Fansided

3 New England Patriots who won’t be on the roster by opening weekend

By Kinnu Singh

ORCHARD PARK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 08: Nick Folk #6 of the New England Patriots walks to the field prior to a game against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium on January 08, 2023 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Bryan Bennett/Getty Images)
ORCHARD PARK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 08: Nick Folk #6 of the New England Patriots walks to the field prior to a game against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium on January 08, 2023 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Bryan Bennett/Getty Images) /
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FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – AUGUST 11: Lil’Jordan Humphrey #83 celebrates with Tre Nixon #82 of the New England Patriots after scoring a touchdown during the preseason game between the New York Giants and the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on August 11, 2022 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – AUGUST 11: Lil’Jordan Humphrey #83 celebrates with Tre Nixon #82 of the New England Patriots after scoring a touchdown during the preseason game between the New York Giants and the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on August 11, 2022 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /

2. Patriots who won’t be back: Tre Nixon, WR

Drafted in 2021, Tre Nixon has spent his first two years in the NFL on the Patriots practice squad, and there’s an apparent reason why New England may be reluctant to cut him off the team entirely. Ernie Adams, the Patriots’ longtime “director of football research“, believed in Nixon so much that he decided to draft him in the seventh round of the 2021 NFL Draft. It was the Patriots’ final pick that year and the final draft of Adams’ illustrious career in New England, where he cultivated the strategies that brought the Patriots six Super Bowl titles.

Nixon signed with the Patriots in May 2021, but by August, he’d been waived and re-signed to the practice squad. He signed a reserve/future contract in January 2022, remained on the practice squad for the fall, then signed another reserve/future contract in January 2023.

Since Nixon was drafted, the Patriots have signed JuJu Smith-Schuster, traded for DeVante Parker, drafted Tyquan Thornton, signed Raleigh Webb, signed Ty Montgomery, and drafted Kayshon Boutte and Demario Douglas. Nixon is still listed on the Patriots depth chart, but considering how the locker room has expanded since he was drafted, it’s unlikely that Nixon would be called up before any of the other more recent acquisitions.

Whether it’s based on Nixon’s rate of development or nostalgia for Adams’ last pick, the Patriots still believe Nixon could potentially add to their lineup at some point. Considering how training camp goes and how the rookies and new signings perform, there may no longer be a space for Nixon on any part of the Patriots roster.

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