# Ethan Hurwitz: In breaking down New England's initial 53-man roster, Hurwitz places rookie Behren Morton as the team's third/emergency quarterback and says the newly acquired Jaylen Reed essentially owns the third safety spot on the depth chart. **Claimed:** Aug 30, 2026 **Pundit:** Ethan Hurwitz — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/pundits/ethan-hurwitz **Outlet:** Sports Illustrated — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/outlets/sports-illustrated **How it reached us:** published in writing **Original:** https://www.si.com/nfl/patriots/onsi/patriots-officially-announce-initial-53-man-roster-here-s-the-full-squad 2 checkable claims — 2 depth chart calls — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet. It names 3 players and teams, each linked to their own record. None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in. > The Patriots traded for Jaylen Reed in the Boutte deal, essentially giving him the third spot on this depth chart. *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **Behren Morton to be 3rd on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Behren Morton, New England Patriots - Verdict: not settled yet - **Jaylen Reed to be 3rd on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Jaylen Reed, New England Patriots - Verdict: not settled yet ## Who this take is about - Behren Morton — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/behren-morton - New England Patriots — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/patriots - Jaylen Reed — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/jaylen-reed ## What others said about the same people - Steven Ruiz on A.J. Brown: Ruiz expects the Eagles to trade A.J. Brown once the June 1 dead-cap threshold passes, most likely to New England, and thinks Baker Mayfield will get a Buccaneers extension making him the league's highest-paid quarterback within a month or two. He also argues the Lions may have to let one or two of their 2023 draft class leave, and that Houston should extend C.J. Stroud. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/6f6c3a28-18bb-4f4d-beb5-061d863b4e28 (scored 100) - Brandon Carney on A.J. Brown: Carney drafted a team of rookies he expects to make an immediate fantasy impact (headlined by Karnell Tate and Makai Lemon), predicted landing spots for the remaining big-name free agents, and gave way-too-early division winners, wild cards and award picks — Patriots, Chargers, Bengals, Jaguars, Eagles, Rams, Vikings and Saints as division champs with Joe Burrow as MVP. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/c4d477da-4fb8-4a25-a904-c5057a249a70 (scored 100) - Jeremy White on A.J. Brown: Jeremy White expects the Patriots to acquire AJ Brown, calling the trade likely inevitable within about a month. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/a8701720-01eb-4a29-8bf1-5a8555f0d1ed (scored 100) - Chris Brockman on A.J. Brown: Brockman predicted only Stafford and Josh Allen of last year's MVP vote-getters get votes again, Fernando Mendoza starts and wins Rookie of the Year, the Colts win the AFC South, AJ Brown is traded to New England leaving DeVonta Smith as Philadelphia's clear No. 1 and a breakout star, five running backs top 1,600 yards, George Pickens breaks a Cowboys receiving record, and Justin Fields starts for Kansas City in September. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/2307f474-6a3d-405e-b048-7b023ffda1be (scored 100) - Shannon Sharpe on A.J. Brown: Sharpe predicted that A.J. Brown will be playing for New England once June 1 arrives. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/4b2704cf-245c-4a11-af0e-8164d327c7e0 (scored 100) - Chad Ochocinco Johnson on A.J. Brown: Ochocinco predicted George Pickens will be traded away from Dallas now that he has signed the franchise tag, naming the Browns, Raiders and possibly Buffalo as his three landing spots. He also called both No. 2 pick David Bailey and No. 3 pick Jeremiah Love immediate Day 1 starters, and said he has been saying for months that A.J. Brown will end up in New England. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/006b1a76-95ea-423a-9f60-c10571a7f605 (scored 100) ## More depth chart calls The same kind of call, about other players and teams. - Tyler Sullivan on Deshaun Watson: An unsigned CBS Sports preseason review grading all 32 teams, which along the way stakes out a number of depth-chart calls for Week 1 and beyond — including Deshaun Watson opening as Cleveland's starter, Fernando Mendoza taking over as Las Vegas' QB1 by season's end, and Minnesota's Murray-Wentz-McCarthy quarterback order. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/054d7c3e-baca-4414-b3dd-72c4eced2725 (scored 100) - Ryan Wilson on Deshaun Watson: A CBS Sports piece states Deshaun Watson has won Cleveland's starting quarterback job for Week 1 with Shedeur Sanders next in line, while arguing Watson will not play like even an average NFL quarterback and that none of the Browns' current young passers should stop them from drafting a first-round quarterback next April. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/ff870e69-9992-4166-aa81-9b49d6f77f55 (scored 100) - Rafael Zamorano on Deshaun Watson: Zamorano argues the Browns do not have a franchise quarterback and that it's unlikely Watson or Sanders is their long-term answer. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/80cb396b-8dbf-4e39-bd65-6d25df403db1 (scored 100) - John Breech on Deshaun Watson: The unsigned newsletter author says Deshaun Watson will start Week 1 at Jacksonville, notes he voted for Jaxson Dart as his breakout QB rather than Caleb Williams, and says newly signed Daniel Carlson is the favorite to win the Saints' kicking job. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/1e520b2b-bf4e-4a82-9743-7cb7bc3ee125 (scored 100) - Mark Chichester on Deshaun Watson: Unsigned PFF piece reporting/asserting that Deshaun Watson will be Cleveland's Week 1 starting quarterback against Jacksonville, with Shedeur Sanders behind him on the depth chart. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/ef347873-c28b-4a47-bb04-2488937cd3cf (scored 100) - Zachary Pereles on Deshaun Watson: The unsigned recap argues Sanders clearly outplayed Watson and, even if Sanders isn't named the Week 1 starter, predicts both quarterbacks will see significant playing time in 2026. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/1b6d3216-38ff-4922-9e0a-807497573121 (scored 100) --- 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.thegoodapps.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.thegoodapps.co/corrections?pundit=ethan-hurwitz