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Roster thoughts

The Patriots must trim their roster to 75 players by Tuesday and to 53 players by Sept. 1. After three preseason games, here is how we see things shaking out on the final roster:

Quarterback (3)
Tom Brady
Matt Cassel
Vinny Testaverde
Quick hit: The Patriots will keep poised rookie Matt Gutierrez over Testaverde if they have indications they won't be able to retain Gutierrez on the practice squad. Another option is starting the season with two quarterbacks -- allowing the team to keep a player at another position -- with Testaverde staying close by on speed dial.

Running back (4)
Laurence Maroney
Sammy Morris
Kevin Faulk
Heath Evans
Quick hit: This has the potential to be a special group, as Friday night's preseason effort showed. Probably the easiest position on the roster to project.

Wide receiver (5)
Randy Moss
Donte' Stallworth
Wes Welker
Jabar Gaffney
Kelley Washington
Quick hit: The Patriots could keep a sixth (Reche Caldwell), but in this scenario Caldwell is deemed too expensive ($1.5 million) and not enough of a factor on special teams to retain when that deep on the depth chart. Troy Brown and Chad Jackson open the year on the physically unable to perform list.

Tight end (3)
Benjamin Watson
Kyle Brady
Marcellus Rivers
Quick hit: Second-year player Garrett Mills is a tough cut, but the Patriots need to keep Rivers because he's a stronger blocker and Brady has been limited due to his health. David Thomas opens the year on the PUP list.

Offensive line (9)
Matt Light
Logan Mankins
Dan Koppen
Stephen Neal
Nick Kaczur
Ryan O'Callaghan
Wesley Britt
Billy Yates
Russ Hochstein
Quick hit: Hochstein (oblique) has been hurt, so he could be in jeopardy, but it looks like one player who would challenge him most -- rookie Mike Elgin -- needs a bit more seasoning on the practice squad. Gene Mruczkowski would be the 10th lineman if the team goes that deep, and the Patriots might want to keep him to avoid him landing with the guard-needy Jets. Under this scenario, draft picks Clint Oldenburg (tackle/guard) and Corey Hilliard (tackle) wind up on the practice squad.

Defensive line (7)
Richard Seymour
Ty Warren
Vince Wilfork
Jarvis Green
Mike Wright
Le Kevin Smith
Kareem Brown
Quick hit: The only question is if Seymour, who is currently on the PUP list, will be ready to go. If he isn't, nose tackle Rashad Moore might stick, with his presence allowing Le Kevin Smith to spend more time at end if necessary.

Inside linebacker (6)
Adalius Thomas
Tedy Bruschi
Junior Seau
Eric Alexander
Larry Izzo
Oscar Lua
Quick hit: Lua would earn a back-end roster spot in this scenario, with an eye on developing him for the future and the thinking that he wouldn't slip through to the practice squad. Eric Alexander recently said he thinks Lua could be another Tedy Bruschi. Lua also could add special teams value in an emergency.

Outside linebacker (4)
Mike Vrabel
Rosevelt Colvin
Pierre Woods
Justin Rogers
Quick hit: Like Lua at inside linebacker, Rogers would earn a back-end roster spot in this scenario with an eye toward developing him for the future and the thinking that he wouldn't slip through to the practice squad. He could add special teams value in an emergency.

Cornerback (4)
Asante Samuel
Ellis Hobbs
Randall Gay
Brandon Meriweather
Quick hit: This scenario projects that Samuel will return and that rookie Mike Richardson either winds up on the practice squad or on injured reserve (his left arm was in a sling after Friday night's game, which might have been a result of a fourth-quarter tackle on tight end Dante Rosario). Veteran Tory James is the tough cut.

Safety (5)
Rodney Harrison
Eugene Wilson
James Sanders
Willie Andrews
Mel Mitchell
Quick hit: Health will be a big factor here (which could affect the cornerback spot), as Eugene Wilson might have sustained a setback of sorts while defending the 48-yard touchdown pass to Keary Colbert Friday night. Wilson stayed on the field for the ensuing extra point but walked off gingerly and did not play again. This scenario assumes he will be healthy. If he isn't, that could mean James sticks at cornerback, with Meriweather getting more of a look at safety.

Specialists (3)
Kicker -- Stephen Gostkowski
Punter -- Danny Baugher
Long snapper -- Lonie Paxton

FRIDAY NIGHT RECAP: If we had to pick three players who were "up" and three who were "down" from Friday night's game, these would be the choices:

UP