One down, two to go.
Friday’s preseason opener offered a solid snapshot of where the Patriots’ depth chart stands through two-plus weeks of training camp. Several positions have already already established.
Drake Maye will, of course, start at quarterback. DeMario Douglas should start in the slot, and Milton Williams and Christian Gonzalez are entrenched as defensive cornerstones. Naturally, other positions need more time to sort themselves out.
For now, here is the Herald’s latest 53-man roster projection through Week 1 of the NFL preseason:
Quarterbacks
Drake Maye, Joshua Dobbs
Notes: The easiest position to project on the Patriots’ roster. Maye is not being challenged as the team’s starting quarterback, and Dobbs has done nothing to lose the backup job. Undrafted rookie Ben Wooldridge is the only other player throwing passes at training camp, and should be able to return on the practice squad, if the Patriots want to sign him back.
Running backs
Rhamondre Stevenson, TreVeyon Henderson, Antonio Gibson
Notes: Henderson has arguably been the Patriots’ best offensive player in practice, even though he’s been taking reps behind Rhamondre Stevenson. Gibson is enjoying a solid summer, and the three of them should split touches this year, with Stevenson starting on early downs and Henderson featured as a pass-catcher.
The only question here is undrafted rookie Lan Larison, who was spotted wearing a walking boot in the locker room after Friday’s 48-18 win over the Commanders.
Wide receivers
New England Patriots wide receivers Stefon Diggs (8) and Kayshon Boutte (9) warm up before a team practice, Thursday, at Gillette Stadium. (Mark Stockwell/Boston Herald)
New England Patriots wide receivers Stefon Diggs (8) and Kayshon Boutte (9) warm up before a team practice, Thursday, at Gillette Stadium. (Mark Stockwell/Boston Herald)
Stefon Diggs, DeMario Douglas, Kayshon Boutte, Kyle Williams, Mack Hollins, Kendrick Bourne, Efton Chism III
Notes: Seven wide receivers? Yes. For now.
In the end, the Patriots keep Bourne — presently injured and squarely on the roster bubble — because he is one of their best 53 players regardless of position. The Pats need talent. Bourne has system experience and is a positive influence on the locker room.
Bourne can also buy time until Chism III is ready to take the field. The undrafted slot was lauded by coach Mike Vrabel for his play strength after Friday’s preseason opener, when he had a game-high six catches for 50 yards and a touchdown. Chism was the last player included in this projection.
Tight ends
Hunter Henry, Austin Hooper, Jack Westover
Notes: It’s been a slow, ugly slugfest among the backup tight ends to see who can win the No. 3 job. In this scenario, Westover wins out because he can play fullback, as he did in Friday’s preseason game. The Patriots could also opt to stash one or two of Westover, Gee Scott, Jaheim Bell and CJ Dippre on their practice squad. Henry and Hooper are roster locks and proven vets.
Offensive line
Will Campbell, Jared Wilson, Garrett Bradbury, Mike Onwenu, Morgan Moses, Demontrey Jacobs, Sidy Sow, Marcus Bryant, Ben Brown
Notes: Another overloaded position, the Patriots stock plenty of depth here for a few reasons. The staff is already load-managing Moses, 34, who missed a few games last year due to injury and has been nicked up this summer. Instead of asking Bryant or Jacobs to become the full-time swing tackle, they continue battling into the season and provide extra depth if Moses gets hurt.
He is the Patriots’ best kept secret, the man behind Mike Vrabel’s rebuild
Inside, Cole Strange misses the cut as someone who can only play left guard and has not panned out as a backup center. That allows Brown, last year's starter, to stay on the roster and makes Sow the top backup at both guard spots. Sow's chief competition is 2024 third-round pick Caedan Wallace, a more talented player currently dealing with injury who doesn't have the same positional versatility.
Defensive line
Milton Williams, Christian Barmore, Keion White, Khyris Tonga, Jeremiah Pharms Jr., Joshua Farmer, Isaiah Iton
Notes: Williams, Barmore, White and Tonga are stone-cold clocks. Pharms Jr. and Farmer are close, particularly Farmer as a fourth-round rookie. Iton is the surprise here, a second-year player who has flashed in camp and lets the Patriots keep their defensive line fresh in a new scheme that will rely on its front four rotating to generate consistent pressure.
Linebackers
Robert Spillane, Christian Elliss, Jahlani Tavai, Jack Gibbens, Harold Landry, K'Lavon Chaisson, Bradyn Swinson, Truman Jones
Notes: The only question at linebacker is who sticks outside. Landry will start opposite White, leaving Chaisson as their No. 3 edge defender and a rotational pass rusher. Ditto for Swinson as the No. 4 option, and Jones makes the cut after receiving some starting reps in practice. He must also make an impact on special teams to make the final 53.
