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4 Patriots who don’t deserve another season in 2022

By Jerry Trotta

INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 31: N'Keal Harry #1, Ted Karras #67, and Mac Jones #10 of the New England Patriots walk off the field after the New England Patriots beat the Los Angeles Chargers 27-24 at SoFi Stadium on October 31, 2021 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 31: N'Keal Harry #1, Ted Karras #67, and Mac Jones #10 of the New England Patriots walk off the field after the New England Patriots beat the Los Angeles Chargers 27-24 at SoFi Stadium on October 31, 2021 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) /
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Devin Asiasi, Patriots
PHILADELPHIA, PA – AUGUST 19: Devin Asiasi #86 of the New England Patriots. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /

3. Devin Asiasi/Dalton Keene

Bill Belichick has made a number of questionable draft picks during his reign as the Patriots’ de facto general manager, but the decision to use a pair of third-round choices on Devin Asiasi and Dalton Keene in 2020 might be his worst yet.

In two years since the 2020 draft, the tight end tandem has combined to post five catches for 55 yards. They’ve played a combined 16 games overall and played just one game (12 offensive snaps) this past season alone.

Asiasi and Keene had no business making the 2021 roster out of training camp and the preseason and we’re hard-pressed to envision a scenario in which they’re on the team for the start of OTAs and mandatory minicamp. Even if they last that long, they shouldn’t make it beyond the first round of roster cuts.

At the end of the day, the Patriots shouldn’t have been in a position to sign both Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith to big contracts last offseason. One or the other would’ve been justifiable, but Belichick no doubt believed that at least one of Asiasi or Keene would have shown enough by now to be regular contributor.

As we sit here today, they might not even belong in the NFL.

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