The New England Patriots have been faced with some crucial player personnel decisions over the past week. Yes, the team is reportedly in hot pursuit of free-agent QR and former Pro-Bowler Odell Beckham Jr., but it has also had to consider the fates of two players who have been on injured reserve this season.
New England elected to activate third-year quarterback Jarrett Stidham off the Physically Unable to Perform List. Unfortunately, the news wasn’t quite as positive for defensive lineman Byron Cowart. Wednesday marked the end of a 21-day period that required the Patriots to make a decision on whether to activate Stidham and Cowart.
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During head coach Bill Belichick’s presser on Wednesday, November 10, he confirmed Cowart wouldn’t be activated and subsequently would not be available for the remainder of the 2021 season. ESPN’s Mike Reiss confirmed the information that came directly from Belichick in the following tweet:
Updates from 🅱️🅱️:
🏈 DT Byron Cowart won’t be activated off PUP list
🏈 On activating QB Jarrett Stidham: “Depth at that position is always important”
🏈 Browns with 18 snaps on 4th down (7 conversions)
🏈 On adding RB to practice squad: “We’ll monitor it. See how it goes.”
Cowart was placed on injured reserve for undisclosed reasons, but he did return to practice in October. It seemed as though he may be closing in on a return to the team’s active roster. We now know that won’t happen. As it stands, the Patriots have leaned heavily on Deatrich Wise, Davon Godchaux, Lawrence Guy, Carl Davis and rookie Christian Barmore. Quite honestly, Barmore’s play has likely made Cowart and otheres expendable. However, there is still something to be said for depth at every position.
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Grading the Patriots’ Defensive Line Play
The Patriots are close to middle of the pack in the NFL when it comes to stopping the run. This is not entirely a function of the defensive line, but the big guys upfront have the initial responsibility of shutting down opponent’s running game.
Currently, the Patriots are 14th in the NFL allowing 108.9 yards per game. In two of the Patriots’ last three games (54-13 win over the New York Jets in Week 7 and 24-6 victory over the Carolina Panthers in Week 9), New England has held opponents well under 100 yards.
When it comes to getting to opponent’s quarterbacks, the Patriots haven’t been the most prolific pass rushers. Currently, they rank 19th in the NFL averaging 2.1 sacks per game. There is room for improvement in the front seven, but it’s been strong enough to turn the season on a positive note.
Which Player(s) Have Made Byron Cowart Expendable?
Without a question, the emergence of Barmore has been one of the biggest positives on the roster in 2021, and easily on the defense.
The rookie’s versatility has been huge. While Cowart may not have been in a position to return to the team, Barmore’s play made the decision to keep the former inactive a bit easier to navigate.
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Patriots D-Lineman’s Season is Over