By: Eric of the Patriots 300 Level Podcast<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

Watching training camp and the preseason, most NFL fans try and project which players will end up making their favorite team, and which players will end up being released or traded.  For New England Patriots\u2019 fans, it usually also encompasses which starter or key contributor will shockingly be released or traded as that has something we have grown accustomed to over the years (Lawyer Milloy 03, Richard Seymour 09, Brandon Merriweather 11, Logan Mankins 14, and Cam Newton 21 to name a few). As the NFL preseason is starting to kick into gear, we provide our first attempt at what we believe the Patriots 53-man roster will look like for Week 1, with the roster broken down by position.<\/p>

QB (3): Mac Jones, Brian Hoyer, Bailey Zappe<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

No major surprises here with Mac Jones fully planted as the Patriots starter, Brian Hoyer has a 2 year contract with $3 million guaranteed and looks to be Mac\u2019s main mentor this year, and Bailey Zappe isn\u2019t going anywhere as a 4^{th<\/sup> round draft pick in this year\u2019s draft.<\/p>}

RB (4): Damien Harris, Rhamondre Stevenson, Pierre Strong, Ty Montgomery<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

The running back position is a group of great depth. While it is possible that Damien Harris may end up being traded since it is the last year of his current contract and the fact the Patriots drafted 2 running backs this year, ultimately I feel he will be on this team along with Stevenson, rookie Pierre Strong, and Ty Montgomery who has stood at so far at camp on offense and in the return game. Although JJ Taylor was on the roster last year and has shown some flashes, he has been supplanted by the rookies and will be cut. Rookie Kevin Harris I think will catch a case of \u201cFoxboro Flu\u201d and will start the season on the Injured Reserved (IR) list to keep him on the roster while keeping 4 additional running backs. James White will also start the year on PUP as he continues to rehab from his season ending injury last season.<\/p>

WR (5): Davante Parker, Jakobi Meyers, Kendrick Bourne, Nelson Agholor, Tyquan Thornton<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

The only possible surprise from this group is that minicamp standout is not on the active roster, but ultimately I think he is also a candidate for catching \u201cFoxboro Flu\u201d and starting the season on IR to keep him on the roster. Parker, Meyers, Bourne, and Thornton all are locks to make the team in my eyes, and Agholor because of his contract and the strides he has made so far in camp is also likely to make the team.<\/p>

TE (3): Hunter Henry, Jonnu Smith, Dalton Keene<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

Henry and Smith are both locks to make this team. Usually the Patriots carry at least 3 tight ends and given their lack of having a full back this upcoming season I think they will go with at least 3. It is really a toss up between both of the 2020 3^{rd<\/sup> round pick TEs over who will make the roster. I ended up picking Keene because of the versatility he has and the potential for him to also play fullback and line up in the backfield, IF he can stay healthy.<\/p>}

OL (8): Trent Brown, Isaiah Wynn, Cole Strange, Michael Onwenu, David Andrews, James Ferentz, Justin Herron, Andrew Stueber<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

Brown, Strange, Onwenu, and Andrews are all locks to make the roster. Wynn I believe will make the roster as well but do not think it would be the biggest shock if he was traded. Ferentz has versatility of playing both guard and center which gives him an edge of making the team. Herron struggled at times last year while playing right tackle, but played more than serviceably at left tackle in the one game he started and has shown signs of being a capable back up tackle in this league. Stueber, who was a 7^{th<\/sup> round pick in the 2022 draft, I think takes the final roster spot for his ability to play both tackle as well as in emergency situations move inside to guard where he started 2 games in college as a redshirt junior). Yodney Cajuste is the offensive lineman on the bubble that just misses a final roster spot.<\/p>}

DL (9): Matthew Judon, Christian Barmore, Deatrich Wise, Davon Godchaux, Lawrence Guy, Henry Anderson, Carl Davis, Sam Roberts, and LaBryan Ray<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

