PATRIOTS NOTEBOOK: It’s a juggling act at Gillette

With the preseason nearing an end and roster cuts and the regular-season opener drawing near, Patriots head coach Bill Belichick says ‘there’s about 20 things going on at this time of year.’

FOXBORO – Their first trip of the year, a flight to Charlotte to play the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium on Friday night, is on the horizon.

Their preseason finale, another road game, against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium, is the following Thursday night (Aug. 30).

Two days later (Sept. 1), cuts from the preseason roster limit of 90 (the Patriots are at 89) to the regular-season roster limit of 53 must be made.

The regular-season opener with the Houston Texans at Gillette Stadium on Sept. 9 is less than three weeks away.

“There’s about 20 things going on at this time of year,” Patriots head coach Bill Belichick said before heading out to practice on the fields behind Gillette on Monday afternoon. “That’s the way it always is.

“Between our team and preseason game (this week), regular-season game (with Houston), another preseason game next week, evaluating players, making roster decisions, talking with other teams in the league. That’s the way it is every preseason, every training camp, that’s the way it is now and that’s the way it’ll be for the next couple of weeks. So it’s a juggling act.”

Belichick wouldn’t elaborate on the nature of the conversations with other teams.

“Depends on who the team is and what we’re talking about,” said Belichick. “Every team’s different. I mean, you’re not going to have the same conversation with two teams because they’re not the same. Each one is unique.”

It isn’t difficult to surmise what the topic of the conversations with other teams might be, given the fact that the Patriots made four trades at the roster cutdown a year ago. They sent cornerback Justin Coleman to Seattle for a draft choice, and acquired wide receiver Phillip Dorsett from Indianapolis (in exchange for quarterback Jacoby Brissett) and cornerback Johnson Bademosi from Detroit and defensive end Cassius Marsh from the Seahawks in deals involving draft picks on cutdown day.

Butler says he’s confident, not complacent: Defensive tackle Adam Butler says he’s more confident in this, his second summer in New England.

“It’s a little different,” Butler, who made the team as a rookie free agent out of Vanderbilt a year ago, said. “I have a little bit more confidence, but don’t confuse confidence with complacency. Not at all. I’m still fighting like heck to make the team and try to secure my spot on this team. Whatever it is and whatever they need.”

Butler registered one of the Patriots’ eight sacks in Thursday night’s 37-20 win over Philadelphia, getting to Nick Foles for a 3-yard loss in the first quarter.

Butler appeared in all 19 of the Patriots’ games last year (16 regular season, three postseason).

He finished with 19 tackles and two sacks in the regular season (when he started six games) and three tackles with two sacks in the postseason.

Rowe hoping to be full-go: After missing 15 games over his first two regular seasons with the team, cornerback Eric Rowe says good health is a goal in 2018.

“I know that’s my thing this year, just staying healthy,” said Rowe. “After being out last year, you notice kind of how invaluable you are if you’re hurt. You obviously can’t do anything, so really being out there is half the battle.”