New England Patriots roster cuts: 5 players we are glad to see on the 53-man roster

Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports

The busiest personnel day on the NFL calendar has come and gone. Yesterday, the New England Patriots trimmed their roster down to 53 players, officially ending the preseason and beginning the regular season.

Keep in mind that the Patriots will be without LeGarrette Blount in Week 1 due to his one-game suspension. The Pats also won’t have wideout Brandon LaFell against the Pittsburgh Steelers, as they placed him on the PUP yesterday so he won’t be available for a little while.

Before we get started on the players we are glad to see on the final roster, here are some players that will be missed:

• RB Jonas Gray, he of the 201-yard, four-touchdown effort against the Colts last season. It’s a bit surprising to see Gray left off the roster considering the fact that he visibly lost weight and gained speed over the offseason.
• LB Darius Fleming, who’s NFL career has been flagged by two ACL injuries to the same knee when he was in San Francisco. It’s understandable that the Pats let him go, but it’s tough to see Fleming get the chop.
• CB Robert McClain, who Bill Belichick called one of the most athletic players on the roster early in training camp. Interestingly, the Pats only kept four corners, and McClain was the odd man out.
• CB Daxton Swanson, who I compared to Asante Samuel earlier this summer because of his ball hawking skills.
• WR Jalen Saunders, who I thought would boost the Pats’ kick return game. They signed him just a few days ago.

Alright, now let’s talk about five players who we’re glad to see make the final cut.

Next: 5. Dion Lewis