In less than four weeks, the Patriots will cut their 91-man roster down to 53 players. For once, they should have some hard decisions. An offseason influx of free-agent and rookie talent restocked the shelves well enough at 1 Patriot Place for Mike Vrabel to stoke real competition at several positions in training camp.

CB D.J. James: James has been one of the big surprises of training camp so far, but he did have a few negative moments during the in-stadium practice. A short memory is crucial for NFL players, and the second-year Patriot will get to showcase his on Monday — particularly if one or both of Christian Gonzalez and Carlton Davis remain absent.

Even if Davis does suit up for Week 1, it’s hard to imagine this is the start the Patriots were hoping for from a $54 million free agent. Read his observations on training camp so far here. ▪ For training camp hopefuls,