7 Patriots players fighting for their jobs after minicamp

There are a lot of storylines to follow surrounding the Patriots this offseason, one of which is all the roster battles that will be happening during training camp.

At most positions, the team is in a unique situation where they have a lot of talent that will need to be narrowed down, which will work to many players’ benefit. On the other hand, more than a handful will need to step it up as practices return next month in hopes of snagging a roster spot for the 2024 season.

Some players will face stiff competition, making it more challenging to make the team, while others will need to step up their performance to impress Jerod Mayo and the rest of the coaching staff.

This list is just seven of the names who will be fighting for a job at training camp.

JuJu Smith-Schuster

JuJu Smith-Schuster is at the top of the list of players who need to have a fantastic summer in hopes of being kept on the Patriots 2024 roster for a host of reasons, many of which are reliant on the status of his rehab from injury.

The receiver was never a liked signing due to Bill Belichick’s decision to let Jakobi Meyers walk in free agency to sign Smith-Schuster to a nearly identical contract. This inevitably put more pressure on him to perform to the same level as the former Patriot, who had become a fan favorite over the years, to look even remotely worth it.

On top of that, he was coming off an impressive season with the Chiefs but ended the year with an injury, which prompted concerns about his fit on the Patriots’ offense. He wound up never fully acclimating to the new team, some of which can be blamed on the chaotic offense during the 2023 season. But it didn’t help that he ended the season on injured reserve.

Smith-Schuster has now claimed to be back to 100% health after recovering from his nagging knee injury, but his performance throughout minicamp wasn’t anything extraordinary.

A few standout plays made him a guy to watch in practice, which was a positive sign given his unremarkable first year in New England. However, his performance didn’t outshine others on the offense, notably Javon Baker and Ja’Lynn Polk, putting even more fire under Smith-Schuster to work even harder to secure a spot on the 2024 roster.