New England Patriots: Way-Too-Early 53-Man Roster and Depth Chart Predictions

You can already smell the fresh-cut grass on the practice field behind Gillette Stadium. You can hear the countless New England Patriots fans rushing the field in anticipation of the first practice of training camp in Foxborough, Massachusetts.

Over the course of the 2016 NFL draft, the Patriots rounded out their roster at several key positions where they needed depth. This year's draft class was never going to be about adding prospects who are ready to come in and start right away; the Patriots' most pressing needs were in backup spots, where their lack of depth was exposed by a series of injuries in 2015.

Now that the Patriots have handed in the last of their selection cards for this year's draft, the roster is taking shape. We now have a better idea of where things stand headed into the 2016 season than we did just a few days ago. 

With that in mind, here's an early projection of what the Patriots 53-man roster could look like when the regular season kicks off in September.

Quarterback

Charles Krupa/Associated Press

Depth Chart	Player
1	Tom Brady*
2	Jimmy Garoppolo
3	Jacoby Brissett

There is an asterisk next to Tom Brady, because he will not count against the Patriots' initial 53-man roster due to his suspension. For purposes of this 53-man roster projection, though, let's just pretend that he'll be on the roster Week 1 to avoid confusion with a 54th player.

That being said, we won't pretend that he'll be on the field. The Patriots certainly aren't. They went out and drafted NC State quarterback Jacoby Brissett in the third round to address their need for a third-string quarterback behind Jimmy Garoppolo, the presumptive Week 1 starter in Brady's stead.

The first four games of the season will be the Patriots' chance to get a glimpse into what Garoppolo can do as the starting quarterback of the team—and whether or not he has the stuff to be the heir to Brady as the franchise signal-caller. That may be a lofty task to complete in a four-week span, but at least with the selection of Brissett, the Patriots have an extra option in case Garoppolo completely folds.

Running Back

Associated Press

Dion Lewis (33) and LeGarrette Blount (29)

Depth Chart	Player
1	Dion Lewis
2	LeGarrette Blount
3	Brandon Bolden
4	James White
5	James Develin

This is one depth chart where it's a crapshoot. Dion Lewis showed enough electricity prior to his injury that we can safely put him on the roster (though not necessarily at the top of the depth chart, depending on how ready he is for action coming off reconstructive knee surgery). 

The Patriots waited until April 12 to re-sign LeGarrette Blount, but now that they've brought back their first- and second-down workhorse, Blount looks like the surest thing in the Patriots backfield when it comes to carrying the ball between the tackles.

Brandon Bolden has shown versatility out of the backfield, and he continues to contribute on special teams to keep his role safe on the roster. James White and free agent Donald Brown could be fighting for the same spot, and James Develin will need to show that the fullback's fully recovered from a broken leg that ended his 2015 campaign before it began. 

With no draft pick at the position, though, the Patriots appear confident in the group as presently constructed.

Wide Receiver

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Julian Edelman (11) and Danny Amendola (80)

Depth Chart	Player
1	Julian Edelman
2	Chris Hogan
3	Danny Amendola
4	Nate Washington
5	Malcolm Mitchell
6	Matthew Slater

We know who will be the Patriots' No. 1 wide receiver: Julian Edelman. His spot at the top of the depth chart is unquestioned. Behind him, there are some question marks. Danny Amendola is the incumbent, but according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, Amendola reportedly could be traded or cut this offseason with a $5 million base salary.

The Patriots signed Chris Hogan and Nate Washington as free agents, but Hogan has never caught more than 41 passes for 450 yards and four touchdowns in a season. It's fair to wonder whether he can carry the load for an offense in a featured role, although he does have similar physical traits to Brandon LaFell without the concerns about drops.

At the very least, rookie wide receiver Malcolm Mitchell can compete for snaps while he develops into an eventual starter. The 6'0", 198-pound receiver isn't the biggest on the roster, but he has enough size for the boundary (he's bigger than the generously listed Edelman at 5'10" and 200 pounds) and he has the route-running savvy to be an effective receiver in the Patriots offense.

Tight End

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Depth Chart	Player
1	Rob Gronkowski
2	Martellus Bennett
3	Clay Harbor
4	Michael Williams

With both Rob Gronkowski and Martellus Bennett at tight end, the Patriots could justifiably shift to the two-tight end offense as their base formation. The combination of the two big-bodied, athletic pass-catching and mauling blockers at tight end give the Patriots the ability to both run and throw the ball when Gronkowski and Bennett are on the field at the same time.

The only problem is, behind those two, the depth chart is a little bare. Clay Harbor is more of an H-back than a true in-line tight end in the mold of the two starters, but there is still room for a player with that skill set on the roster. Harbor's best season was 2013, when he hauled in 24 passes for 292 yards and two touchdowns for the Jaguars, so he is clearly more of a backup than a starting-caliber player.

Michael Williams might be a tight end in name only, as more of a tackle than a tight end at 6'6" and 304 pounds, but with very few other passable options on the roster, Williams' experience gets him the nod over other options. 

