There were several players on the current Patriots' roster who needed to have an impressive game in the preseason finale to lock up a spot on this year's roster, or at the very least, have Mike Vrabel reconsider their future as a likely cut candidate.
Among the most obvious was longtime starting safety Kyle Dugger, who quickly fell down the depth chart over the summer to the point of working with the second-team defense at training camp in the days leading to Thursday's game. That seemed to prove reports that he was on the trade block, but his performance against the Giants might have changed his fate.