One Thought For Each Player On Patriots 53-Man Roster
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It’s officially a new era in New England.
The Patriots will kick-start their season at Paycor Stadium on Sunday, as head coach Jerod Mayo, executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf and quarterback Drake Maye all take part in their first game in their new roles against the Cincinnati Bengals.
It’s just about that trio, though.
New England has plenty of other notable names to pay attention to, and on Sunday they will attempt to start building toward a better future. We decided to take a look at everyone on the active roster — plus a few notable names — and rattle off some thoughts before the 2024 season begins:
No. 0 Christian Gonzalez
The Patriots face an early-season gauntlet, especially with wide receivers. Tee Higgins, Ja’Marr Chase, DK Metcalf, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Garrett Wilson, Mike Williams, Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel are on the docket over the first month, with three of New England’s games coming on the road.
Gonzalez won’t be able to hide, so we should find out pretty early if he’s up to the task of being a “premier cornerback” in the NFL.
No. 1 Ja’Lynn Polk
Polk has steadily progressed throughout the summer, and it looks as though it won’t be long before he’s repping ahead of everyone not named DeMario Douglas. The Patriots won’t blow away anyone with their talent, but versatility could be their key to success in the passing game.
Jacoby Brissett and Drake Maye will love throwing the ball in his direction.
No. 2 K.J. Osborn
Osborn has been somewhat quiet throughout the summer, but that should change once the regular season begins. The Patriots are expected to roll with him as the primary “Z” receiver while Polk continues to develop.
No. 3 DeMario Douglas
Douglas didn’t need very long to establish himself as a rookie, and it should take even less time to take another step in his sophomore campaign. New England added multiple capable receivers this offseason, which should allow him to settle in as the primary slot option. It wouldn’t be all that surprising if he leads the team in catches, yards and touchdowns.
No. 4 Antonio Gibson
The Patriots will rely heavily on Rhamondre Stevenson, but the 26-year-old’s injury history tells us to keep an eye on Gibson. New England is thin at running back, so he’ll have opportunities to establish himself in a run-heavy offense.
No.5 Jabrill Peppers
Don’t be surprised if Peppers takes a major leap in 2024.
The Patriots rewarded their stud safety with a three-year extension in July, while his teammates added to his list of offseason accomplishments by voting him as a captain following training camp.
No. 6 Javon Baker
Baker has had an under-the-radar start to his career on the field, having some of his best individual reps show up on special teams. It’s been the opposite off the field, however, whether he’s talking about making people in wheelchairs stand up or using Instagram to discuss his frustrations with Massachusetts State Police.
We all want to complain about traffic tickets, but given his platform, it clearly rubbed people — including his head coach — the wrong way.
No. 7 Jacoby Brissett
Brissett’s a holdover, but he’s also a legitimate starting option who could keep Maye on the sideline well into the season. It’s an impossible situation to be in, but he’s someone that certainly seems to be up for the challenge.
No. 8 Ja’Whaun Bentley
Bentley is the leader of the defense, named captain for the third consecutive season. The Patriots will finally add “C” patches to the jerseys of their captains, which should be odd for the first few weeks of the season.
No. 9 Kayshon Boutte
Boutte earned his way onto the roster with some splendid moments during the preseason, but it’s more probable than not he’ll follow a similar path to last season — where he did a lot of sitting on the bench.
No. 10 Drake Maye
The Patriots will insert Maye into the lineup in Week ___ ?
No. 11 Tyquan Thornton
Thornton looks like he’ll be the primary “X” receiver, with his spot all but locked up. Baker and Boutte will be breathing down his neck throughout the season, which should help push him to stay consistent.
Is he up for the task?
No. 13 Joey Slye
Slye won the kicking competition on a technicality being that Chad Ryland was awful. The Patriots would be smart to keep their list of potential upgrades strong.
No. 15 Marte Mapu
Mapu is a player who flashed during his rookie season but hasn’t been able to stay healthy in his sophomore campaign. New England placed him on injured reserve, meaning he’ll miss the first month of the season.
No. 16 Sione Takitaki
Takitaki has done a whole lot of nothing and will continue to do nothing until he comes off the PUP list. It’s hard to have thoughts on a guy who hasn’t played.
