The Super-Bowl-champion New England Patriots are returning in 2019 with another stacked roster. The team has a ton of talent at every position, and with the conclusion of preseason week 4 Thursday, every player has made their case for a roster spot. While final cuts are being made today, let’s try to predict who gets to stick around for week 1 against Pittsburgh:
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Offense
QB (2) Tom Brady, Jarrett Stidham
Tom Brady isn’t going to like losing his pal Brian Hoyer, but the Patriots generally try not to dress three quarterbacks, and Hoyer’s purpose as placeholder from Jimmy Garoppolo to the new heir has been served. Fourth-round pick Stidham has shown more than enough this preseason to earn the one and only backup job, and perhaps the future starting job, whenever Brady sees fit to vacate it.
RB (5) Sony Michel, James White, Damien Harris, Brandon Bolden, James Develin
Notice anyone missing? Rex Burkhead started to play his way out of the gameplan for most of last year and Damien Harris wasn’t drafted for Burkhead and his 3.3 YPC to get in his way. This is going to be a three back attack, and one of the best in the league. James White is one of the greatest overall players in the Brady/Belichick era and should once again lead the team in scrimmage yards. Sony Michel had a postseason for the ages and should retain his job as a lead back, while Harris will help in handling the 134-touch void left by Burkhead and Cordarrelle Patterson. Bolden’s job is in kick coverage, and occasionally kick returning, which gives him the edge over Burkhead. James Develin is a bulldozer of a man and his value to the Patriots makes it difficult to understand why every team doesn’t use a fullback.
WR (7) Julian Edelman, Josh Gordon, N’Keal Harry, Jakobi Meyers, Phillip Dorsett, Demaryius Thomas, Gunner Olszewski
Gunner Olszewski simply did too much this preseason to not have earned a roster spot. Clearly the top option at punt returner, Gunner showed off his receiving ability and willingness to block, and even got out there at cornerback too. Give this man a shot. Demaryius Thomas also showed that he can still be the Demaryius of old, and now feels like a lock. Dorsett proved in preseason Week 3 why his familiarity with Brady is deserving of a roster spot, and it would be surprising to see Belichick force two rookies into Brady’s inner circle so quickly. Those two rookies (Harry and Meyers) should both make the team, though. The undrafted Meyers has played too well for too long at this point, and Harry is the team’s first-round pick. Edelman and Gordon are stars and will be weekly starters.
TE (2) Matt LaCosse, Ryan Izzo
(Suspended: Ben Watson, Lance Kendricks)
These are the only two tight ends who have somewhat gotten their names out there in the preseason, and will hold down the fort until Ben Watson returns. The Izzo catch in game three versus Carolina is one of the most notable plays of the preseason in New England, and might have been enough to separate himself from the rest of the pack.
Offensive Line (9) Joe Thuney, Ted Karras, Shaq Mason, Dan Skipper, Marcus Cannon, Isaiah Wynn, Hjalte Froholdt, Korey Cunningham, Jermaine Eluemunor
(PUP: Yodny Cajuste; NFI: David Andrews)
Elite center David Andrews is expected to miss the entire season with blood clots in his lungs, which is an incredibly worrisome story and a devastating blow to the Patriots line. It was no surprise, then, to see Belichick swing a couple of trades a day after the news hit, acquiring Cunningham from Arizona and Eluemunor from Baltimore. Both can play on the inside, adding additional depth to help out Mason, Thuney, Froholdt and Karras, who is expected to shift to center. Wynn has looked good in the preseason after missing his rookie year with a torn ACL and could fill the other tackle position with Marcus Cannon. Skipper has been a preseason standout and should make the team as a reserve.
Defense
DL (7) Deatrich Wise, Lawrence Guy, Adam Butler, Michael Bennett, John Simon, Danny Shelton, Byron Cowart
Wise is a surprise cut candidate that I can’t buy into. He’s one of the team’s best pass rushers and always finds a way to produce; he’ll find a way to fit into the Patriots’ 3-4 defense. Guy and Butler are great fits for the defense and both are terrific and underrated interior linemen. Michael Bennett (nine sacks in 2018) is Trey Flowers’ replacement and is expected to be the star of the group. Simon and Cowart have exceeded expectations this preseason and have earned themselves spots, and Shelton didn’t see as many snaps as he should have last season. He’ll see a larger role at nose tackle. This is a deceptively strong first line of defense.
LB (6) Don’t’a Hightower, Kyle Van Noy, Jamie Collins, Elandon Roberts, Chase Winovich, Ja’Whaun Bentley
This is an aggressively strong second line of defense. Hightower is one of the best linebackers in football and is arguably the Patriots’ most important defender. Van Noy became a star for the team last year and upped his game even further in the postseason. Collins had some great years in New England from 2013-16 and should remain a great fit upon his return. Winovich is the star of the 2019 preseason, and Bentley was the star of the 2018 preseason, and is returning after missing the whole regular season.
CB (6) Stephon Gilmore, JC Jackson, Jason McCourty, Jonathan Jones, Joejuan Williams, Keion Crossen
Okay, this is a violently strong third line of defense. A lot of familiar faces here, with second-round pick Joejuan Williams sliding into an already stacked group. Gilmore, Jackson, McCourty and Jones already made up one of the most dangerous cornerback groups in the NFL, and Williams might help make it the very best. Crossen is the only non-lock here, but he made the team as a seventh-round rookie with a somewhat ugly preseason last year, and Belichick values what he can do on special teams.
S (5) Patrick Chung, Devin McCourty, Terrence Brooks, Duron Harmon, Nate Ebner
(IR: Brandon King)
Neither Chung’s legal battle nor his injury should bleed into the regular season, but in the event of a surprise, Terrence Brooks will be an effective reserve option after New England added him in the offseason. There has been some talk about Harmon being on the bubble, but he’s been a playmaker in big moments and should find a spot. McCourty is a perennial starter, and Ebner is another special teams specialist. Brandon King may have found himself on this list too, if it wasn’t for a torn quadriceps that will keep him out for the year.
Specialists (4) K Stephen Gostkowski, P Jake Bailey, LS Joe Cardona, Matthew Slater
Matthew Slater is technically designated as a wide receiver, but I didn’t want to make a mockery of the position by including him there. Slater hasn’t had a reception since 2011, but he’s a seven-time Pro Bowl gunner and the special teams captain.
We’re thankful for for everything you did, Ryan Allen, but Jake Bailey is a special teams weapon of which there are few in the NFL. I mocked the decision to trade up for a punter in April, but no one’s laughing now.
Gostkowski isn’t the automatic kicker he was a few years ago, but he still has the leg and is still better than most kickers out there. Joe Cardona generally does a good job. I try not to dwell too much on the botched field goal in Super Bowl LII, but even that wasn’t entirely Cardona’s fault. I’d still rank him inside my top-10 long snappers in the game.
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