BREAKING DOWN PATS’ ROSTER AS DRAFT NEARS
There will be plenty of competition for jobs after free-agency frenzy
Since the Patriots’ massive splurge in free agency, the makeup of the roster has changed significantly.
There’s clearly going to be plenty of competition for jobs come training camp. And with that, there could be some surprise cuts down the road.
Now roughly two weeks away from the 2021 NFL draft, the Patriots have 10 draft picks that could add to the in-house competition. So how does the team’s roster look before those rookies enter the picture?
Here’s a position-by-position breakdown, with roster locks and roster bubble candidates.
Quarterbacks (3)
Jake Dolegala, Cam Newton, Jarrett Stidham
Roster locks: Newton, Stidham
Bubble guys: Dolegala Analysis: At this point, Newton and Stidham make up the quarterback room. Newton was re-signed to a modest one-year deal, while Stidham still has time on his rookie deal.
Given what transpired last season, it’s not the ideal scenario, but two weeks before the NFL draft, it is what it is.
The Patriots have their eye on Jimmy Garoppolo, but right now, the cost isn’t to their liking. That could change as we get closer to the draft, or perhaps even after the draft. Teddy Bridgewater and Gardner Minshew might also become available.
While Newton figures to improve with a better cast, the Patriots will no doubt try to upgrade at the most important position on the field.
If the Patriots draft a quarterback, which is expected, he’ll take up another roster spot. Right now, Newton looks like the man, with Stidham riding shotgun.
Running backs (7)
Brandon Bolden, Damien Harris, Jakob Johnson, Sony Michel, J. J. Taylor, Danny Vitale, James White
Roster locks: Bolden, Harris, Johnson, Michel, White
Bubble guys: Taylor, Vi
tale
Analysis: Harris and Michel represent a good one-two punch to lead the backs. White, who was re-signed, remains one of the better third-down backs in the game.
The expectation is for the Patriots to add on in the draft, so that leaves Taylor, a favorite of running backs coach Ivan Fears, on the bubble. There’s also a chance the club will eventually bring back Rex Burkhead. He’s currently rehabbing from the torn ACL he suffered last season.
As for the fullbacks, they’ll take one. It’s hard imagining them taking more than that. The competition is between Johnson, who performed well in the role last season, and Vitale, who was signed as a free agent last year, but opted out due to coronavirus concerns. Johnson has the leg up at this stage.
Wide receivers (9)
Nelson Agholor, Kendrick Bourne, N’Keal Harry, Jakobi Meyers, Gunner Olszewski, Matthew Slater, Devin Smith, Kristian Wilkerson, Isaiah Zuber
Roster locks: Agholor, Bourne, Meyers, Olszewski, Slater
Bubble guys: Harry, Smith, Wilkerson, Zuber
Analysis: Recent acquisitions Agholor and Bourne upgrade the receiving corps. Meyers, who had a breakout season last year, also sticks. Olszewski made the Pro Bowl as a returner, so right now, he should make the team. His position was also enhanced further with Julian Edelman formally announcing his retirement Monday.
While the Pats played without Edelman the final 10 games of last season, his production and ability to make plays in the clutch isn’t easily replaced.
Harry? There have been trade talks involving the receiver. He’s not a given by any stretch, especially if the Patriots add another playmaker from a strong draft class of receivers.
Slater, who is listed as a receiver, is an automatic as the special teams captain and 9-time Pro Bowl player. It’s possible Slater will retire, but that’s unknown at this stage.
Tight ends (5)
Devin Asiasi, Hunter Henry, Dalton Keene, Matt LaCosse, Jonnu Smith
Roster locks: Henry, Smith Bubble guys: Asiasi, Keene, LaCosse
Analysis: The Patriots took a weakness and made it a strength with the additions of Henry and Smith in free agency. The biggest question is who will ride with them in the caboose.
The Pats would love the flexibility to run two-tight-end packages, so they’ll need a third for insurance in case of injury.
LaCosse might have an edge being a veteran, but he missed last year in the group of opt-outs.
It’s also doubtful the Patriots will want to slash both Asiasi and Keene, who were third-round draft picks in 2020, so there should be plenty of competition for that third spot.
Offensive line (12)
David Andrews, Trent Brown, Yodny Cajuste, Korey Cunningham, Justin Herron, Ted Karras, Marcus Martin, Shaq Mason, Michael Onwenu, Najee Toran, Dustin Woodard, Isaiah Wynn
Roster locks: Andrews, Brown, Herron, Karras, Onwenu, Mason, Wynn
Bubble guys: Cajuste, Cunningham, Martin, Toran, Woodard
Analysis: Even though the Patriots lost long-time starting left guard Joe Thuney, who signed a free agent deal with the Chiefs, the Patriots remain in good shape with the starting group. Re-signing Andrews was huge. He will likely be flanked by Onwenu and Mason, with Wynn and Brown, who was re-acquired in a trade with the Raiders, handling the tackle duties. That starting five allows the Patriots to once again boast one of the best offensive lines in the NFL.
Adding Karras provides experience and versatile depth for the interior of the line.
