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With rookie minicamp in the books, the New England Patriots are shifting their focus to the start of organized team activities.
This will be the first real opportunity for Patriots coach Mike Vrabel to interact with the team as a whole with both veterans and rookies present. Multiple rookies are not only expected to make the roster, but the Patriots are hoping they can make an impact right out of the gate.
It'll be a fierce competition for one of the final 53-man roster spots. The cuts won't be finalized until after training camp, but the evaluation process starts this week. Every spot on the roster will be earned, and Vrabel will have to make some tough decisions.
Here's our latest 53-man roster projection heading into OTAs:
There will be too many close training camp battles to think the Patriots will have the luxury of carrying three quarterbacks. This is the easiest position to predict with Joe Milton III out of the building. I have Drake Maye and Josh Dobbs as the only two quarterbacks on the roster at the start of the season.
The battle for starter will be an interesting one between Rhamondre Stevenson and rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson. Antonio Gibson still fits as a third-down option and a reliable pass protector. The addition that might turn heads is undrafted rookie Lan Larison, the former UC Davis standout.
He's a solid change-of-pace option who racked up 3,635 rushing yards and 41 touchdowns, while also hauling in 127 catches for 1,626 yards and 10 touchdowns in college.
Josh McDaniels loves his fullbacks, and Brock Lampe fits the bill as a hard-nosed addition to the offensive backfield. He's a solid blocker with the ability to make plays as a receiver as well. There's hope he can play the James Develin role for the Patriots.
Jaheim Bell has some incredible athletic traits, but he might be too much of a late bloomer to stick on the Patriots' 2025 roster. The team already has two capable receiving tight ends in Hunter Henry and Austin Hooper. I have Alabama undrafted rookie CJ Dippre making the roster as more of a traditional tight end with potentially elite-level blocking.
This is one of the toughest positions to make predictions at for the Patriots, even with seven spots allotted to receivers. Stefon Diggs, Kyle Williams, Mack Hollins and Demario Douglas feel like locks. Kendrick Bourne is one of the most reliable receivers on the roster, and the best season of his career came in the lone year he spent under Josh McDaniels as an offensive coordinator.
It's easy to see Ja'Lynn Polk sticking on the roster and getting one more shot as a 2024 second-round draft pick. Meanwhile, undrafted rookie Efton Chism III got a richer than normal undrafted rookie deal after breaking former All-Pro receiver Cooper Kupp's FCS record with 53 straight games with a reception. So he's likely in as well.
The prize ticket for the Patriots is first-round draft pick Will Campbell. They finally have a player with the potential to protect Drake Maye's blindside for the next decade. The team also added a veteran right tackle in Morgan Moses, and they drafted the future at center in Jared Wilson. Things could look significantly different up front for the Patriots in 2025.
Christian Barmore expects to be ready by Week 1 of the regular season, which is big news for the Patriots. That increases the likelihood of the team starting the season with Barmore and Milton Williams playing side by side. It's a dominant pairing that could cause major problems for opposing offenses.
The Patriots should have more juice at pass rush this season with the additions of Harold Landry III and rookie Bradyn Swinson. Sacking the quarterback felt like a lost art in New England last year. This group could rectify those issues in a major way in 2025.
Christian Elliss is back in the mix with Jahlani Tavai and two newcomers in Robert Spillane and Jack Gibbens. Spillane and Gibbens are two high-motor players who have both played under Vrabel in the past. That familiarity should aid them in hitting the ground running and improving the second level of the defense.
Christian Gonzalez is one of the best cornerbacks in the league, and he is being paired with another talented veteran corner in Carlton Davis III. The two could form one of the top one-two punch combinations at cornerback in the NFL. Marcus Jones playing in the slot makes this as scary of a unit as we've seen from the Patriots in years.
Kyle Dugger and Jabrill Peppers remain at the top of the depth chart, but Craig Woodson is an ascending talent who could make an immediate impact on defense. Dell Pettus might be the most interesting player in the mix considering he was a long-shot hopeful who ended up making the roster last season. Can he pull it off again with even more talent ahead of him?
The Patriots opted to get younger at kicker and long-snapper by drafting Andres Borregales and Julian Ashby. Borregales was one of the best kickers in college football last season, and Ashby is a talented specialist who likely would have had other suitors if he weren't drafted.
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This article originally appeared on Patriots Wire: Patriots 53-man roster projection heading into 2025 OTAs
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This will be the first real opportunity for Patriots coach Mike Vrabel to interact with the team as a whole with both veterans and rookies present. Multiple rookies are not only expected to make the roster, but the Patriots are hoping they can make an impact right out of the gate.
It'll be a fierce competition for one of the final 53-man roster spots. The cuts won't be finalized until after training camp, but the evaluation process starts this week. Every spot on the roster will be earned, and Vrabel will have to make some tough decisions.
Here's our latest 53-man roster projection heading into OTAs:
Quarterbacks (2): Drake Maye, Joshua Dobbs
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There will be too many close training camp battles to think the Patriots will have the luxury of carrying three quarterbacks. This is the easiest position to predict with Joe Milton III out of the building. I have Drake Maye and Josh Dobbs as the only two quarterbacks on the roster at the start of the season.