With the Patriots first unofficial depth chart of camp shows the team having a 4-3 base front, I have the Patriots carrying 9 defensive linemen as a result. Judon, Barmore, Wise, and Godchaux are all locks to make this team. Guy is one of the leaders on the defense and I think he will be on the bubble given the decline in his play for most of last season, however I think he ultimately makes the team. Anderson showed promise in the preseason and first game last year until an injury sidelined him the rest of the way. Davis made an impact on defense in his limited snaps and will continue to be available this season. Roberts, who was a 6^{th<\/sup> round pick in this years draft, is more of a developmental player as he played collegiately at the Division II level, he has made some plays in camp so far with a blocked kick (he had 5 blocks in college) and holding his own in some positional drills. LaBryan Ray rounds up the defensive line. Injuries derailed most of his college career as he came in as a 5-star recruit. With him now being healthy, he can capitalize on his potential in addition to extending the streak of undrafted players making the week 1 roster to 18 straight years. 2021 3rd<\/sup> round draft pick Ronnie Perkins who failed to suite up for a single game last year is a cut day casualty.<\/p>}

LB (6): Ja\u2019Whaun Bentley, Raekwon McMillan, Mack Wilson, Josh Uche, Anfernee Jennings, Cameron McGrone<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

Again, with the Patriots likely transitioning to a 4-3 base front, along with having a versatile safety group that can also play in the box as defacto linebackers, I have the Patriots carrying only 6 linebackers. Bentley and McMillan are locks to make the roster, and I think that Wilson and Uche are close to being locks as well. Anfernee Jennings has been a disappointment his first two seasons with the Patriots after being a 3^{rd<\/sup> round pick in 2020 due to injuries and inability to stay healthy.  However, he has been healthy so far in camp and has been making plays all over the field and is emerging as a potential key contributor this season if he can stay healthy. McGrone is an intriguing player. He was a potential Day 2 pick in the 2021 Draft if it wasn\u2019t for a late season injury that sidelined him for the entirety of his rookie season. This is essentially serving as his rookie season but so far in camp he has been failing to live up to the hype and I have him making the roster on his potential and promise alone.  Harvey Langi and Jahiani Tavai both do not end up making the roster, but I would not be shocked if they end up being members of the practice squad if another team does not sign them outright.<\/p>}

CB (5): Terrance Mitchell, Jalen Mills, Marcus Jones, Jack Jones, Shaun Wade<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

Mills, Marcus Jones and Jack Jones are all locks to make the team.  Mitchell, who started 13 games for Houston last year, has been working with the 1^{st<\/sup> team unit so far in camp and has been holding his own and looks to have an inside track for one of the outside corner positions. Shaun Wade who is entering his second year in the league has been playing inside, outside, and some safety in practice and his versatility helps him snag the final corner spot. A couple big names appear to be missing from the corner back list and no it is not a mistake. I have Jonathan Jones as the Patriots surprise cut this year. This is due in part because of the addition of Marcus Jones and Jack Jones who can play the slot. Additionally, the Patriots not having enough salary cap space to operate the rest of the season and the Patriots being able to save $5.68 million in cap space by releasing him. Malcolm Butler who took last year off before returning to the Patriots has not looked like the same player in camp and the Patriots move on from this reunion.  Myles Bryant who played serviceable last year along with Joejuan Williams also fail to make the final roster.<\/p>}

S (5): Kyle Dugger, Adrian Phillips, Devon McCourty, Jabrill Peppers, Joshua Bledsoe<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

Not any surprises here as Dugger, Phillips, and McCourty are all locks to make the team. Bledsoe who was hurt most of his rookie season last year has thrived so far at camp and has been earning first team reps. Peppers adds more depth and another dimension to this secondary although he has had limited reps in practice to date due to injuries.<\/p>

K (1): Nick Folk<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

No surprises here.<\/p>

P (1): Jake Bailey<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

Again, no surprises here, especially since he just signed a 4 year contract extension last week.<\/p>

LS (1): Joe Cardona<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

No surprises here.<\/p>

ST (2): Matthew Slater, Justin Bethel<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

Slater and Bethel are both locks to make the team as they are arguably the 2 best special teamers in the NFL. The only surprise you may notice is Cody Davis did not make the roster. Ultimately, I envision him joining the practice squad and being a potential game day elevation from the practice squad.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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