They’ll likely add to the group above, perhaps drafting a tackle given Brown’s on a one-year deal, while Wynn’s fifth year option isn’t a given. They might also grab a guard with Karras the only viable depth.
Defensive line (13)
Montravius Adams, Henry Anderson, Rashod Berry, Tashawn Bower, Byron Cowart, Carl Davis, Davon Godchaux, Lawrence Guy, Bill Murray, Akeem Spence, Nick Thurman, Chase Winovich, Deatrich Wise Jr.
Roster locks: Anderson, Godchaux, Guy, Winovich, Wise Jr.
Bubble guys: Adams, Berry, Bower, Cowart, Davis, Murray, Spence, Thurman
Analysis: Given all of their troubles stopping the run last season, the Patriots overhauled the interior of the defensive line.
Godchaux, Anderson and Adams should help the Pats get off the mat from a league-worst ranking against the run in 2020.
Godchaux has experience playing the middle of a Belichickian defense from the past two years in Miami. Guy and Anderson would be the flanks on either side at end and tackle, with Adams rotating in.
Wise and Winovich will provide a pass rush component wherever they’re lined up. Winovich is listed with the defensive line, but could also play outside linebacker and rush from a 3-4 alignment.
Cowart, Davis, Spence, Bower and Thurman, who all saw competitive snaps last season, are up
against it to make the team.
Linebackers (10)
Ja’Whaun Bentley, Terez Hall, Dont’a Hightower, Anfernee Jennings, Matthew Judon, Brandon King, Raekwon McMillan, LaRoy Reynolds, Josh Uche, Kyle Van Noy.
Roster locks: Hightower, Judon, Jennings, Uche, Van Noy
Bubble guys: Bentley, Hall, King, McMillan, Reynolds
Analysis: Like the tight ends, this group has gone from the outhouse to the penthouse. Between Hightower’s return, the addition of Judon, and Van Noy coming back after a year in Miami, the improvement should be considerable.
Judon should be a force at an outside linebacker spot. Hightower and Van Noy can either play inside linebacker, or out on the edge. That versatility will help. It’s the kind of versatility Belichick is hoping to get from both Uche and Jennings down the road.
Bentley and McMillan are likely fighting for one spot, given they are essentially run-first role players. Same with Hall. King, primarily a special teamer, has a fight on his hands.
Safeties (5)
Cody Davis, Kyle Dugger, Devin McCourty, Jalen Mills, Adrian Phillips
Roster locks: Davis, Dugger, McCourty, Mills, Phillips
Bubble guys: None
Analysis: While Patrick Chung announced his retirement last month, the addition of Mills helps to mitigate that loss.
Like Chung, he’s versatile, able to play as a box safety and mark slot receivers and perhaps tight ends if necessary. Phillips was basically used as a pseudo-linebacker last year. He led the team in tackles.
Dugger, who showed promise last season, should see more time while McCourty remains the quarterback of the secondary. So Belichick is stacked with versatile players and with the exception of Dugger, a ton of experience in this group.
Davis, meanwhile, made an impact as a core special-teamer last year.
With McCourty nearing retirement, it’s a sneaky position of need, which could get attention in
the draft. Cornerbacks (9)
Justin Bethel, Myles Bryant, Stephon Gilmore, J.C. Jackson, Michael Jackson, Jonathan Jones, D’Angelo Ross, Dee Virgin, Joejuan Williams
Roster locks: Bethel, Gilmore, J.C. Jackson, Jones
Bubble guys: Bryant, M. Jackson, Ross, Virgin, Williams
Analysis: While there have been some rumblings about a Gilmore trade, it seems more likely he’s going to stick around for the final year of his deal, at the very least. J.C. Jackson, who isn’t technically on the roster just yet, is likely to play on his second-round tender. Jones is the third in this strong trio.
Bryant and Williams provide depth although they’ll likely be in a fight for a job if the Patriots select a top corner in the draft. Williams, in particular, might not stick if he doesn’t expand on his role beyond marking some tight ends. Jalen Mills, meanwhile, can also play corner and fill in if needed.
Veteran Jason McCourty, a free agent, hasn’t signed anywhere as yet. He could also be brought back in a pinch.
Bethel hasn’t taken many snaps in the secondary, but he’s a main cog in the special teams units. Jackson, Ross and Virgin remain long-shots.
Bottom line, unless Gilmore is dealt or Jackson is signed elsewhere in restricted free agency, the Pats are in good shape at the position.
Specialists (4)
Roberto Aguayo, Jake Bailey, Joe Cardona, Nick Folk
Roster locks: Bailey, Cardona, Folk
Bubble guys: Aguayo
Analysis: Basically, the gang’s back from last year, with Folk being re-signed, punter Bailey coming off a Pro Bowl season, and Cardona entering his seventh season as the long snapper.
The Patriots released kicker Justin Rohrwasser, their 2020 fifthround pick, last month. He was shaky at camp last year, and sat on the practice squad all season, while Folk was the model of consistency, kicking two game-winners. Bringing the veteran back was a good move. So along with Bailey and Cardona, the Patriots are in good stead with the unit.
Aguayo could land on the practice squad, barring a major upset.