Offensive Line

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Depth Chart	Position	Player
1	OT	Nate Solder
1	OT	Sebastian Vollmer
1	OG	Tre' Jackson
1	OG	Shaq Mason
1	C	Bryan Stork
2	OT	Cameron Fleming
2	C	David Andrews
2	OG	Josh Kline
3	OT	Joe Thuney

If healthy, Nate Solder and Sebastian Vollmer are the starting tackles on the left and right side, respectively. Of course, those two were not healthy in 2015, which was one of the biggest problems the Patriots faced. Other than the two starting tackles, there are a lot of question marks—both on the depth chart and at starting spots on the lineup. 

Tre' Jackson and Shaq Mason will be competing for their starting spots with veteran backup Josh Kline and former first-round pick Jonathan Cooper, acquired from the Arizona Cardinals. A case could be made for either Kline or Cooper (or both) to be starters, but Patriots offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia had a hand in scouting Jackson and Mason. Something tells me he still sees potential in the two second-year guards.

At center, Bryan Stork took over as the starter after he returned from injury but not before a quick stop at right tackle to fill in during an injury-riddled stretch in the schedule. Stork appears to be the incumbent in the middle, but David Andrews fared well while Stork was out of action, so the starting job could be up for grabs.

Adding Joe Thuney to the depth chart creates a competition among the backup tackles, with Marcus Cannon looking like the odd man out. Cannon's cap hit is more than $4.7 million, and the Patriots can save roughly $3.1 million by releasing him, according to Spotrac. Cannon was Pro Football Focus' 44th-ranked tackle (out of 59 qualifying tackles) in pass-blocking efficiency. 

Cameron Fleming didn't fare much better than Cannon, so there could be a battle between those two for the final roster spot on the offensive line. Cannon offers more versatility, but with his cap hit, it would make more sense for the Patriots to move on. 

Defensive End

David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

Jabaal Sheard

Depth Chart	Player
1	Rob Ninkovich
2	Jabaal Sheard
3	Chris Long
4	Geneo Grissom

Jabaal Sheard was a galvanizing force for the Patriots pass rush in 2015 as the third defensive end in the rotation. Now that Chandler Jones has been shipped off to the Arizona Cardinals, Sheard moves up to one of the top two spots and veteran defensive end Chris Long joins Sheard and Rob Ninkovich in a three-headed attack.

These players could all be used in a variety of roles, rushing the passer either as defensive ends in a 4-3 front or as outside linebackers in a 3-4. The problem is, all three are set to be free agents after the 2016 season, so the Patriots will have their hands full trying to keep the band together following this year.

Fortunately, the Patriots have some depth at defensive end. Unfortunately, they have more than they could possibly fit on the roster. With talented young pass-rushers like Trey Flowers and Rufus Johnson behind Geneo Grissom on the depth chart, they'll have to hope the Patriots make cuts elsewhere to keep all their pass-rushers in the fold. Grissom's positional versatility between the inside and the outside makes him the favorite. 

Defensive Tackle

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Malcom Brown

Depth Chart	Player
1	Malcom Brown
2	Terrance Knighton
3	Vincent Valentine
4	Alan Branch

The Patriots entered the draft with a big need for big men on the defensive line, and they came away with an addition to the lineup.

Malcom Brown, the Patriots' 2015 first-round pick, appears set as one of the top defensive tackles in the lineup. The 6'2", 320-pound defensive tackle could line up anywhere in a 3-4 defensive line, and along with Terrance Knighton and Alan Branch, the Patriots appear to have a solid three-man lineup up front for their base defense.

Vincent Valentine might come off the bench as a rookie, but he has the tools to develop into a starter if he can stay healthy and get his stamina up. The Patriots will love his play strength and his ability to hold his gaps at the line of scrimmage, which are paramount traits for any defensive lineman playing in a two-gap scheme. 

Joe Vellano could make a push for the final roster, and he'll have to, since he's already run out of eligibility for the practice squad. If the Patriots are running a 3-4 defense, they could justify hanging onto five defensive tackle-type players. 

Linebacker

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Dont'a Hightower (54) and Jamie Collins (91)

Depth Chart	Player
1	Jamie Collins
2	Dont'a Hightower
3	Jonathan Freeny
4	Shea McClellin
5	Elandon Roberts

There's no question that the Patriots' two starters at linebacker are Jamie Collins and Dont'a Hightower. What they do in a 4-3 base defense, however, is another question entirely. Their outside linebackers in a 3-4 would most likely be among the defensive ends listed earlier. 

Both Collins and Hightower are set to be free agents following the 2016 season, so the Patriots will either have to develop one of their backup linebackers into a starting-caliber player over the course of the next 12 months, or they'll have to go on the lookout for a linebacker next year. 

The linebacker position was another where the Patriots entered the draft needing depth, but although they added Eastern Illinois' Kamu Grugier-Hill, he's a long shot to make the roster. The retirement of Jerod Mayo thrusts Jonathan Freeny into a more prominent role on the roster, although his role was fairly prominent in 2015; according to Pro Football Focus, he played 396 snaps in 2015, just eight snaps fewer than Mayo. 

