With the Patriots in a stretch of three games in 10 days and the first round of cuts looming in less than a week, a handful of players have to maximize their opportunities in the limited amount of practice time they have. While this list of 10 players isn't necessarily the same group of individuals who are on the roster bubble (although some are on the bubble at this point), it's instead a group of players who, for various reasons, need to make the most of every one of their limited chances in the next two weeks for the Patriots to field the sort of team they want to be when the regular season opens Sept. 9.

Cornerback Alfonzo Dennard: Simply put, if the Patriots are going to get anything out of the seventh-round pick from Nebraska this year, he needs to get on the field this week consistently. (He made a good start with an appearance at practice in pads on Wednesday morning.) He can't be put on the PUP list because he's practiced already, and he's too intriguing a prospect to risk putting on waivers to try to float him through to the practice squad. The only alternative is that the Patriots put him on injured reserve because of the hamstring and lose him for the year.

Defensive end Jermaine Cunningham: He had a good game against the Eagles, leading the team with three quarterback hits and looking (mostly) like the sort of player the Patriots thought he could be when he was taken in the second round out of Florida in 2010. However, he can't afford to rest on his laurels, as New England is well-stocked at defensive end. A poor week can put him right back on the bubble.

Defensive tackle Ron Brace: Same thing for the Bay State native and Boston College product, who got something of a vote of confidence when the Patriots cut loose Jonathan Fanene on Tuesday. After a solid outing against the Eagles, he needs to build on that performance this week and going forward against Tampa Bay.

Safeties Sergio Brown/Josh Barrett: The two safeties who started the year as an important part of the secondary have slipped down the depth chart, and while Brown offers some special teams value, both are quickly being surpassed by younger guys like Tavon Wilson and Nate Ebner, the latter of whom added to his rep on Monday with an interception. (For what it's worth, he did have problems with containment on one of the Philadelphia touchdowns.) Both Brown and Barrett need to make a statement sometime over the next week if they want to secure a roster spot.

Running back Brandon Bolden: It will be interesting to see how the undrafted rookie running back out of Ole Miss responds after a rough outing against the Eagles, a game in which he fumbled one punt and got blasted on another when he should have called for a fair catch. He also struggled to get consistent yardage on the ground, finishing with seven carries for 14 yards, and lost yardage on one draw play in the red zone when he ran backward. He did show up positively on special teams in other areas, however, making a nice tackle on a return. In a roundabout way, his struggles could pave the way for him to land on the practice squad, which might be the best place for him in 2012.

Running back/kick returner Jeff Demps: He will have to quickly get up to speed (no pun intended) if he wants to make an impact by the start of the regular season -- he wasn't in the system for the spring and summer sessions, and is starting from zero when it comes to getting acclimated to life in the NFL. (It actually brings to mind the rookies of last year who had to learn on the fly because of the lockout.) He'll need to be ready as soon as possible, because there are two reasons he'll be on the roster this season: One, the financial investment the Patriots have made in Demps certainly leads you to believe New England is interested in him long term. And two, he's not going to get through on waivers to get to the practice squad, as the Patriots beat out several other suitors for his services. Keep an eye on his reps this week.

Wide receiver Donte' Stallworth: The veteran receiver has been up and down throughout camp and essentially has been battling with Deion Branch for the final receiver spot (if the Patriots decide to go with six receivers instead of seven). Branch had a very good night against the Eagles, coming away with three catches for 51 yards and also showing some special teams value. (While he didn't field any punts, he was back there on two occasions.) While Stallworth has done a good job taking advantage of the opportunities presented to him thus far this summer, he must continue to do so if he wants to land a spot on the final 53-man roster.

Left guard Logan Mankins: The big fella is coming off is first week back on the practice field, and he looked sharp soon after putting the pads on. However, the reason to keep an eye on Mankins is not so much his own development -- he's shown an ability to jump back in and not miss a beat after an extended stretch away from the field -- but for his impact on the rest of the offensive line. A healthy Mankins should further stabilize the offensive line and create some continuity for a group that has had problems with consistency over the last month.

Right tackle Sebastian Vollmer: He was back at practice for the first time this summer on Wednesday morning in Tampa. There's no concern about a roster spot for Vollmer, but it is important to gauge his level of fitness and overall level of play after he sat out all spring and summer. His situation is similar to that of Mankins -- if the big German is healthy and can stay on the field consistently, he should provide some cohesion to the right tackle spot and help stabilize an occasionally shaky offensive line. If Mankins and Vollmer are healthy, their return will provide a domino effect for the rest of the New England offense: It willl make the offensive line better, and the team will feel better about sending Tom Brady out there on a regular basis as well.

Right tackle Marcus Cannon: At this point, there's no worry about Cannon losing a roster spot. Instead, with the return of Vollmer, it will be interesting to see what happens to him. He could be at a career crossroads: Does he become the No. 1 swing tackle, a backup who would battle with Matt Kopa for the opportunity to provide some depth at both spots (which is probably what he should be at this stage of his career)? Or do the Patriots ultimately decide to move him back to guard, a position he's played in the past? Regardless, after his performance at tackle in the first two preseason games combined with the return of Vollmer, it's a key stretch of practices and games for the TCU product.