of attention or pressure to perform, but that doesn't stop them from making an impact, even if only to add depth.

After an impressive preseason, waiving Deaderick wouldn't be a good idea. Plenty of teams are in search of depth on the defensive line, and someone would snatch him up in a heartbeat if given the chance.

Projected to make the roster: Vince Wilfork, Mike Wright, Gerard Warren, Myron Pryor, Ron Brace, Brandon Deaderick

Tyrone McKenzie

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MOBILE, AL - JANUARY 24: Tyrone McKenzie #54 of North Team runs against the South Team during the Under Armour Senior Bowl on January 24, 2009 at Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Alabama. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images for Under Armour)

It may be unfair of me to put a second-year player on the bubble after he missed his first year with injury, but I firmly believe that's right where McKenzie belongs. He didn't even play in the game against Atlanta; it probably didn't feel too good to watch Eric Alexander go out there before him, too. In the third preseason game where starters get most of the time, both of McKenzie's plays came in the fourth quarter of the game against the Rams.

The Patriots feature two middle linebackers in their 3-4 system, and one rotational player may be good enough for them. I'm ready to say he'll be kept around, but the Patriots have real depth problems along the offensive and defensive lines to address.

Projected to make the roster: Jerod Mayo, Brandon Spikes, Gary Guyton, Tyrone McKenzie

BenJarvus Green-Ellis

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FOXBORO, MA - AUGUST 12: BenJarvus Green-Ellis #42 of the New England Patriots scores a touchdown during the first quarter of a preseason game against the New Orleans Saints at Gillette Stadium on August 12, 2010 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jim R

I know what many of you think: Didn't Green-Ellis just start against the Saints? What if I told you that Fred Taylor had been getting the first-team reps in two practices with the Saints leading up to the game?

I severely doubt that Green-Ellis would be waived, because chances are he wouldn't clear waivers. The Patriots could trade him for a draft pick down the road, which would clear up a roster spot for them.

Projected to make the roster: Fred Taylor, Laurence Maroney, Kevin Faulk, Sammy Morris

Rob Ninkovich

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FOXBORO, MA - JANUARY 10: Rob Ninkovich #50 of the New England Patriots gestures on the field against the Baltimore Ravens during the 2010 AFC wild-card playoff game at Gillette Stadium on January 10, 2010 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Elsa/Getty

I would say that Ninkovich's chances of getting cut are a longshot, but they exist nonetheless. He played in 15 games and started none of them in 2009, and although he logged a sack in the game against Denver, he hasn't done anything overly impressive otherwise.

Perhaps he's not a great fit in the 3-4 system, or perhaps he's just not much more than a back-up. He's one of those underproductive veterans that could be cut if Belichick can't find the right spot for him.

Projected to make the roster: Tully Banta-Cain, Derrick Burgess, Marques Murrell, Pierre Woods, Rob Ninkovich

One More Chance...

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FOXBORO, MA - AUGUST 12: Coach Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots yells to his players in the first quarter during the preseason game against the New Orleans Saints at Gillette Stadium on August 12, 2010 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jim Ro

At this point, most of the starting rosters have been decided. With one game left in the preseason, teams tend to feature the back-ups as they try to round out their rosters with the right depth.

The Patriots, however, will start their first team on both sides of the ball, although the depth players will still have their chances to shine later in the game.

Even if some of these players are cut, others are still eligible for the practice squad—that is, if they clear waivers. Some of these players may shed their uniforms for the last time, but others still have an opportunity to crack the roster during the season if an injury should befall one of the top 53.