Twenty-six thoughts on the Patriots’ 26-17 preseason win over the Redskins . . .
1. I appreciate the work that goes into the 53-man roster projections that Patriots reporters produce at various stages of training camp, and I devour all of them. But I think we all know — and no one realizes this more than the beat guys — that it’s an exercise in informed guesswork at best. The Patriots are as democratic as a franchise can be in putting together its roster; performance matters more than pedigree, as evidenced by at least one undrafted free agent making the roster for 14 straight years.