Ah yes, the bye week. It’s the perfect time to sit back and reflect upon the season so far and really analyze the state of the New England Patriots, how the team got here and where things go from here.
Except this year. No one wants to do that right now. Instead, let’s talk about those brief moments over the summer when it seemed like James Robinson, Lynn Bowden and Trey Flowers were going to be big for the Patriots this year.
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Patriots Bye Week anti-analysis
I’m not here to analyze the Patriots season at the midway point. That sounds like actual work Chris Mason, Mark Daniels, Karen Guregian or Matt Vautour would do (suckers). Instead, I’m here to point out even fewer observations and general tidbits than normal that have at least a tangential connection to the 2023 season.
21 players you probably forgot were Patriots in 2023
Instead of season analysis, we’re diving straight into nonsensical semi-nostalgia. That’s right. We’re going into an internet time machine and traveling back to a happier time for Patriots fans — the summer.
Did many people think the Patriots were going to be good? Not really. However, fans weren’t worried about whether Bill Belichick should be fired midseason. So in retrospect, there was way more optimism.
There were also plenty of players who weren’t long for the roster in New England. It’s only been a matter of months or weeks, but there are already players who were on the Patriots roster this season that have already fallen out of fans’ minds.
So, I went back into the records and dug up 21 players who made me go, “Oh yeah, I remember that guy.”
1. QB Trace McSorley | Currently: Bears – McSorley was the Patriots’ third quarterback over the summer and was cut at the end of camp. He’s now on the Bears practice squad.
2. QB Matt Corral | Currently: Free agent – Over the course of September, Corral was claimed off waivers, was played on the exempt/left squad list, was released, was signed to the practice squad and then changed his mind about joining the practice squad. What a weird saga that was.
3. QB Ian Book | Currently: Free agent – The Patriots signed Book to the practice squad on Sept. 13. They released him on Sept. 18. He has not signed with a team since.
4. RB James Robinson | Currently: Free agent – For three months over the summer, it looked like the Patriots got an absolute steal when they signed the former 1,000-yard rusher. Then he was unceremoniously cut in June.
5. RB Pierre Strong | Currently: Browns – A fourth-round pick in 2022, Strong was suddenly traded this summer to acquire some tackle depth in the form of Tyrone Wheatley Jr., who has not played in a game this year.
6. RB J.J. Taylor | Currently: Texans – The undersized Taylor stuck around on the roster for a couple of years before being released again at roster cuts this August.
7. WR Ed Lee | Currently: Free agent – Lee was an undrafted rookie who grew up a Patriots fan and went to URI. Unfortunately, he was cut shortly into camp.
8. WR Lynn Bowden Jr. | Currently: Saints – Bowden was a fascinating college QB/WR who had a locker right next to Mac Jones last year. For a little while, it looked like he was an interesting receiver prospect. Then he was quietly cut in May.
9. WR Thyrick Pitts | Currently: Free agent – An undrafted rookie out of Delaware, Pitts led the Patriots this preseason with 10 targets — though he only caught four of those. He was cut at the end of camp.
10. OL Bill Murray | Currently: Bears – Murray was a fascinating story, originally coming in as a defensive lineman before switching over to offensive line back in 2022. After getting cut at the end of camp, Murray landed with the Bears practice squad.
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11. OL Yodny Cajuste | Currently: Giants – A third-round pick in 2019, Cajuste was a mystery man on the Patriots, sticking around as he worked his way back from injury. He played a total of seven games over four seasons before getting cut in May.
12. DL Justus Tavai | Currently: Free agent – The younger brother of Jahlani Tavai was signed in May, cut on June 2, re-signed on June 12 and cut again at the end of camp.
13. EDGE Ronnie Perkins | Currently: Broncos – A third-round pick in 2021, Perkins stuck around for a while, but never fully developed. He started the season on the practice squad before getting scooped up by the Broncos.
14. EDGE Trey Flowers | Currently: Free agent – The former Patriots star returned to New England and appeared ready to run it back. But after signing in August, he landed on the PUP list. He was quietly released in October.
15. LB Raekwon McMillan | Currently: Patriots – McMillan is the lone player on this list who is still on the roster in New England. However, he’s run into some brutal injury luck, suffering season-ending injuries during summer practices the past two years.
16. LB Diego Fagot | Currently: Free agent – The former Navy star logged 12 tackles over three games this preseason. He was cut at the end of camp.
17. CB Rodney Randle Jr. | Currently: Free agent – Randle, a former CFL star, did one better, posting 13 tackles over three games this season before getting cut.
18. P Corliss Waitman | Currently: Free agent – Waitman was signed in March, cut at the end of camp, signed to the practice squad shortly after and then released in October.
19. LS Tucker Addington | Currently: Free agent – Addington played in Week 16 last year, filling in for Joe Cardona before getting cut at the end of camp this year.
20. ST Raleigh Webb | Currently: Free agent – The Patriots signed Webb off the Ravens practice squad last season, adding him for special teams value. He was cut at the end of camp this year. He was on the Dolphins practice squad until Nov. 13.
21. ST Jourdan Heilig | Currently: Free agent – Heilig was a fascinating signing. He initially tried to transfer but wound up going nowhere. His name didn’t pop up in any draft guides. Then, out of nowhere, the Patriots signed him as an intriguing special teams prospect. However, the experiment was cut short when he was released on Aug. 12.
