A player responsible for a defining moment in the New England Patriots’ run to Super Bowl LX could be fighting to keep his job less than seven months later.
Defensive tackle Leonard Taylor III was projected to miss New England’s final 53-man roster in MassLive’s latest roster prediction Sunday.
MassLive’s Karen Guregian kept Christian Barmore, Cory Durden, Joshua Farmer, Eric Gregory and Milton Williams at defensive tackle while leaving Taylor and several other contenders on the outside.
“Pharms and Taylor are tough cuts,” Guregian wrote, adding that the Patriots could hope to bring both players back on the practice squad.
Taylor’s exclusion stands out considering the role he played during New England’s postseason run and the progress he has made during training camp.
Taylor Competing Against Stout Patriots Defensive Line
GettyFOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – JANUARY 11: (L-R) Jahlani Tavai #48, Christian Elliss #53, Leonard Taylor III #93 and Dell Pettus #24 of the New England Patriots react after a play against the Los Angeles Chargers during the fourth quarter of the AFC Wild Card Playoff game at Gillette Stadium on January 11, 2026 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)
Taylor entered the 2025 season with the New York Jets and appeared in two games before the team released him in October.
New England subsequently added him to its practice squad.
The 6-foot-3, 305-pound defensive tackle spent much of the regular season behind a deep Patriots front, but his role ratched up late in the year. Taylor was elevated for the final two regular-season games and all four postseason contests, including Super Bowl LX.
He finished the 2025 regular season with five appearances between New York and New England. His NFL career includes 19 games, 35 tackles and 1.5 sacks.
Taylor’s roster status was iffy this summer because of the competition in front of him. Williams and Barmore give the Patriots the well-known starters, as Farmer comes off a rookie season in which he appeared in 13 games and made three starts.
Durden also has a role in the rotation, leaving Taylor to compete with Gregory and others for one of the final spots.
That battle has waged on.
A 98.5 The Sports Hub roster projection published Aug. 8 gave Gregory the final nod but noted that Taylor had “come on strong” over the previous several practices and could close the gap.
MassLive’s latest projection suggests Taylor has a ways to go two weeks remaining before cutdown day.
AFC Championship Heroics Put Taylor on the Map
Taylor showed last winter how a depth player can suddenly become pivotal.
The Patriots carried a 10-7 lead over the Denver Broncos late in the fourth quarter of the AFC Championship Game when Wil Lutz lined up for a 45-yard field goal with 4:46 remaining.
Taylor got his hand on the attempt, sending the kick wide and preserving New England’s three-point advantage.
The Broncos got the ball once more, but Christian Gonzalez intercepted Jarrett Stidham on Denver’s ensuing possession. New England ran out the clock to secure the 10-7 win and advance to Super Bowl LX.
Taylor had been elevated from the practice squad specifically for the game.
The Patriots later elevated him again for the Super Bowl, illustrating how much value he had earned as a situational depth piece by the end of the season.
Now, the challenge is convincing Mike Vrabel and the Patriots that his value warrants one of only 53 spots.
The defensive line sits near the top of the league, so a memorable playoff contribution alone won’t secure Taylor’s place.
His postseason history and what he does going forward will determine his future as cutdown day approaches.
Like HEAVY's content?Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
The post Patriots’ AFC Championship Hero Projected to Miss 53-Man Roster appeared first on HEAVY.