New England Patriots' 53-Man Roster Prediction One Week Into Camp

The New England Patriots roster is shaking out nicely after their first week on the field.

Jul 26, 2024; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) reacts at end of a drill with wide receiver Tyquan Thornton (11) during training camp at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports / Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports

With the first week of New England Patriots training camp finally in the books, it's the perfect time to take a step back and predict who on this initial set of 90 players will make the final 53-man roster cut ahead of week one.

Here's my current projections for who on the Patriots will ultimately make the final roster after the first few days of camp:

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QB: 3

In: Jacoby Brissett, Drake Maye, Joe Milton III

Out: Bailey Zappe

Since the start of training camp, it's been clear that this quarterback room will likely narrow down to a final group of three. At this point, Brissett and Maye are locked in as QB1 and QB2, depending on how their early performance shakes out, so the decision comes down to Milton & Zappe.

Milton is the fresh rookie in the building and likely stands out with a better upside than what Zappe provides. The Patriots could potentially capitalize on Zappe's value in a trade with a QB-needy team, but odds are his time in Foxboro is up.

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RB: 4

In: Rhamondre Stevenson, Antonio Gibson, JayMycal Hasty, Kevin Harris

Out: Deshaun Fenwick, Terrell Jennings

Stevenson and Gibson aren't going anywhere, as they'll be the top options in this Patriots backfield this season. Hasty can provide another veteran option to put behind each of them, and Harris can be placed in as a young reserve.

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WR: 6

In: Javon Baker, DeMario Douglas, K.J. Osborn, Ja'Lynn Polk, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Tyquan Thornton

Out: Kawaan Baker, Kayshon Boutte, JaQuae Jackson, Jalen Reagor, David Wallis

PUP: Kendrick Bourne

The wide receiver position stands out as one of the biggest question marks on the roster. Javon Baker, Douglas, Osborn, and Polk are the easy picks, with Bourne waiting within the Patriots' PUP list. Beyond that, there are a few different outcomes.

At this point, I see the Patriots taking on another run with Tyquan Thorton in an attempt to bounce back in his third-year pro. He has enough upside as a former second-rounder to merit a roster spot, and could even find some added chemistry with Drake Maye when he gets a chance under center.

Considering the financial situation of JuJu Smith-Schuster and the dead money that would be incurred by a cut, the Patriots could opt to keep him on board too. Kayshon Boutte and Jalen Reagor would be hard to send off, but with the amount of depth present in the position, it's a tough yet necessary decision to make.

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TE: 3

In: Hunter Henry, Austin Hooper, Jaheim Bell

Out: La'Michael Pettway, Jacob Warren, Mitchell Wilcox

Hunter Henry and Austin Hooper are clear-cut choices, and it's hard not to see the Patriots give Bell a fair shot on the roster after selecting him at the end of day three in this year's draft. Mitchell Wilcox has ample opportunity to land on the roster, but the tight constraints of a 53-man unit narrowly leaves him out.

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OT: 4

In: Calvin Anderson, Chukwuma Okorafor, Mike Onwenu, Caedan Wallace

Out: Vederian Lowe, Tyrone Wheatley Jr.

Mike Onwenu is a strong starting option at either guard or tackle, and Caedan Wallace and Chukwuma Okorafor will be potential options to plug and play on the right and left side respectively. Calvin Anderson has also secured a few first-team reps during training camp, clearing the way for him to get one of the few tackle spots on this squad.

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IOL: 6

In: David Andrews, Jake Andrews, Nick Leverett, Layden Robinson, Sidy Sow, Atonio Mafi

Out: Liam Fordnadel, Zuri Henry, Michael Jordan, Charles Turner

PUP: Cole Strange

As Cole Strange continues to rehab from his late-season knee injury from 2023, some other candidates will need to step up at guard early this coming year to provide ample protection for whoever is pinned as the starter. A rotation of Robinson, Sow, and Mafi is a young, serviceable group to work with and a core that could grow throughout the season together.

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IDL: 4

In: Davon Godchaux, Daniel Ekuale, Armon Watts, Sam Roberts

Out: Josiah Bronson, Trysten Hill, Jeremiah Pharms Jr.

PUP: Christian Barmore

The interior defensive line outlook gets a bit tricky amid the recent blood clot diagnosis for Christian Barmore, but there's still strength within this position group without their impact playmaker. Godchaux has his long-term future in New England ironed out with his newest extension agreement, and has some solid depth behind him, with names like Daniel Ekuale and Armon Watts trailing behind.

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EDGE: 5

In: Matthew Judon, Keion White, Deatrich Wise Jr., Anfernee Jennings, Joshua Uche

Out: William Bradley-King, Jotham Russell, John Morgan III, Oshane Ximines

Of course, the contract implications loom largely over Judon and his future in New England, but it's hard to picture the Patriots not being able to work something out with their star pass rusher before the season.

If that situation finds a solution, the rest of this team's edge-rushing core is ready to roll. One of the most notable names beyond Judon that stands out in this group is Keion White, who enters his second-year pro with the chance to make a massive sophomore leap.

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LB: 4

In: Ja'Whaun Bentley, Sione Takitaki, Jahlani Tavai, Christian Elliss

Out: Steele Chambers, Joe Giles-Harris, Raekwon McMillan

Linebacker could go a few different ways for the Patriots heading into the season, but a unit of Bentley, Tavai, Takitaki, and Elliss is the combination I see fitting at this point.

Bentley and Tavai are the standouts of the group, and the routine starts on the defense, as Takitaki can be a developmental and depth piece in a linebacker room limited with bodies to throw out. As a result, Elliss (who's primarily a component on special teams) could also get some run on the field in a pinch as well.

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CB: 6

In: Christian Gonzalez, Jonathan Jones, Marcus Jones, Isaiah Bolden, Alex Austin, Marcellas Dial Jr.

Out: Azizi Hearn, Mikey Victor, Shaun Wade, Marco Wilson

Heading into 2024, this Patriots corner room looks reinvigorated with some new young talent and much-improved health from the year prior. Christian Gonzalez, Marcus Jones, and Isaiah Bolden will be three returning faces who suffered from an injury-plagued 2023 campaign, and Marcellas Dial Jr. has a chance to be an impact depth piece in year one.

It was difficult to leave Shaun Wade off the slate, but the Patriots already have an established six-man unit to roll with. He could end up sticking around as a strong piece within the practice squad, but the odds to stick on the main roster may be slim.

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S: 4

In: Jabrill Peppers, Kyle Dugger, Marte Mapu, Jaylinn Hawkins

Out: Joshuah Bledsoe, Dell Pettus

Safety looks to be one of the biggest strong suits of this Patriots roster next season, and the four-man set of Peppers, Dugger, Mapu, and Hawkins is both a talented and deep group of defensive backs. Joshuah Bledsoe could have an outside shot to get in, but there are more pressing needs on the roster that could use that added depth.

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ST: 4

In: Chad Ryland, Bryce Baringer, Joe Cardona, Brenden Schooler

Out: Joey Slye

The biggest question revolving around the Patriots' special teams unit in training camp centers on the kicking battle. While Chad Ryland struggled consistently through his rookie season in 2023, he presents more upside than Joey Slye, also starting off the first week of camp performing better as well. The only way is up for New England's year two kicker.

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