Patriots: Jermaine Cunningham, Danny Woodhead could now be on the bubble

Along with all the wins, rings and records, Patriots coach Bill Belichick has also come to be known for making shocking roster moves this time of year.

By Nick Underhill

Aug 28, 2012 at 3:43 pm ET • 2 min read

Danny Woodhead could end up getting released during Friday's round of cuts. (AP Images)

Along with all the wins, rings and records, coach Bill Belichick has also come to be known for making shocking roster moves this time of year.

Over the past three years, the New England Patriots coach has parted ways with two first-round picks (safety Brandon Meriweather and running back Laurence Maroney), as well as a second rounder (cornerback Darius Butler) when trimming his roster down to 53 names. While releasing wide receivers Donte Stallworth and Jabar Gaffney caused some ripples Monday, the moves weren't unexpected.

So could Belichick have something else up his sleeve for the next round of cuts? Boston Globe NFL writer and former CBSSports.com Patriots correspondent Greg Bedard believes that running back Danny Woodhead could end up getting clipped during Friday's round of cuts.

The suggestion is a bit shocking, but his release is not out the realm of possibility. If Shane Vereen can recover from a foot injury and Jeff Demps proves to be reliable, Woodhead may no longer be needed as the third-down back. Factor in that he's already been replaced on special teams and he may no longer carry much value for the Patriots.

The odds of this prediction coming true are admittedly long, but it could end up sticking. Here's a look at three other players who actually are actually in immediate danger entering Wednesday night's preseason finale against the New York Giants.

CB Alfonzo Dennard: The seventh-round pick slipped down draft boards after being arrested just days before the draft and was widely considered to be a great value. While he has the potential to play a meaninful role on paper, a hamstring injury kept him sidelined throughout much of training camp and he went untested in his first game back Friday night against Tampa Bay. He needs to show something if he hopes to avoid starting the season on the practice squad.

DL Justin Francis: He was a monster during one-on-ones and frequently flashed during practices, but the undrafted rookie hasn't shown the same dominance during games. Like Dennard, he's going to need to prove his case Wednesday night if he doesn't want to start the season on the practice squad.

DL Jermaine Cunningham: He won an award for his offseason work and looked good during the early portion of training camp, but has since failed to make an impression during the preseason. After a disappointing sophomore campaign that ended with him making one tackle over nine games, Cunningham is in desperate need of a big game. Otherwise, the former second-round pick may end up being the big name that falls off the roster.