# 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.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/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. 1 of 9 have settled so far, averaging 0 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess at the same calls. Of the 2 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 - **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 - **Drake Maye to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Drake Maye, New England Patriots - Verdict: not settled yet - **Christian Gonzalez to make the roster** - Kind: Roster Spot Calls · About: Christian Gonzalez, New England Patriots - Verdict: not settled yet - **Kevin Byard to make the roster** - Kind: Roster Spot Calls · About: Kevin Byard, New England Patriots - Verdict: not settled yet - **Jared Wilson to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Jared Wilson, 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 - **Cameron Dorner to be 8th on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Cameron Dorner, New England Patriots - Verdict: not settled yet - **Milton Williams to make the roster** - Kind: Roster Spot Calls · About: Milton Williams, 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 ## Who this take is about - Channing Canada — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/channing-canada - New England Patriots — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/patriots - Drake Maye — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/drake-maye - Christian Gonzalez — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/christian-gonzalez - Kevin Byard — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/kevin-byard - Jared Wilson — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/jared-wilson - A.J. Brown — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/a-j-brown - Cameron Dorner — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/cameron-dorner - Milton Williams — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/milton-williams - Hunter Henry — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/hunter-henry ## What others said about the same people - Julian Edelman on New England Patriots: Edelman picked the Patriots to win the season opener in Seattle, saying New England's offseason additions and the bad taste from the previous season would carry them, and gave a final score of 28-24. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/ec6f039f-3212-4e37-8fdb-fb4e95248198 (scored 47.62) - Connor "Boston Connor" Campbell on New England Patriots: Boston Connor took the Patriots in the season opener against Seattle, framing it as a redemption spot after the Super Bowl loss. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/81f37749-a752-4bb2-a7b4-9161c4281d1f (scored 0) - Darius Butler on New England Patriots: Butler initially picked Seattle but switched to the Patriots before the show ended; he also called the Colts a likely No. 1 seed, said Jacksonville sneaks into the playoffs, and expects Sam Darnold to land a new contract. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/619c7bcd-5c13-4522-bfe2-21070176447e (scored 0) - Jason McIntyre on New England Patriots: McIntyre takes the Patriots on the moneyline in the season opener at Seattle, picks the Jaguars over the Browns, and says Baker Mayfield's new deal keeps Tampa a perennial playoff team. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/57e6d050-3be4-4a2c-bd4e-e4422acf969a (scored 0) - Mike Florio on New England Patriots: Florio gives score predictions for every Week 1 game of the 2026 NFL season, including an opening-night upset by the Patriots in Seattle and narrow home wins for the Giants and Chiefs. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/4b20f46e-ebc0-462f-9e7a-2ab82f91a2ea (scored 50) - Conor Orr on New England Patriots: Orr's Week 1 straight-up picks, including several upsets (Patriots, Buccaneers, Browns, Dolphins, Commanders, Broncos). — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/54ae8d21-7621-4c3d-816c-e879aed9b5c2 (scored 0) ## More depth chart calls The same kind of call, about other players and teams. - Tyler Sullivan on Drew Lock: In an unsigned Week 2 odds roundup, the piece states that with Sam Darnold hurt, Drew Lock will likely start at quarterback for Seattle against Arizona. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/8a14b5e6-066b-457f-b409-a3ddbd512aca (scored 0) - Ralph Vacchiano on Tua Tagovailoa: Vacchiano ranks all 32 NFL teams entering the 2026 season, with the Rams first and Dolphins last. He also flags the Giants as a potential surprise team with a top-10 defense, and notes Deshaun Watson won Cleveland's QB job while Tua Tagovailoa starts Week 1 in Atlanta. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/6f782be9-64d3-47cf-b054-6566e14194d6 (scored 0) - Pat Fitzmaurice on Kyler Murray: Fitzmaurice touts Kyler Murray as a value QB who will start Week 1 for Minnesota, Tyler Shough as the Saints' undisputed starter, and Juwan Johnson and Terrance Ferguson as late-round tight end targets. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/70a7844a-2fb6-44d7-814f-30ec9fbcc26d (scored 100) - Pat Fitzmaurice on Kyler Murray: Fitzmaurice expects Kyler Murray to be Minnesota's Week 1 starter and calls him one of the better quarterback values in 2026 drafts; he also views Jordan Love as a top-10 real-life quarterback but only a QB2 in fantasy. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/0653fc24-437c-4aba-89ee-f1f417e1983d (scored 100) - Steven Ruiz on Michael Penix Jr.: In a retrospective tiering of all 32 starting quarterbacks, Ruiz treats Michael Penix Jr. as the Falcons' Week 1 starter over Kirk Cousins, whom he places in his lowest tier. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/968b3764-11ef-41b5-a370-ff570b3219d1 (scored 0) - Mike Florio on Shedeur Sanders: Florio reports the Browns will start Deshaun Watson in Week 1 but predicts Shedeur Sanders will likely be the starting quarterback by Week 3. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/cf6258b2-b55f-4f50-84f9-24269a5a006a (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.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