Resetting Patriots’ Depth Chart After Opening Wave Of Free Agency

The Patriots have been quiet thus far

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Mar 21, 2022

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      The New England Patriots' roster has changed since NFL free agency began last week. And not for the better.

      Since the start of the new league year, the Patriots have lost three starters (two on offense, one on defense) and added just three mid-to-low-level players (two through free agency, one via trade). They've also re-signed seven of their own free agents, mostly long-tenured veteran leaders.

      It has not been a particularly inspiring showing for a team that already had clear needs at multiple positions (cornerback, linebacker, wide receiver, offensive tackle, etc.), especially as many of New England's AFC opponents have made high-profile additions.

      (UPDATE: The Patriots also re-signed right tackle Trent Brown on Monday, a major boost to their depleted offensive line.)

      With the season still more than five months away, it's not wise to enter panic mode or draw any definitive conclusions about this Patriots team. But Bill Belichick and his staff have a lot of work to do.

      Here's how New England's current depth chart stacks up (in our view) after its initial wave of additions and departures:

      QUARTERBACK
      Mac Jones
      Brian Hoyer
      Jarrett Stidham

      Hoyer re-signed for two more years and $3 million guaranteed, locking the 36-year-old in as Jones' top backup. The Patriots could look to trade Stidham, who's entering the final year of his rookie contract.

      RUNNING BACK
      Damien Harris/James White
      Rhamondre Stevenson
      Ty Montgomery
      J.J. Taylor
      Devine Ozigbo

      The Patriots re-signed White to a term-friendly contract, retaining their longtime pass-catching back. The question now is whether he'll be the same player after the hip injury that ended his 2021 season. We could see another depth/developmental addition before the season. New England is listing new signee Montgomery as a wide receiver, but he's played a lot of running back in his career, so we're including him here, too. It'll be interesting to see how the Patriots utilize the multi-purpose veteran, but it's been several years since Montgomery was a productive offensive player.

      FULLBACK
      None

      Jakob Johnson gave an interesting reason for signing with Josh McDaniels' Las Vegas Raiders, sharing with a German news outlet that the Patriots told him "they will no longer need (his) services next season simply because they will no longer have (his) position on the roster." The Patriots phasing out the fullback would be a dramatic shift -- only the San Francisco 49ers used one more often in 2021 -- but one some expected to occur after they signed big-money tight ends Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith last offseason. Perhaps we'll now finally see the full-time reintroduction of 12 (aka two-tight end) personnel, which the Patriots utilized on just 14% of their snaps this past season. Tight end Dalton Keene also could find a role as a more athletic H-back type if he can stick on the roster after a season lost to injury.

      TIGHT END
      Hunter Henry
      Jonnu Smith
      Devin Asiasi
      Dalton Keene

      The Patriots need more from Smith, who caught just 28 passes in his debut season in New England (with nine of those coming in the first two games). The Jones-Henry connection (nine touchdowns in 2021) should be even stronger in Year 2.

      WIDE RECEIVER
      Jakobi Meyers
      Kendrick Bourne
      Nelson Agholor
      Ty Montgomery
      Kristian Wilkerson
      N'Keal Harry
      Tre Nixon
      Malcolm Perry

      Meyers hasn't officially been retained for 2022, but the Patriots placed a second-round restricted free agent tender on him, so odds are he'll be back. Outside of the Montgomery pickup, New England hasn't made any offseason upgrades to this group despite reportedly being active in the wideout market since the start of the tampering period. At this point, any significant boost would need to come via trade or the NFL draft.

      OFFENSIVE LINE
      LT: Isaiah Wynn
      LG: James Ferentz
      C: David Andrews
      RG: Mike Onwenu
      RT: Trent Brown
      Reserves: OT Justin Herron, G/T Yasir Durant, OT Yodny Cajuste, G/T Will Sherman, G Arlington Hambright, G Drew Desjarlais

      Re-signing Brown was huge for the Patriots, who would have been forced to replace three O-line starters had their mammoth right tackle landed elsewhere. Onwenu could step in for either Ted Karras (signed with Cincinnati) or Shaq Mason (traded to Tampa Bay), but we plugged him into Mason's right guard spot since that was his primary position at Michigan. There's no obvious internal replacement for the other guard vacancy, so look for the Patriots to fill that through either free agency or the draft, unless one of their current reserve options impresses in camp.

      DEFENSIVE LINE
      Davon Godchaux
      Lawrence Guy
      Christian Barmore
      Deatrich Wise
      Daniel Ekuale
      Henry Anderson
      Byron Cowart
      Bill Murray

      Nothing new so far for this group, other than the Patriots reworking Anderson's contract to create an extra $1.25 million in cap space. He was a disappointment this past season before an injury ended his year in Week 4, but he's been a solid and versatile contributor at his previous NFL stops. A return to form from the veteran would be welcomed in a unit that struggled to stop the run down the stretch.

      OUTSIDE LINEBACKER
      Matthew Judon
      Josh Uche
      Ronnie Perkins
      Anfernee Jennings

      Not a lot of depth or experience in this group behind Judon, who was excellent for the first three-quarters of his first season in New England but a non-factor down the stretch. There are reasons to be optimistic about Uche and Perkins, but the former struggled to earn playing time in 2021 (21.8% of defensive snaps) and the latter didn't see the field at all as a rookie. The Patriots have trimmed this group by cutting Kyle Van Noy and trading Chase Winovich but have yet to add any edge rushers.

      INSIDE LINEBACKER
      Ja'Whaun Bentley
      Mack Wilson
      Raekwon McMillan
      Harvey Langi
      Jahlani Tavai
      Cameron McGrone
      Terez Hall

      The Patriots re-signed Bentley and traded for Wilson, an Alabama product who's smaller and more athletic than New England typically likes its 'backers. The same is true of McGrone; the 2021 fifth-round pick will be a player to watch after sitting out his rookie year with a torn ACL. McMillan was off to a strong start in training camp last summer before his own ACL tear. Still no word on whether Dont'a Hightower or Jamie Collins will be back. Both still are free agents.

      CORNERBACK
      Jalen Mills
      Terrance Mitchell
      Jonathan Jones (slot)
      Myles Bryant
      Joejuan Williams
      Shaun Wade
      Justin Bethel

      Mitchell has started 29 games over the past two seasons, but he's a massive downgrade from Pro Bowler J.C. Jackson, and signing one corner while letting Jackson walk doesn't solve the depth problems that eventually burned the Patriots this past season. The terms of Mitchell's contract also indicate he's not a lock to make the roster. Outside of the O-line, this is their most glaring need through one week of free agency.

      SAFETY
      Devin McCourty
      Kyle Dugger
      Adrian Phillips
      Joshuah Bledsoe
      Cody Davis

      Re-signing McCourty allowed the Patriots to keep their talented safety trio intact. Dugger and Phillips both are coming off strong seasons, and Bledsoe impressed behind the scenes as he worked his way back from a broken wrist, though he didn't see game action as a rookie. Bryant and Jonathan Jones can play safety, too. Unlike corner, there is plenty of stability and continuity here.

      Thumbnail photo via Vincent Carchietta/USA TODAY Sports Images
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