How much does Bill Belichick value having a trusted set of hands to return punts for the Patriots? He'll be the first to tell you, if you screw things up in that role, there aren't many ways to lose a game more quickly.
After losing Julian Edelman and Cyrus Jones to season-ending knee injuries in back-to-back preseason games -- both of whom could have factored into the punt-return game significantly in 2017 -- what will the Patriots do to fill the role?
Belichick was asked during a conference call on Friday if a punt-return specialist, someone who might not contribute much offensively or defensively, was worthy of a roster spot now that the deadline for final cuts is around the corner.