01:00 AM EDT on Wednesday, August 31, 2005

BY SHALISE MANZA YOUNG
Journal Sports Writer

FOXBORO -- The Patriots made another round of roster cuts yesterday, and seven players were dismissed from the team. Few of the cuts were surprises, unlike Monday, when the team cut loose Cedric Cobbs, Rohan Davey and Dexter Reid.

Released yesterday were rookie wide receiver Jason Anderson, rookie placekicker Robby Gould, rookie guard Ryan Krug, veteran running back/kick returner Chad Morton, first-year defensive lineman Ifo Pili, veteran cornerback Hank Poteat and rookie defensive lineman Santonio Thomas.

Poteat might be a surprise cut to some. The Pennsylvania native, who played his college ball at Pittsburgh and was drafted by the Steelers, was signed by the Patriots in January, the week before their AFC Divisional playoff game with Indianapolis. He played in all three of the team's postseason victories.

Entering his sixth pro season, Morton, the brother of 49ers wide receiver Johnnie Morton, was signed as a free agent in June, after missing the first 10 games with Washington last season because of a knee injury. He was placed on the physically unable to perform list at the start of training camp and had not left it.

Anderson, an undrafted free agent, caught touchdown passes in each of the first two preseason games but did not play in the third game, against Green Bay.

One of the all-time leading scorers in Penn State history, Gould had little chance of unseating Adam Vinatieri.

The NFL mandated that all teams had to have their rosters down to 65 players (minus exemptions) by 4 p.m. yesterday. By Sunday, all roster exemptions expire and teams must get down to 53 players. Eight-man practice rosters can be named on Monday.

Branch's status unclear

The status of Deion Branch wasn't any clearer yesterday even though coach Bill Belichick was asked whether the fourth-year wide receiver and reigning Super Bowl MVP will play against the Giants tomorrow night.

Thus far, Branch, who missed seven regular-season games last year after suffering a knee injury in Week 2, has yet to step on the field in the preseason despite his proclamation that he's feeling better than he ever has.

Belichick didn't give an answer as to whether Branch will play tomorrow night.

"I've told all the players to be ready to play, and that's what I expect them to do. How we'll utilize them, we'll figure that out," he said.

Branch would like like to play, though.

"I go to practice, I try to get ready to play the game," he said. "All the guys, you go to work and you practice hard and you want to get in the game because you see all the guys out there having fun. Being a football player, you always want to play the games."

When asked whether Branch will be ready for the regular-season opener a week from tomorrow night against Oakland, Belichick said, "Any player's role on the team is going to be dependent upon where they are in that week of practice prior to the opening game.So we'll just have to see where that is. I can't predict what's going to happen next week."

Even if he doesn't play tomorrow night, Branch said he'll "be OK" for the Oakland game.

Quick kicks

Wide receiver David Terrell, who played in last week's game against Green Bay but did not catch a pass, was spotted in the locker room yesterday with a bulky bandage over his left shin. . . . Gillette Stadium was busier than usual yesterday, with hundreds of American Idol hopefuls at the stadium to try out for the television show.