On Wednesday night the New England Patriots played their final preseason game. Head coach Bill Belichick decided to rest his starters for the game but there was one unexpected player involved in the action. A part of only two drives late in each half, one of this week’s NFL rumors is that Dan Koppen won’t make the final cut.
Koppen has been a fixture for the Patriots for the last decade. Drafted by the team in 2003, he is one of three current Patriots to be a part of the team’s Super Bowl XXXVIII and XXXIX wins. Having started consistently at center for the Patriots over the last nine seasons, few thought Koppen would be in his current situation.
In the preseason finale in New York against the Giants, Koppen was a part of a four man rotation which included Ryan Wendell, Dan Connolly, and Donald Thomas. Koppen played in two drives for the Patriots Wednesday night which equaled ten plays. A telling sign for the veteran is that he was on the field in the fourth quarter which is rarely a good sign.
For nine of his eleven seasons in the NFL, quarterback Tom Brady has been receiving snaps from Koppen. A member of four AFC champions and two Super Bowl champions, he and Brady have helped built the Patriots into a power in the NFL.
On Friday, teams will have to make their final cuts lowering the count from 75 players to announce their final 53-man roster. One of the current NFL rumors is that the Patriots long-time starting center Dan Koppen won’t make that final cut.
