New England Patriots: 5 Players Firmly on the 53-Man Roster Bubble

With Week 2 of the 2011 NFL preseason in the books, the complexion for the first set of roster cuts is becoming more clear. For a team as deep as the New England Patriots, these cuts will be difficult, but they are a necessary evil to get down to the 53-man roster.

A mix of veterans, rookies, free agents, draft picks and others will be victims of the unruly axe, but many will probably go on to find jobs elsewhere. That being said, all is not lost for these players.

Who are the guys on the bubble?

Erik Frenz is the co-host of the PatsPropaganda and Frenz podcast. Follow Erik on Twitter @erikfrenz.

Darius Butler

All the physical talent in the world hasn't helped the light go on for Darius Butler. Entering his third year, it now becomes a question of not when, but if it will all finally click for Butler.

Taken with a second-round pick in 2009, there weren't immediate expectations of production from Butler, but a second-round player is projected to start. Despite that, he has done nothing to earn it, and the coaching staff continually brings in more help at cornerback, only hurting his chances at a spot on the roster.

He had a poor showing against the Jaguars, amassing five tackles largely after allowing a catch and showing a lack of fundamental awareness at times. He had a much better game against the Bucs, but still showed some areas he needs to improve, namely in giving receivers too soft of a cushion.

Butler is entrenched in a battle for the fifth cornerback spot with both Jonathan Wilhite and Malcolm Williams. The three have to be on top of their game in practice this week.

Lee Smith

After being selected with a fifth-round pick in the 2011 NFL draft, it appears Lee Smith is looking up from the fourth spot on the depth chart at tight end. The Patriots wouldn't likely carry four of these guys into the regular season, so it's very likely that Smith or Will Yeatman will be relegated to the practice squad.

Smith should be concerned by the amount of playing time Yeatman had on Thursday night against the Buccaneers, as Yeatman played most of the first half in the third tight end role. 

Brandon Tate

Tate entered the league as a promising option to boost the Patriots passing game. When the Patriots traded away Randy Moss, many thought Tate would be the one to step up in his place as a potential deep threat.

Unfortunately, things haven't come together as nicely as the Patriots or Tate would have hoped. Injuries have hampered his development, and with the potential that the team sees in Taylor Price, Tate is firmly on the roster bubble.

Contrary to reports from other web sites, the PUP list is not an option for Tate. He has already practiced, so it's either the roster or IR for him.

Bret Lockett

With guys like Sergio Brown and James Sanders in the depth chart battle, Bret Lockett may be among the first group of cuts. His contributions on special teams don't add enough value in place of guys like Matthew Slater or Tracy White to warrant the roster spot.

Lockett was on the bubble even before his injury against the Bucs, but with that, he may now be even more firmly on the bubble.  

Sammy Morris

The Patriots usually designate four or five roster spots for running backs. That being said, those roster spots may already be accounted for. With two rookies in Shane Vereen and Stevan Ridley, the two feature backs from last year in Danny Woodhead and BenJarvus Green-Ellis and lifer Kevin Faulk, it looks like Morris might be the odd man out.

It's too bad, too, because Morris was solid for the Patriots when he was on the field between 2007-2009. He averaged 4.6 yards per carry in that three-year period, despite being marred by injury throughout that span. 2010, however, was a noticeable down year for Morris. Not only was he injured, but his productivity took a huge hit, as he only averaged 2.8 yards per carry on 20 carries.

His lone bright spot was on a successful two-point conversion in the Patriots playoff loss to the Jets—hardly enough to help him keep his job in 2011.