3 surprise cuts the Patriots could make by Week 1

1. LB Josh Uche

Giving up on a young player so quickly? It’s happened before with many teams, and New England would not be prone to releasing someone and adding another if it helps the team. But with Matthew Judon and Ja’Whuan Bentley as the only sure bets, the rest are up for grabs, yet Uche might be without a spot.

Mack Wilson is among the rotation and seems to fit more naturally in the Patriots system. Still, it would be a surprise to see Uche go, given what the linebacker room currently looks like. But, as history has shown, Belichick is not afraid to make a move that seems puzzling. See Malcolm Butler in the Super Bowl, Jaime Collins trade, or even Lawyer Milloy’s release.

Again, will Uche get cut? Probably not. Would it be a surprise if he did? Yes. He’s a young player and deserves at least another year to see if he can be what the team wants him to be. There’s still another preseason game for him to send a message that this scenario shouldn’t even be considered during cutdown days.