No. 17 Bryce Baringer
All-Pro season incoming?
No. 19 Joe Milton III
Milton beat out Bailey Zappe for the third-strong job, and his reward will be a lot of emergency quarterback designations.
No. 21 Jaylinn Hawkins
Hawkins might be the only deep-third option in a suddenly crowded safety room, so don’t be surprised if he plays.
No. 22 Marco Wilson
Wilson was once viewed as a starter in Arizona, but he shouldn’t be anything more than a rotational option in New England. The Patriots have depth in the secondary, and as we saw last season, that depth could be tested at the drop of a hat.
No. 23 Kyle Dugger
The Patriots intend on playing “aggressive” defense under new coordinator DeMarcus Covington, who said following his promotion he wanted his unit to “take the ball away from the offense.” Dugger will shine with that philosophy. New England gave him long-term security, and in return should get the 28-year-old’s best season to date.
No. 24 Dell Pettus
Pettus was the surprise of the summer, coming in and earning a roster spot despite working behind Dugger and Peppers. It’s unlikely he has an early role, but his physicality could be an asset on special teams.
No. 25 Marcus Jones
Jones missed considerable time during training camp, but that doesn’t seem like it will hurt him entering the season. The Patriots are still at their best with Gonzalez, Jonathan Jones and Marcus Jones serving as the top trio at corner.
New England could look to the 25-year-old to return to his role as punt returner, as well, though the kick return job likely will stay with Jalen Reagor so long as he has practice squad elevations.
No. 27 Marcellas Dial Jr.
Dial found a way to make the team, but he’s probably the last option in the cornerback room. We wouldn’t be surprised to see him rack up healthy scratches early in the year.
No. 28 Alex Austin
Austin was the de-facto top corner in the final two games of 2023, and he surprisingly held his own. New England likely views him as a top depth option alongside Wilson.
No. 31 Jonathan Jones
Jones has been one of the Patriots’ most consistent performers for half a decade, despite entering the fray as an undrafted free agent with little shot at making the roster. He’s not going anywhere anytime soon.
No. 33 Anfernee Jennings
Will we ever see Jennings take that leap as a pass-rusher? He’s already their best run defender on the edge, but New England certainly wouldn’t be upset with him expanding his role beyond early downs.
Joshua Uche, Oshane Ximines and even Christian Elliss have shown they can get after the quarterback. Can Jennings?
No. 38 Rhamondre Stevenson
Stevenson is the only viable fantasy football option who plays at Gillette Stadium, if you’re into that sort of thing.
No. 39 JaMycal Hasty
Hasty was really productive as a pass-catcher out of the backfield, and his ability to return kicks seemingly helped him earn a roster spot. It’ll be interesting to see if he actually has a gameday role.
No. 41 Brenden Schooler
Schooler has to take a leadership role among the specialists in 2024, especially if he wants to continue New England’s trend of always keeping one on the roster.
No. 48 Jahlani Tavai
Tavai signed an extension this offseason, so he’s around for the long haul.
No. 49 Joe Cardona
Cardona just reached a decade of service time in New England and was named captain for the first time in his career. It’s a well-deserved honor for one of the most consistent players in Patriots history.
No. 50 Raekwon McMillan
The Patriots have always loved McMillan, and it looks like they’ll finally get to see him contribute on the field in 2024. Bentley and Tavai will have things locked down in the middle, but the veteran will have opportunities to contribute on early downs and special teams.
No. 51 Nick Leverett
Leverett seemingly is the top backup for all three interior spots, which likely will have him starting in more games than not. The Patriots will start him at left guard in the absence of Sidy Sow, but in a perfect world, he should exclusively be serving as David Andrews’ backup.
No. 52 Curtis Jacobs
Patriots defensive line coach Jerry Montgomery said the club was still trying to get Jacobs “up to speed” on Thursday, just one week after claiming him off waivers. It’s unlikely he plays much of a role early in the season.
No. 53 Christian Elliss
Elliss completely stuffed us in a locker during the preseason, as we claimed he’d have to be “the best special teamer in the world” to earn a roster spot. The Patriots still are likely to use him primarily in the third phase, but he looks like a legitimate option to play in obvious passing situations.