Houston's Elandon Roberts, however, is another story. The linebacker was highly productive in 2015, with 19 tackles for loss and six sacks. His ability in run support will help him carve out a niche, even if his pass-coverage abilities are limited (McClellin can serve as the passing-down linebacker). 

Cornerback

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Depth Chart	Player
1	Malcolm Butler
2	Logan Ryan
3	Cyrus Jones
4	Justin Coleman
5	Darryl Roberts

The Patriots had a clear need at the cornerback position headed into the draft, and they did not wait to address the need. Their selection of cornerback Cyrus Jones in the second round gives the Patriots a third cornerback to rotate with incumbent starters Malcolm Butler and Logan Ryan.

All three cornerbacks are a little undersized, at below 6'0" and 200 pounds, but they all fit a similar mold of competitive defensive backs who can play man and zone coverage; all three possess the willingness to crash the line of scrimmage in run support.

Behind Butler, Ryan and Jones, however, the Patriots still have some question marks. Justin Coleman and Darryl Roberts were two of the cornerbacks who performed best in backup roles last year, and they should be considered the front-runners for roster spots this year due to their special teams ability. 

Safety

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Patrick Chung (23) and Devin McCourty

Depth Chart	Player
1	Devin McCourty
2	Patrick Chung
3	Duron Harmon
4	Jordan Richards
5	Nate Ebner

One spot that felt adequately stocked heading into the draft was safety. With Devin McCourty and Patrick Chung at the top of the depth chart, and with Duron Harmon and Jordan Richards waiting in the wings behind them, the Patriots have plenty of talent at the top and depth at the bottom of the roster. Add safety Nate Ebner, a special teams ace, to the equation and the Patriots were never really in the market for a safety. 

McCourty is clearly the man for the deep patrol job, covering long passes and ensuring nothing gets behind him. Chung played a hybrid role as both a safety and a slot cornerback last year, moving into the box to help against the run and also to cover tight ends. Harmon is best suited for a deep coverage role as well, and he is often used in that respect when the Patriots are in a nickel defense.

Jordan Richards has the potential to eventually take over Chung's role, and in the meantime, he can also contribute with Ebner on special teams. The Patriots are stocked at safety for 2016 and for the foreseeable future.

Special Teams

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Depth Chart	Player
Kicker	Stephen Gostkowski
Punter	Ryan Allen
Kick Returner	Danny Amendola
Punt Returner	Cyrus Jones
Long Snapper	Joe Cardona

The beauty of the Cyrus Jones selection is that the Patriots not only added a cornerback to their roster but also a punt returner. Jones notched 42 punt returns for 530 yards and four touchdowns in 2015, all of which led the nation. Now, Jones can take that role away from Julian Edelman and/or Danny Amendola, whose workload could be redistributed to the passing game.

Other than that, there are no surprises on the Patriots' special teams depth charts. Kicker Stephen Gostkowski, punter Ryan Allen and long snapper Joe Cardona return to the fold for another year in their spots. The Patriots have no need to look for upgrades at any of those three positions, as all three players are more than suited to start in the NFL. 

53-Man Roster Projection

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53-Man Roster Projection

	Player	Position
1	Tom Brady	QB
2	Jimmy Garoppolo	QB
3	Jacoby Brissett	QB
4	LeGarrette Blount	RB
5	Dion Lewis	RB
6	James White	RB
7	Brandon Bolden	RB
8	James Develin	FB
9	Rob Gronkowski	TE
10	Martellus Bennett	TE
11	Clay Harbor	TE
12	Michael Williams	TE
13	Julian Edelman	WR
14	Chris Hogan	WR
15	Danny Amendola	WR
16	Nate Washington	WR
17	Malcolm Mitchell	WR
18	Matthew Slater	WR
19	Nate Solder	OL
20	Sebastian Vollmer	OL
21	Tre' Jackson	OL
22	Shaq Mason	OL
23	Bryan Stork	OL
24	Josh Kline	OL
25	David Andrews	OL
26	Cameron Fleming	OL
27	Joe Thuney	OL
28	Malcom Brown	DT
29	Vincent Valentine	DT
30	Alan Branch	DT
31	Terrance Knighton	DT
32	Rob Ninkovich	DE
33	Jabaal Sheard	DE
34	Chris Long	DE
35	Geneo Grissom	DE
36	Jamie Collins	LB
37	Dont'a Hightower	LB
38	Jonathan Freeny	LB
39	Shea McClellin	LB
40	Elandon Roberts	LB
41	Malcolm Butler	CB
42	Logan Ryan	CB
43	Cyrus Jones	CB
44	Justin Coleman	CB
45	Darryl Roberts	CB
46	Devin McCourty	S
47	Patrick Chung	S
48	Duron Harmon	S
49	Jordan Richards	S
50	Nate Ebner	S
51	Stephen Gostkowski	K
52	Ryan Allen	P
53	Joe Cardona	LS