3 Takeaways From First Wave of Patriots Cuts: Corey Kiner Continues RB Carousel

The New England Patriots had to cut their roster down from 91 players to 53 before Sunday's deadline. On Saturday, they made 19 cuts to their team (and one addition).

Some moves didn't come as any surprise, like the team moving on from three undrafted wide receivers. Others, like trading for a second-year running back, came out of nowhere.

From the first wave of transactions, here are some of the biggest takeaways about how New England's roster stands right now (at the time of publication, the Patriots' is reportedly at 69 players).

External Option The Answer At RB3 ... For Now

Aug 22, 2026; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Cardinals running back Corey Kiner (37) runs the ball in the first half against the Dallas Cowboys at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Patriots had four running backs fighting for the third job. We saw sparks from Jam Miller, Lan Larison and Hassan Haskins, while veteran JaMycal Hasty offers intrigue on special teams. The team decided to go in another direction, trading a future seventh round pick to the Arizona Cardinals for Corey Kiner.

Clearly, no one in that group was able to differentiate themselves from each other, and the Patriots swung a trade for a player soon to get cut. Kiner, who spent time with three teams as a rookie last year, forced nine missed tackles in the preseason and is now in line for RB3 snaps in New England.

This isn't to say that the Patriots won't end up bringing any of their interior guys back, as they released both Haskins and Hasty on Saturday. It feels like more of an extended tryout for those players who stick around on the practice squad next week.

Backup Offensive Line Out The Door

Aug 22, 2026; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots offensive lineman Darrian Dalcourt (61) in the second half against the Philadelphia Eagles at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Edward Finan-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

No position got cut more than the offensive line, as the Patriots reportedly moved on from five backups across the board. Center Jacob Rizy, guards JonDarius Morgan, Darrian Dalcourt and Mehki Butler, and tackle Lorenz Metz were among those released.

There isn't a question about how New England's starting line will look, as Will Campbell, Alijah Vera-Tucker, Jared Wilson, Mike Onwenu and Morgan Moses have that on lock. But for a group that's been riddled with injuries in the preseason, seeing the team furiously cut their backups could come as a surprise.

Actually, it bodes well for the chances of some of the linemen in that room, including veteran guard Greg Van Roten, tackle James Hudson and rookie tackle Dametrious Crownover. The final spot will likely be determined by if Ben Brown and Marcus Bryant have cloudly outlooks on their lower-body injuries.

Cornerback Picture Becoming Clearer

Aug 22, 2026; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots cornerback Marcellas Dial Jr. (27) prays before the game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Edward Finan-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Cornerback was another spot where the Patriots have a bit of a backup battle on their hands. Behind the top group of Christian Gonzalez, Carlton Davis and Marcus Jones, a lot of players are fighting for not that many spots. Heading into the weekend, it felt like Charles Woods, Kindle Vildor and Karon Prunty are the favorites for the three backup jobs.

So far, that's the trend we're seeing. The Patriots released both Marcellas Dial — who was one of two remaining players from the team's 2024 draft class — and Brandon Crossley. Depending on how the rest of the roster shakes out, the Patriots could end up keeping six corners (or seven, should undrafted rookie Channing Canada sneak onto the team).

How this unit unfolds will be critical, especially after a week of poor play in the preseason finale. If Gonzalez's contract negotiations bleed into the regular season, that's another thing to monitor. Prunty could be one of the last players on the roster, mainly because of his willingness to play special teams.

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