Cornerbacks
New England Patriots cornerback Alex Austin salutes as he arrives for training camp at Gillette Stadium
New England Patriots cornerback Alex Austin salutes as he arrives for training camp outside Gillette Stadium. (Nancy Lane/Boston Herald)
Christian Gonzalez, Carlton Davis, Marcus Jones, Alex Austin, DJ James
Notes: The injury absences of Gonzalez and Davis for most of training camp have allowed the young backups to flourish, particularly James, a smaller corner with a feisty playing style and some decent ball skills. The battles for the No. 4, No. 5 and perhaps No. 6 corner jobs is far from over, but for now Austin is safe behind the top three and James joins him to round out this group after nabbing an interception Friday night.
Safeties
Kyle Dugger, Jabrill Peppers, Jaylinn Hawkins, Craig Woodson, Marcus Epps, Brenden Schooler
Notes: Once a longtime roster strength, safety is now a position with a fair amount of questions. Dugger has outright struggled in the new scheme, admitting he must learn and adapt to different techniques and teaching points. He and Hawkins have allowed several catches, particularly in 1-on-1 coverage. Peppers has been the best of the bunch, while Woodson is making a push to start.
As for the backups, Epps is likely battling Dell Pettus for the same roster spot. Pettus is a second-year player and hard-hitter, but hasn't flashed enough to edge out a veteran free-agent addition like Epps who started games for the Eagles and Raiders.
Specialists
K Andy Borregales, P Bryce Baringer, LS Julian Ashby
Notes: Kicker has been the tightest position battle of training camp, with Borregales and Parker Romo missing a single field goal combined the past two weeks. Here, the sixth-round rookie gets the edge because of his draft status and improvement over the summer. Baringer and Ashby don't presently have competition for their jobs, ensuring they will make the 53-man roster.
Peyton high on Pats
FILE - Former Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning carries the Vince Lombardi Trophy from Super Bowl 50 onto the field prior to an NFL football game against the Carolina Panthers in Denver, in this Thursday, Sept. 8, 2016, file photo. Manning was selected Saturday, Feb. 6, 2021, for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2021. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey, File)
FILE – Former Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning carries the Vince Lombardi Trophy from Super Bowl 50 onto the field prior to an NFL football game against the Carolina Panthers in Denver, in this Thursday, Sept. 8, 2016, file photo. Manning was selected Saturday, Feb. 6, 2021, for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2021. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey, File)
Peyton Manning knows a thing or two about a Mike Vrabel defense.
Before they battled in the now dormant Patriots-Colts rivalry, they played against one another in college. And then again when Vrabel started his NFL career in Pittsburgh And finally when Vrabel ended his playing days with the Chiefs in 2010.
Since then, Vrabel-coached teams have foiled other elite quarterbacks, from Tom Brady in the playoffs to Patrick Mahomes twice in the regular season. The Titans, whom Vrabel coached from 2018-23, are one of only three franchises Mahomes has a career losing record against in the regular season.
Despite Vrabel's lackluster finish in Tennessee, where he went 54-45 overall as head coach, Manning sees success on the horizon for the Patriots.
"I went to Nashville when he was coaching the Titans, and I’ve stayed in touch with Mike and I have great respect for him. I’m glad to see he’s back (with the Patriots)," Manning said. "I know he cares about the history there in that organization. I thought he did a heck of a job with the Titans, and I think he’ll do a great job with the Patriots.
"I’m glad to see he’s back as the head coach.”
Manning expects similar success from Bill Belichick, whom he worked with on two shows for ESPN last season. Together, they hosted "The Breakdown," a film study-based show on Fridays that preceded their weekly appearances on "The Manningcast," an alternate, talk show-style broadcast of Monday Night Football games.
Belichick will kick off his first season as North Carolina's head coach on Sept. 1 with a home game against TCU.
"I think he’ll do well. Last year was his season off, and we were glad he decided to become a part of our show. ... And he came down to our football camp last summer. We have a high school football camp called the Manning Passing Academy, where college players serve as counselors. He came down to that and he did a clinic with our high school coaches, he coached up some of the high school kids, and you knew he wanted to coach again."
"Obviously it could have been in the NFL, but it’s in college, and I have no doubt he’ll do well.”
Manning recently worked as an executive producer for "The Mega-Brands That Built America," a series on the History Channel produced by his productions company, Omaha Productions. He spoke with Boston Herald correspondent Justin Barrasso, who contributed to this report.
Quote of the Week
"I said, 'Coach, what's wrong with you?' And he said, 'You should have seen the other guy.'" — Patriots wide receiver DeMario Douglas on Mike Vrabel jumping in to break up a fight at Wednesday's joint practice