Running Backs (4): Rhamondre Stevenson, TreVeyon Henderson, Antonio Gibson, Lan Larison
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The battle for starter will be an interesting one between Rhamondre Stevenson and rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson. Antonio Gibson still fits as a third-down option and a reliable pass protector. The addition that might turn heads is undrafted rookie Lan Larison, the former UC Davis standout.
He's a solid change-of-pace option who racked up 3,635 rushing yards and 41 touchdowns, while also hauling in 127 catches for 1,626 yards and 10 touchdowns in college.
Fullback (1): Brock Lampe
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Josh McDaniels loves his fullbacks, and Brock Lampe fits the bill as a hard-nosed addition to the offensive backfield. He's a solid blocker with the ability to make plays as a receiver as well. There's hope he can play the James Develin role for the Patriots.
Tight Ends (3): Hunter Henry, Austin Hooper, CJ Dippre
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Jaheim Bell has some incredible athletic traits, but he might be too much of a late bloomer to stick on the Patriots' 2025 roster. The team already has two capable receiving tight ends in Hunter Henry and Austin Hooper. I have Alabama undrafted rookie CJ Dippre making the roster as more of a traditional tight end with potentially elite-level blocking.
Wide Receivers (7): Stefon Diggs, Kyle Williams, Demario Douglas, Kendrick Bourne, Mack Hollins, Efton Chism III, Ja’Lynn Polk
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This is one of the toughest positions to make predictions at for the Patriots, even with seven spots allotted to receivers. Stefon Diggs, Kyle Williams, Mack Hollins and Demario Douglas feel like locks. Kendrick Bourne is one of the most reliable receivers on the roster, and the best season of his career came in the lone year he spent under Josh McDaniels as an offensive coordinator.
It's easy to see Ja'Lynn Polk sticking on the roster and getting one more shot as a 2024 second-round draft pick. Meanwhile, undrafted rookie Efton Chism III got a richer than normal undrafted rookie deal after breaking former All-Pro receiver Cooper Kupp's FCS record with 53 straight games with a reception. So he's likely in as well.
Offensive line (9): Will Campbell, Morgan Moses, Mike Onwenu, Caedan Wallace, Cole Strange, Layden Robinson, Jared Wilson, Garrett Bradbury, Wes Schweitzer
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The prize ticket for the Patriots is first-round draft pick Will Campbell. They finally have a player with the potential to protect Drake Maye's blindside for the next decade. The team also added a veteran right tackle in Morgan Moses, and they drafted the future at center in Jared Wilson. Things could look significantly different up front for the Patriots in 2025.
Defensive Tackles (4): Christian Barmore, Milton Williams, Joshua Farmer, Khyiris Tonga
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Christian Barmore expects to be ready by Week 1 of the regular season, which is big news for the Patriots. That increases the likelihood of the team starting the season with Barmore and Milton Williams playing side by side. It's a dominant pairing that could cause major problems for opposing offenses.
Edge Rushers (5): Harold Landry III, Keion White, Anfernee Jennings, K'Lavon Chaisson, Bradyn Swinson
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The Patriots should have more juice at pass rush this season with the additions of Harold Landry III and rookie Bradyn Swinson. Sacking the quarterback felt like a lost art in New England last year. This group could rectify those issues in a major way in 2025.
Linebackers (4): Robert Spillane, Jahlani Tavai, Jack Gibbens, Christian Elliss
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Christian Elliss is back in the mix with Jahlani Tavai and two newcomers in Robert Spillane and Jack Gibbens. Spillane and Gibbens are two high-motor players who have both played under Vrabel in the past. That familiarity should aid them in hitting the ground running and improving the second level of the defense.
Cornerbacks (5): Christian Gonzalez, Carlton Davis III, Marcus Jones, Alex Austin, Marcellas Dial Jr.
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Christian Gonzalez is one of the best cornerbacks in the league, and he is being paired with another talented veteran corner in Carlton Davis III. The two could form one of the top one-two punch combinations at cornerback in the NFL. Marcus Jones playing in the slot makes this as scary of a unit as we've seen from the Patriots in years.
Safeties (5): Kyle Dugger, Jabrill Peppers, Craig Woodson, Marte Mapu, Dell Pettus
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Kyle Dugger and Jabrill Peppers remain at the top of the depth chart, but Craig Woodson is an ascending talent who could make an immediate impact on defense. Dell Pettus might be the most interesting player in the mix considering he was a long-shot hopeful who ended up making the roster last season. Can he pull it off again with even more talent ahead of him?
Special Teams (4): K Andres Borregales, P Bryce Baringer, LS Julian Ashby, ST Brenden Schooler
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The Patriots opted to get younger at kicker and long-snapper by drafting Andres Borregales and Julian Ashby. Borregales was one of the best kickers in college football last season, and Ashby is a talented specialist who likely would have had other suitors if he weren't drafted.
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This article originally appeared on Patriots Wire: Patriots 53-man roster projection heading into 2025 OTAs
Continue reading...
