FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- The New England Patriots open training camp Wednesday, July 27, at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, before starting the season at the Miami Dolphins on Sept. 11. The Patriots finished the 2021 regular season 10-7 before getting blown out in a wild-card-round loss to the Buffalo Bills in one of their more humbling losses in recent history.
After going on a free-agent spending spree in 2021, the team mostly stayed the course this offseason. Trading for receiver DeVante Parker from the Dolphins was arguably the most notable acquisition. There are significant questions about the offensive coaching staff after coordinator Josh McDaniels departed to become Las Vegas Raiders head coach, including how that might affect the development of promising second-year quarterback Mac Jones.
Owner Robert Kraft has pointed out how the Patriots hadn't drafted well for a stretch prior to 2021, and that he believes better results in that area will be critical. Thus, the team is counting on some young players to emerge. Here is a 53-man roster projection:
QUARTERBACK (3): Mac Jones, Brian Hoyer, Bailey Zappe
Of Jones and the team's offensive system, Bill Belichick said: "We'll do everything we can to make it as good for him as we can. He's our quarterback." Hoyer is the veteran sounding board, while selecting Zappe in the fourth round adds a developmental signal-caller to the pipeline.
RUNNING BACK (4): Damien Harris, Rhamondre Stevenson, Pierre Strong Jr., Kevin Harris
Veteran James White (hip) isn't fully cleared at this point, which makes him a candidate for the physically unable to perform list. When the team drafted Strong (fourth round) and Harris (sixth round), it was a surprising double-dip at the position, but perhaps Belichick was thinking about the importance of depth given how the position can have a high injury rate. One of Stevenson's offseason goals has been to make himself an option on third downs.
FULLBACK (0)
A position that has been a longtime staple of the offense, the Patriots appear to be reimaging their attack without a traditional thumper. Former fullback Jakob Johnson, now with the Raiders, told reporters that the club informed him that his position was no longer part of the plan in New England.
TIGHT END (3): Hunter Henry, Jonnu Smith, Devin Asiasi
Smith was a full participant in the voluntary offseason program after not doing so in 2021 as he awaited the birth of his daughter, and the hope is that becomes a springboard to a more productive second season with the team. It already looked to be paying off in practice.
WIDE RECEIVER (6): DeVante Parker, Nelson Agholor, Jakobi Meyers, Kendrick Bourne, Tyquan Thornton, Tre Nixon
Nixon, the 2021 seventh-round draft pick from Central Florida, made a couple of big plays in spring practices that caught the eye. The question now is if that continues into training camp when the pads come on.
OFFENSIVE LINE (9): Trent Brown, Cole Strange, David Andrews, Mike Onwenu, Isaiah Wynn, Justin Herron, Yodny Cajuste, Yasir Durant, Kody Russey
The top six seem solidified, with Herron creating value as a swing option, and then it becomes a battle for backup spots. Loading up the practice squad with developmental options -- such as 2021 sixth-rounder Will Sherman and 2022 late-round picks Chasen Hines and Andrew Stueber, among others -- would be the plan.
DEFENSIVE LINE (5): Davon Godchaux, Christian Barmore, Lawrence Guy, Sam Roberts, Deatrich Wise Jr.
Byron Cowart would be an added layer if he doesn't begin on the PUP list (with the hope of sliding Roberts to the practice squad). With expanded practice squad rules, perhaps the team could entice players, such as Henry Anderson and Carl Davis, to stick around and be early-season options to elevate to the 46-man game-day roster if needed.
LINEBACKER (8): Matthew Judon, Josh Uche, Ronnie Perkins, Anfernee Jennings, Ja'Whaun Bentley, Raekwon McMillan, Mack Wilson Sr., Cameron McGrone
Jennings (2020 third round) was among those working on the top punt-protection unit in practice, which helped him earn one of the final spots in this projection. Perkins (2021 third round) remains a wild card on the edge, while the quality of the off-the-ball 'backer groups of Bentley/McMillan (base) and Wilson/McGrone (sub package options) is one of the notable question marks heading into camp.
CORNERBACK (5): Jalen Mills, Jack Jones, Jonathan Jones, Marcus Jones, Malcolm Butler
Based on spring practice, fourth-round pick Jack Jones has a chance to make a push for a starting role, and the team has veterans Butler and Terrance Mitchell as fallback options if that doesn't materialize. The practice squad provides an avenue to build more depth there, too, with developmental players like Shaun Wade, whose primary work this spring was in the slot.
SAFETY (5): Devin McCourty, Adrian Phillips, Kyle Dugger, Jabrill Peppers, Joshuah Bledsoe
McCourty said at this point in his career, it's about mentoring the next generation, and his influence on Dugger (2020 second round) and Bledsoe (2021 sixth round) adds promise to the future outlook at the position. McCourty and Peppers have contracts that expire after the 2022 season.
SPECIALISTS (5): Jake Bailey (punter), Nick Folk (kicker), Joe Cardona (snapper), Matthew Slater, Cody Davis
One question the Patriots might be asking is whether they still have space for a veteran like Justin Bethel, who is a top gunner but doesn't contribute as much on defense. They already have two players with a similar profile in Slater and Davis. Undrafted rookie Brenden Schooler (Texas) also moved fluidly in practice and could grow into a core special teams role similar to former Patriot Brandon King.