Will Drake Maye be last man standing in 2024 Patriots draft class?

After which there have been three.

Drake Maye, Javon Baker, and Caedan Wallace are the one gamers from final 12 months’s Patriots draft class left on the energetic roster after cuts, season-ending accidents, and a commerce.

5 of the eight gamers the Patriots chosen in 2024 are both now not with the staff or too damage to play within the close to future.

Maye isn’t only a lock to make the staff, he’s the franchise quarterback and has a lot of the staff’s hopes driving on his shoulders.

Wallace’s and Baker’s circumstances aren’t practically as clear minimize.

Whereas the Patriots’ lack of depth on the offensive line may assist Wallace, the truth that the teaching employees has tried to maneuver him from guard to sort out, together with him not seeing many first-team reps this summer season, reveals that he’s not precisely getting a ringing endorsement from the choice makers.

Baker is a deep risk, which is one thing that this Patriots receiver room doesn’t appear to have very a lot of, and the teaching employees has tried to make use of his athleticism on particular groups. However, the Patriots’ receiver room is crowded, and undrafted rookie Efton Chism may power some robust choices to be made.

So, right here’s a take a look at what occurred to all of the others, together with a barely deeper take a look at the ultimate three’s photographs at making the staff.

Reduce/Traded

OL Layden Robinson

The Patriots introduced Sunday that Robinson was waived with an harm designation.

When a participant with lower than four-years expertise will get minimize, he has to go on waivers, which implies there’s a interval the place any staff may declare him.

If he clears waivers, Robinson will revert to the Patriots’ injured reserve record.

QB Joe Milton

New England traded Milton to the Cowboys within the offseason.

The Patriots obtained a fifth-round choose in trade for Milton (who was taken within the sixth spherical), in addition to a seventh rounder.

The previous Tennessee quarterback, recognized for his legendarily sturdy arm and coaching camp backflips, made some noise with the Cowboys this summer season, however the hype seems to have cooled off.

TE Jaheim Bell

Bell was one among 14 names that coach Mike Vrabel introduced final week through the first wave of roster cuts.

The seventh-round choose was competing for the third tight finish spot behind Hunter Henry and Austin Hooper, however didn’t acquire sufficient traction to stay on the roster.

Injured

WR Ja’Lynn Polk

Polk is reportedly anticipated to overlook the 2025 season after undergoing shoulder surgery.

When coach Mike Vrabel was requested concerning the report of the harm, he mentioned he wished to determine the right way to take care of the ‘rats’ who leaked it.

Polk had 12 catches for 87 yards throughout his rookie season and had an up-and-down coaching camp whereas he was on the market.

CB Marcellas Dial

Dial went down with a torn ACL throughout coaching camp.

The sixth-round choose, who made the 53-man roster final 12 months, was anticipated so as to add athleticism to the particular groups unit and depth as a reserve cornerback.

Final three standing

QB Drake Maye

Roster Standing: Lock

Competitors: None

The outlook: That is Maye’s staff. He’s the chief of the offense. He performed properly sufficient final 12 months to be chosen as a Professional Bowl alternate. He’s anticipated to take a leap in 12 months 2, and the Patriots may very well be in for a protracted season if he doesn’t.

OL Caedan Wallace

Roster standing: Bubble

Competitors: Ben Brown, Cole Unusual, Jared Wilson

The outlook: To date, it seems to be like rookie Jared Wilson has the very best likelihood at being the beginning left guard for the Patriots. Go forward and pencil Mike Onwenu in at proper guard.

So, Wallace might be a left guard spot. Ben Brown has often gotten first-team reps, albeit not as incessantly as Wilson.

Former first spherical choose Unusual has slipped down the depth chart after starting camp as a starter.

The inside of the Patriots’ offensive line stays a weak spot, particularly when depth is worried. Wallace’s case looks as if it may go both means, the Patriots lack depth at these spots, however they don’t appear fully offered on Wallace both.

WR Javon Baker

Roster Standing: Bubble

Competitors: Kendrick Bourne, Efton Chism III

The outlook: The Patriots’ prime receivers look like Stefon Diggs, DeMario Douglas, and Kayshon Boutte. Mack Hollins and second-round choose Kyle Williams have each proven flashes and look like in a reasonably first rate spot to make the roster.

So, that’s 5 gamers. There’s a query as as to if the Patriots will carry six or seven receivers.

Chism’s manufacturing has been exhausting to argue in opposition to. He has 122 yards and a pair of landing catches. Baker had only one catch for 13 yards throughout the whole preseason. If he makes the staff, it’s as a result of the Patriots are betting on upside and his capacity to assist out on particular groups.

Bourne is a longtime veteran who has performed in Josh McDaniels’s offense earlier than. His familiarity with it, together with manufacturing from previous years, may very well be elements within the decision-making course of even supposing he has handled accidents this summer season.

Khari A. Thompson

Sports activities Reporter

Khari Thompson covers skilled sports activities for Boston.com. Earlier than becoming a member of the staff in 2022, Khari lined school soccer for The Clarion Ledger in Jackson, Miss.