Last dynasty-era player on Patriots in the hot seat after surprising draft pick

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New England Patriots v Buffalo Bills | Timothy T Ludwig/GettyImages

Among the impressive selections the Patriots made during the 2025 NFL Draft were a few pleasant yet head-scratching choices. Although there's no argument that they will be solid contributors on the roster, the decision to pick them caused plenty of debate for various reasons.

The first came when they took one of the best running backs of the entire class in the second round by picking TreVeyon Henderson at No. 38. While he will be an outstanding weapon for Drake Maye to utilize offensively, the backfield was not expected to be a priority, especially in a draft that reportedly had a deep running back class.

The Patriots later made more shocking picks, taking a kicker in the sixth round and a long snapper in the seventh round. Addressing the special teams was received positively, but the discussion about using draft picks to do so became a heated debate.

That, in turn, prompted conversation about Joe Cardona's safety on the roster with the addition of Julian Ashby, seemingly proving that Mike Vrabel and Co. are looking to replace the dynasty-era player this offseason.

Joe Cardona's time with the Patriots looks to be coming to an end

The new regime has already demonstrated its readiness to move on from any player it feels is not an asset for the 2025 season, no matter how beloved they are by fans or how long they have been on the team. For the most part, it's understandable, as there is no loyalty in sports. But from the fans' perspective, it's hard to swallow that the dynasty is, in fact, very much in the past.

That was the case when longtime center David Andrews and linebacker Ja'Whaun Bentley were released, which went along with the decision not to re-sign CB Jonathan Jones and DE Deatrich Wise Jr. Based on their decision to draft a long snapper, it seems fair to assume the same fate could be coming for Cardona, the last Tom Brady-era Patriot remaining on the roster.

Eliot Wolf nearly said as much when speaking to reporters after the draft concluded, emphasizing their desire to bring competition to the roster during the offseason, including at long snapper.

"Julian Ashby was a player that we liked. We felt like he was the best long snapper in the draft. Through some of the conversations that we had, we felt like he might not be someone that would be available post-draft.

Again, wanting to add some competition to the roster, we decided to pull the trigger there late."

Given how uncommon it is for any team to draft a long snapper, the assumption is that something would have to go very wrong with Ashby for him not to make the 2025 roster. Because of that, it would appear as though Cardona's days are numbered, and the Patriots' All-Dynasty team member will be looking for a job with another team this fall.

It might not be that big of a deal to most in the big scheme of things. However, Cardona has been a pillar of the Patriots since he was drafted in 2015. He was a part of two Super Bowl wins, won the Salute to Service award in 2023, and has represented the New England Patriots in the best way possible.

Not to mention, he has been stellar in his role as the long snapper, so much so that he has become the highest-paid at the position. So seeing him likely gone this year would be the official end of the dynasty era, something many fans are not fully prepared to let go of.

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