Bubble will burst for some players

Areas to watch in the Patriots' exhibition finale tonight against the Giants in East Rutherford, N.J.:

1 . Offensive linemen on the bubble. The Patriots are likely to keep eight or nine on the final roster, and the locks would seemingly be tackles Matt Light, Nick Kaczur, and Wesley Britt; guards Logan Mankins, Billy Yates, and Russ Hochstein; and center Dan Koppen. That leaves third-year center/guard Dan Connolly, 11-year veteran Mike Flynn, and 10-year veteran guard John Welbourn likely jockeying for the available spot or spots. Connolly might not play tonight - he's been held out of practice the last few days - so Flynn and Welbourn figure to get a long look. Veteran tackle Oliver Ross remains on the physically unable to perform list, but he has to be under consideration, as well.

2 . Finalizing the backup quarterback spots. Matt Cassel has not led a touchdown drive this exhibition season, while Matt Gutierrez is coming off a strong outing against the Eagles. It would not be a surprise if Gutierrez starts tonight, with the coaching staff looking to see how he responds. Rookie Kevin O'Connell is also expected to play after not getting off the bench against Philadelphia. Given the other needs on the roster, it seems highly unlikely the Patriots will keep four quarterbacks, so something has to give. Tom Brady isn't likely to play.

3 . Veteran linebacker Victor Hobson vs. rookies Gary Guyton, Vince Redd, and Bo Ruud. The Patriots project to keep nine or 10 linebackers, and the locks would presumably be Mike Vrabel, Adalius Thomas, Pierre Woods, and Shawn Crable on the outside, and Jerod Mayo and Tedy Bruschi on the inside. Larry Izzo and Eric Alexander are likely to stick because of their special teams duties, so that leaves one or two spots. Guyton, Redd, and Ruud all show some promise, while Hobson has played sparingly but has the desired experience. A strong performance by any of the players in that group could clinch a roster spot.

4 . Matthew Slater on defense. Slater, a fifth-round jack-of-all-trades, has been wearing a blue jersey this week in practice, which likely means he's been working at safety. Slater has been explosive on kickoff returns, and if he shows he could be a depth player at safety, it could secure him a roster spot. Slater also plays receiver, but the Patriots are well stocked there.

5 . Who's the slot receiver? With Wes Welker unlikely to suit up after sustaining a rib injury against the Eagles - and the possibility he could miss more time - the Patriots will need a fallback option in the slot. Jabar Gaffney could be the choice, with Chad Jackson splitting out wide. If the Patriots simply want to fill the slot role and not move Gaffney, Kelley Washington would be a top option.

6 . Stephen Gostkowski finishing strong. Arguably the Patriots' best player in training camp and in the exhibition games, Gostkowski is 5 for 5 on field goals (with a long of 53 yards), and his kickoffs have been carrying into the end zone. There were some questions entering camp about Gostkowski's mind-set after the coaching staff elected to pass on what would have been a 49-yard field goal attempt in the Super Bowl, but he seems to have answered those with authority.

Mike Reiss can be reached at mreiss@globe.com.