No. 55 Joshua Uche
Uche left money on the table this offseason, likely because he believes another double-digit sack season will increase his value on the open market. It will be hard to get there without Matthew Judon on the other side, which he learned last season.
New England likely is just looking for some consistency.
No. 59 Vederian Lowe
Lowe has been limited leading up to the season opener, which might just see him lose his job to Chukwuma Okorafor.
The Patriots are hoping so, anyway.
No. 60 David Andrews
Andrews has admitted that he doesn’t have much time left, so don’t be surprised if this is his last ride.
No. 62 Sidy Sow
Sow has been tremendous when on the field and should have that left guard spot on lock. New England’s interior is much better than you’d think when looking at the line’s totality. ?They just have to get healthy.
No. 64 Layden Robinson
Robinson earned his way into a starting spot, and he’ll have to play out of his mind to keep it. The Patriots have Andrews, Sow and Strange as starting options, so long as they’re healthy.
No. 69 Cole Strange
PUP will be where Strange is stored for the majority of the season. We typed that as a riddle for some reason.
No. 70 Caedan Wallace
The Patriots talked a lot about Wallace making the move to left tackle, but we haven’t seen it to this point. He was playing right tackle for parts of the spring, with Mike Onwenu moving to right guard and Chukwuma Okorafor getting reps at left tackle.
Wallace is the primary swing option, it seems.
No. 71 Mike Onwenu
Onwenu is the best player on the offense, but that probably will force him out of a steady spot on the offensive line. He’ll play tackle and guard. He’ll never get the credit he deserves.
No. 72 Zach Thomas
We haven’t seen much of Thomas since he was claimed. Time will tell.
More Patriots
No. 75 Demontrey Jacobs
Jacobs is in the same boat as Thomas.
No. 77 Chukwuma Okorafor
Okorafor has a starting spot at tackle, but we don’t know if he’ll stay on the left side or move back to the right side. The Patriots won’t be mad to see him play so well in the season opener that he sticks on the left side.
No. 81 Austin Hooper
Hooper won’t light the world on fire, but he’s an upgrade over Mike Gesicki. Who says you can’t enjoy the small wins?
No. 84 Kendrick Bourne
Bourne will remain on PUP for a bit. He hasn’t even practiced yet.
No. 85 Hunter Henry
Henry has been pretty consistent, but not nearly to the level expected when he first signed. Could this be the year he becomes a true go-to target?
No. 88 Jaheim Bell
Bell is the Patriots’ most athletic tight end, and the potential need for a fullback has him looking like he might just play. New England will give him more opportunities the more comfortable he gets.
No. 90 Christian Barmore
Barmore was hospitalized with blood clots in late July and is on the non-football injury list with the expectation that he won’t be coming off any time soon. New England reportedly is “bracing for the possibility” that the 25-year-old won’t play at all this season.
No. 91 Deatrich Wise Jr.
Wise has consistently improved across all seven (!!!) of his seasons in New England, becoming a steady figure on the defensive line. It’s easy to wonder if we’ve seen his best football, but something tells us it has yet to come.
No. 92 Davon Godchaux
Godchaux got his new deal and will be relied upon heavily to fill the gaps left by Barmore.
No. 93 Oshane Ximines
Ximines was one of our roster favorites from the beginning of camp and has done nothing but improve throughout the last six weeks. The Patriots need someone who can rush from the outside, and it just might be Ximines on the other side of Uche.
No. 95 Daniel Ekuale
It’s time to (expletive) or get off the pot for Ekuale, according to his defensive line coach.
No. 96 Eric Johnson II
Johnson was a waiver claim. We haven’t seen him. You know the story.
No. 98 Jeremiah Pharms Jr.
Pharms finally carved out a full-time roster spot and will be put in advantageous positions to find success as a situational pass-rusher. He could pop this season.
No. 99 Keion White
Mayo was pretty much forced to make a choice, but he tabbed White as someone who has taken a step this offseason. The Patriots could really use someone to step up and take on some of the responsibility Judon has had in recent seasons and everything we’ve seen from White suggests he’s capable.
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