Bill Belichick, who famously led a chant of “no days off” to a huge crowd at City Hall Plaza after the Patriots’ most recent Super Bowl rally, gave his players two days off after a busy second week of training camp.

The Patriots will return to action this morning (Tuesday), two days before the team is set to welcome Washington for the first preseason game.

This week will be a huge opportunity for several players on the bubble to prove that they belong, but one notable player won’t have that opportunity.

Heavy turnover

Earlier in training camp, we published a story about Julian Edelman and his importance to the receiving corps, which has experienced shocking turnover. Imagine, a year ago the depth chart consisted of Danny Amendola, Brandin Cooks, Chris Hogan, Malcolm Mitchell and Edelman.

Yet now, with the release of Mitchell and Edelman’s four-game PED suspension, only Hogan will be on the roster when the Patriots open on Sept. 9.

In the past week alone, two presumed contenders for the wide receiver position — Mitchell and Jordan Matthews — have been cut, while the team added veteran Eric Decker.

As of now, the receiving corps consists of Hogan, Decker, Phillip Dorsett, Cordarrelle Patterson, Kenny Britt, rookie Braxton Berrios and long shots Riley McCarron, Devin Lucien and Paul Turner.

Also, Edelman once his suspension is up and special teams ace Matthew Slater.

Mitchell released

That’s right. After a promising rookie season and a terrific showing in Super Bowl LI, third-year receiver Malcolm Mitchell has been released. Mitchell missed all of last season with a knee injury and has struggled to stay on the field throughout training camp. There have been rumors circulating that the Pats were hoping to trade the former fourth-round pick, but without a suitor, the team decided to move on.

He was clearly talented, and when healthy had shown a rare chemistry with Tom Brady. Yet he couldn’t stay on the field, and with the wide receiver position as crowded as it is, the team had no choice but to cut bait.