The New England Patriots gave their depth players one last chance to make a case Thursday night.
Unfortunately for Kindle Vildor, things went south in an off night.
Vildor entered the preseason finale against the Cleveland Browns trending toward a spot on New England’s 53-man roster after a compelling stretch of practices and exhibition games.
He left Cleveland, though, with his summer momentum interrupted following a 37-13 loss in which the Patriots’ reserve secondary struggled throughout the night.
Sports Illustrated’s Zac Ventola listed Vildor among New England’s three biggest fallers, pointing to a 28-yard defensive pass interference penalty on Cleveland’s opening drive and additional problems in coverage.
The performance came only days after Vildor appeared to be separating himself from the pack at cornerback.
Vildor’s Good Summer Takes a Late Turn
Vildor’s rise had been one of the more notable developments on the back end of New England’s roster.
The 28-year-old signed a one-year deal with the Patriots in March after spending the 2025 season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He entered camp fighting for a reserve role behind Christian Gonzalez, Carlton Davis and Marcus Jones.
His case began to shine in the preseason opener. Vildor intercepted a pass against the Indianapolis Colts, then followed that performance with another active night against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Boston.com noted after the Eagles game that Vildor broke up three passes and nearly recorded a second interception of the preseason before the play was wiped out by a penalty. Mike Vrabel also singled him out after the game for having “some very competitive snaps.”
Before Thursday’s finale, Boston.com projected Vildor to make the 53-man roster, describing him as a player who had “really come around” after once looking like a potential cut candidate.
Then came Cleveland.
Vildor was flagged for defensive pass interference on third-and-9 during the Browns’ first possession, extending a drive that ended in a touchdown. Sports Illustrated added that he struggled in coverage at times after looking increasingly comfortable in New England’s defense over the previous few weeks.
One poor preseason game doesn’t negate everything Vildor did before it. It did, however, give the Patriots a conflicting data point at the exact moment roster decisions are coming due.
Patriots Have a Decision to Make at Cornerback
New England’s situation at cornerback makes the decision more complicated.
Gonzalez, Davis and Jones are established at the top of the depth chart, leaving the remaining spots to a group that includes Vildor, Charles Woods, Karon Prunty and other young defensive backs. The Patriots kept most of their primary players out of Thursday’s finale, creating an extended audition for that group.
It didn’t go particularly well.
Patriots.com noted that 38 players didn’t dress against Cleveland, while the Browns repeatedly moved the ball against New England’s reserves. Cleveland scored 27 points in the first half and finished with 37, exposing some of the concerns Vrabel has raised about the team’s overall depth.
Vildor had been building toward making the roster because of his experience, versatility and recent production. Furthermore, he has appeared in 80 career games, so he’s truly a veteran option behind its top three corners as the team sorts through the final spots in its secondary.
That experience may still be enough to secure his place.
But Thursday’s performance removed some of the comfort that had developed around his roster cirumstances.
With final cuts due Sunday, Vildor’s summer now has one late blemish attached to it — and the Patriots have to decide how attention to pay to it.
Patriots 7-Year Veteran Takes Roster Hit After Difficult Browns Finale