Waiting For The Other Shoe

Ready or not, there will be a football game this Sunday.

The Patriots had four of their roster cuts claimed by other teams; the Patriots, on the other hand, made zero waiver claims. Sometimes, another man's trash is just trash, I guess.

Monday morning and we're still waiting to see what's happening with Demaryius Thomas. Was this really just another example of roster management legerdemain on the part of Bill Belichick? So far, the assumption that someone on the Final 53 would be placed on IR/Return and Thomas would return to the Patriots locker room has yet to become reality. 

I'm starting to think Thomas is gone, despite hearing that his helmet is still in his old locker. 

Maybe N'Keal Harry is healthier than we know. (Belichick has indicated all the injured guys are getting better.) Harry and Thomas have somewhat redundant skill sets and neither of the two provide much in terms of special teams. Keeping both would seem to be a luxury on paper.

I wonder how the coaches feel about other players in the wide receivers' room, too. Maybe they're good with a starting three of Edelman, Gordon, and Dorsett. Maybe they feel good about Jakobi Meyers despite his disappointing debut with Brady in the preseason game against the Panthers. Maybe Harry is getting better. 

Assuming Harry is getting better and isn't a candidate for IR/Return, who would be cut to find a place for Thomas?

Was Gunner Olszewski the 54th man on the 90-man roster until Keion Crossen was traded to the Texans? Is he the most likely cut should Belichick make a move, whether that's bringing back Thomas or picking through the trash of the Other 31 to find a diamond in the rough?

Given the emphasis Belichick places on special teams, I think Gunner sticks. His versatility is invaluable (returns kicks, backup slot receiver, break glass in case of emergency defensive back). Olszewski takes up just one roster spot while saving two others.

For those of us who've seen this movie before, we know it's silly to talk about Oscar noms until the end of September. They still have some sorting to do on the offensive line, it still feels like another move is coming at tight end (and I don't mean Gronk), and, oh yeah, is Demaryius Thomas walking through that door?

We'll see how it goes.