New England Patriots: Predicting 5 most surprising roster cuts of 2018
1. WR Malcolm Mitchell
Had you asked me about Malcolm Mitchell a year ago, I would have told you he was going to be a prominent part of the Patriots’ passing game for a long time. Boy, would I have been wrong.
As it turns out, New England is tired of waiting for the injury-prone receiver to get on the field.
It's also possible Mitchell's off the Patriots roster before the season starts via injury settlement or just by being waived. That's all still being sorted out.
— Mark Daniels (@ByMarkDaniels) July 23, 2018
This came after a report that Mitchell had undergone knee surgery on Monday, further clouding his future with the franchise. It’s all so sudden, seeing as he had the look of a potential breakout candidate heading into the 2017 season.
Well, as you probably know, things quickly went south for Mitchell. After a promising rookie campaign, he missed all of 2017 with knee complications that seemed to linger longer than they should have. Now, having just undergone surgery, it’s nearly impossible that he’ll be playing anytime soon. Hence, the Patriots’ desire to send him packing.
Next: Early bold predictions for Patriots' 2018 season
Sometimes, things just don’t work out. Other times, talented players have such a hard time staying healthy that all of said talent simply goes to waste. The latter (and former, really) appears to be the case for Mitchell, who may soon be asked to turn in his playbook.