# Ethan Hurwitz: Hurwitz says several Patriots starting jobs and roster spots are already settled — Drake Maye at QB with Jared Wilson at center, A.J. Brown and Hunter Henry as pass-catchers, and Christian Gonzalez, Milton Williams and Kevin Byard locked into roster spots. Among camp standouts, he pegs undrafted rookie Cameron Dorner as roughly the eighth receiver on a roster likely keeping seven, and says Channing Canada is a strong practice squad candidate if he doesn't make the 53. **Claimed:** Aug 19, 2026 **Pundit:** Ethan Hurwitz — https://missedtakes.co/pundits/ethan-hurwitz **Outlet:** Sports Illustrated — https://missedtakes.co/outlets/sports-illustrated **How it reached us:** published in writing **Original:** https://www.si.com/nfl/patriots/onsi/several-young-patriots-have-shined-despite-crowded-position-rooms 9 checkable claims — 5 depth chart calls and 4 roster spot calls — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet. It names 10 players and teams, each linked to their own record. 4 of 9 have settled so far, averaging 75 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess at the same calls. Of the 3 unsettled calls enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands below the rest of the room on every one. > He's building a chemistry with rookie quarterback Behren Morton and might just be the eighth-best receiver on a roster where they may only keep seven. *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **Christian Gonzalez to make the roster** - Kind: Roster Spot Calls · About: Christian Gonzalez, New England Patriots - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess - **Milton Williams to make the roster** - Kind: Roster Spot Calls · About: Milton Williams, New England Patriots - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess - **Kevin Byard to make the roster** - Kind: Roster Spot Calls · About: Kevin Byard, New England Patriots - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess - **Channing Canada to make the roster** - Kind: Roster Spot Calls · About: Channing Canada, New England Patriots - Verdict: scored 0 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess - **Jared Wilson to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Jared Wilson, New England Patriots - Verdict: not settled yet - **Hunter Henry to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Hunter Henry, New England Patriots - Verdict: not settled yet - **Cameron Dorner to be 8th on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Cameron Dorner, New England Patriots - Verdict: not settled yet - **Drake Maye to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Drake Maye, New England Patriots - Verdict: not settled yet - **A.J. Brown to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: A.J. Brown, New England Patriots - Verdict: not settled yet ## Who this take is about - Christian Gonzalez — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/christian-gonzalez - New England Patriots — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/patriots - Milton Williams — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/milton-williams - Kevin Byard — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/kevin-byard - Channing Canada — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/channing-canada - Jared Wilson — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/jared-wilson - Hunter Henry — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/hunter-henry - Cameron Dorner — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/cameron-dorner - Drake Maye — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/drake-maye - A.J. Brown — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/a-j-brown ## What others said about the same people - Nate Tice on New England Patriots: Tice picked the Bengals over the Texans in a low-scoring game, the Jaguars at Denver, the Bears over the Vikings, the Patriots over the Steelers and the Rams to edge the Giants, and his Hail Mary was the Cowboys scoring 40 on Washington. He also floated Abdul Carter as a possible All-Pro. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/b6211c80-3d1c-46b8-8a0c-151fc0ba92de (scored 100) - Chris Broussard on New England Patriots: Broussard picked the Bills to beat the Chargers in a competitive, higher-scoring game, said the Chiefs will rout the Dolphins, and for upset alert parlayed the Patriots over the Jaguars and the Raiders over the Saints. He also restated his Cowboys-versus-Ravens Super Bowl matchup pick. