New England Patriots: 5 Cut candidates fighting for a spot at training camp

2. Chase Winovich, EDGE

Chase Winovich has had an up and down existence with the New England Patriots. He has had a successful first two seasons on the defensive lines with 11 sacks and 74 total tackles on paper.

Winovich has been perhaps the team’s best pass rusher in his first two seasons. He consistently gets to the quarterback when he plays and the results have been there for people to see.

However, despite being given a chance at more playing time last season, Winovich was still only to be able to play in 58% of the team’s defensive plays. Even though he is strong when rushing the passer, Winovich the team did not seem to always trust him against the run.

With the new players on the inside and outside, Winovich faces stiff competition for playing time. He was often benched and it seemed like it was because the team did not trust him to stick to his defensive assignments. He also may have lost ground on some players when he missed the team’s minicamp. If he shows the same tendencies during camp, the team may find him to be more valuable as a trade chip than he could be for them on the roster.

1. James White, RB

Last season was a tough one for James White both personally and professionally. On the field, his numbers and usage dipped as the season went along. Off of the field, he dealt with the tragic loss of his father. This offseason, he was on the open market as a free agent for some time before the team ended up re-signing him for a bargain contract.

Part of what might hurt White’s roster lock is the fact he is mainly used as a passing-down quarterback. No matter who the starting quarterback is, the team may lean heavily on the running game to help stabilize the offense and keep the defense fresh. White could be minimized in a similar way to how he was at different points last season.

If the team decides that they will lean on the running game and find either J.J. Taylor, Brandon Bolden, or the rookie Stevenson can handle enough of the limited passing down opportunities, they may set White free to keep the roster spot for someone else such as Sony Michel or even another player on the roster that can offer more versatility than White.