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Two downs, two to go.
While the day of the cup is on the horizon, the New England Patriots will host the Carolina Panthers Thursday night at Gillette Stadium in their third of their four pre-season games.
For players whose places are not safe, this game represents one of the last opportunities to prove that it deserves to stay beyond the next weekend. Here are five players with the most to prove:
Braxton Berrios, wide receiver
The receiver's alignment battle intensified after the return of Josh Gordon, Julian Edelman and Thomas Demaryius, and Berrios could now argue with Phillip Dorsett and Maurice Harris for just one place – Berrios looking like Man down on this list. The good news for choosing the seventh round of the 2018 is that he could see plenty of time playing Thursday with many other players (Edelman, Thomas, Dorsett, Harris and N'Keal Harry) taking care of their injuries or who have just recovered them. (Depending on the conditions of his reinstatement, Gordon will not play until next week at the earliest.)
Lance Kendricks, tight end
Speaking of injuries, we do not expect to see Matt LaCosse or Stephen Anderson in action against Carolina. That means more opportunities for Kendricks, who, apart from an untimely wait that helped ensure the safety of the Patriots, stood up pretty well against the Tennessee Titans when he started in Patriots . The 31-year-old can strengthen his position for a spot in the lineup with another strong performance on Thursday night.
Mike Pennel, defensive tackle
We were expecting great things from Pennel this season, predicting it as an obvious replacement for the late Malcom Brown, or even an upgrade. This is not the case so far. Danny Shelton, who suffered many scratches last season, was the Patriots' first choice as a nose guard in their new defense at 3-4, with Pennel having to wait until the second half of last week's match for play his first match. . Since New England will probably not get through the season with a single nose guard, Pennel still has a good chance of breaking the line-up of 53 players, but his game has not yet inspired much confidence.
Duc Dawson, corner half
A staple on these lists throughout the spring and summer, Dawson still seems to be the seventh best player in a fully loaded corner room. After taking advantage of his best practices last Thursday night in Nashville, he sank in the preseason game. No team wants to make a second-round pick a year after their selection, but Dawson just did not seem to deserve a spot in the lineup. He has two games left to change that.
Deatrich Wise, defensive end
Wise did not make the second jump that many expected from him last season, but his presence on this list has more to do with projects than with performances. The third-year professional player is a tough choice for the new Patriots 3-4, which defensively plays five techniques. The racing defense has never been Wise's strong point – he's played nearly three times more assists in his two professional seasons – and the D-ends should normally score two holes on 3-4. Sage makes some games in the running against Tennessee, but was also pushed at times, including a touchdown by Jeremy McNichols who was recalled due to a call waiting in high school. We need to know more before registering it at 53.
Miniature Photo via Mark J. Rebilas / USA TODAY HUI Sports Images
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