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/dee7585c-6da6-4afc-9954-ff32cf8de4e3 (scored 0) - Danny Parkins on New England Patriots: In the winners-only chips segment Parkins backed the Patriots over the Jaguars, the Bengals over the Steelers and the Ravens over the Cowboys in Brazil. He also said New England has a real shot at a top-10 defense and that Kayshon/Romeo Dobbs will be the Patriots' number one target. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/88f60b41-3824-4b00-b0f0-f434c55c539b (scored 0) - Mark Wahlberg on New England Patriots: Wahlberg went game-by-game through the Patriots' schedule and predicted a 14-3 season, with losses only at Buffalo, to the Lions in Germany, and at Kansas City. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/14761919-29fa-4eda-a3d4-ba0f76f399c2 (scored 0) - Nathan Jahnke on Efton Chism III: An unsigned PFF preseason recap makes numerous depth-chart, roster and usage projections across the league, based on Week 3 preseason playing time — including Roman Wilson winning Pittsburgh's third receiver job, Luke McCaffrey's roster spot being in danger, Charlie Kolar as the Chargers' top tight end, and Kendre Miller as the Saints' RB2. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/47566b48-8024-4960-b25c-11c03fe43543 (scored 100) - Nathan Jahnke on Kyle Williams: An unsigned PFF fantasy preseason recap makes a series of depth-chart and roster-spot calls: Roman Wilson wins the Steelers' third receiver job over Germie Bernard, Robert Tonyan makes Pittsburgh's roster as the third tight end, Kyle Williams and Efton Chism III stick in New England, Mike Washington Jr. is the Raiders' primary backup back, Jalen Nailor stays a Raiders starter, Kaelon Black leads the 49ers' backup running back competition, and Charlie Kolar is the Chargers' top tight end with top-12 fantasy upside. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/e9e8a675-165c-4246-a19c-eec9f5dfccf4 (scored 100) ## More depth chart calls The same kind of call, about other players and teams. - Pat Fitzmaurice on Jonah Coleman: In his Week 3 waiver column, Fitzmaurice makes several depth-chart calls around injuries: Jonah Coleman leading Denver's backfield, Marcus Mariota taking over in Washington, Michael Penix Jr. starting once healthy, and Malik Washington serving as Miami's top receiver, plus availability expectations for Detroit's injured safeties. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/2cbd48f6-15ea-4aa5-84bc-bcc50d94d09a (scored 0) - Fox Sports on Michael Penix Jr.: Fox Sports states that a healthy Tua Tagovailoa will serve as Atlanta's backup quarterback in Week 3, with Michael Penix Jr. handling the starting duties against Green Bay. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/a90e69a8-707f-43e9-a63e-cdb3e7bd0829 (scored 100) - Pat Fitzmaurice on Aaron Jones: In previewing the 10 most intriguing fantasy performers of Week 2, Fitzmaurice expects Atlanta's quarterback problems to persist with Tua Tagovailoa unlikely to play and Michael Penix Jr. not ready to return, flags Falcons slot corner Billy Bowman Jr. as a possible Week 2 returnee, and describes Aaron Jones as Minnesota's lead back and Kaelon Black as the clear backup to Christian McCaffrey in San Francisco. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/31adc8bb-8f15-453f-bbcf-cab44e29b8b3 (scored 100) - Matt Severance on Deshaun Watson: The CBS Sports preview backs Tampa Bay to beat Cleveland in the Bucs' Week 2 home opener, and states that Deshaun Watson — not Shedeur Sanders — will be Cleveland's starting quarterback in Week 2. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/944568ce-7205-409f-8354-a392016fd8bf (scored 100) - Rafael Zamorano on Deshaun Watson: Zamorano reports Watson will start Week 2 at Tampa Bay and suggests there's little reason to expect improvement, raising the possibility Watson's five-year contract never yields more than single-digit wins. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/d7d7e0a2-61e0-4525-970b-b01a2356f11b (scored 100) - Rich Hribar on Tua Tagovailoa: Hribar expects Tua Tagovailoa to be Atlanta's starting quarterback for Week 2 while Michael Penix stays out, with Penix's return closer to Week 4. He is unenthusiastic about the Falcons' offense either way and treats Bryce Young as a fringe fantasy starter. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/124ac755-a942-4382-8bad-177da7f8170d (scored 0) --- Accuracy is 0-100 against what actually happened. The naive guess is what a strategy requiring no knowledge would have scored on the same call — the difference is the skill, and it is what the MissedTakes Score averages. Full method: https://missedtakes.co/methodology We summarize what a pundit said and quote a short span for attribution; we never republish their article. If this is wrong, tell us: https://missedtakes.co/corrections?pundit=ethan-hurwitz