A way-too-early Patriots roster projection

Spring practices wrapped up for the New England Patriots this week, after nine OTA practices and 2 mandatory minicamp practices. Now the team heads into the summer break, with the next item on the calendar being the start of training camp in late July.

This natural breaking point offers a good chance to stop and look at what we've learned so far. In particular, how is the roster shaping up for the more competitive summer camp practices?

We'll take a look with an admittedly early 53-man roster projection. There's still a long way to go - the team hasn't even practiced in full pads yet. But as we talked about in our spring practice preview the spring is a good way to see which players are positioned best to make a roster push come August.

For the purposes of this roster projection we'll be going just off of what we've seen so far. Things can and likely will change before the roster cutdown deadline on Aug. 27, but for now here's a look at where things may stand...

Note: Players are listed alphabetically by position, order does not reflect a projected depth chart. Rookies are in italics.

--Josh Dobbs
--Drake Maye

There is certainly incentive to keep three quarterbacks with the Emergency QB rule, but UDFA Ben Wooldridge hasn't shown enough yet to warrant a roster spot. He'd likely remain on the practice squad and could be elevated if needed, but with roster crunches at other positions he's on the outside looking in here.

--Antonio Gibson
--TreVeyon Henderson
--Lan Larison
--Rhamondre Stevenson

This room is built very similarly to many of the running back rooms when Josh McDaniels was previously with the Patriots. Stevenson slots into the early down back role, Henderson as the passing down back, and then Gibson and Larison both have the versatility to back up both roles. Larison is on the bubble, but his skillset should translate to special teams which should help him make a roster push.

--Kendrick Bourne
--Kayshon Boutte
--Efton Chism
--Stefon Diggs
--DeMario Douglas
--Mack Hollins
--Kyle Williams

SEVEN? Yes, seven wide receivers. This group will be sorted out more over the summer but for now there's a case for all seven of these players to make the roster. There's still significant uncertainty with players up and down this depth chart, and this could be a case where the team lets a roster battle continue into the regular season.

At the same time Diggs and Hollins are both working their way back from injuries and could start the season on an inactive list. The same could go for Ja'Lynn Polk, who has been rehabbing a shoulder injury all spring. Kayshon Boutte could also end up as a trade option, after rumblings the Patriots were considering moving him leading up to the draft.

--Hunter Henry
--Austin Hooper
--Brock Lampe (FB)

Given how much McDaniels uses his tight ends, in theory keeping three makes sense. However, nobody emerged to make a run at that job this spring. Jaheim Bell, Jack Westover, and UDFAs CJ Dippre and Gee Scott are all in the running, but right now it looks like the team could get any of them to the practice squad and elevate that third tight end as needed during the season. This could change this summer, especially when the pads come on and they can show more what they can do as blockers - particularly Dippre, who was the team's highest-paid UDFA.

--C Garrett Bradbury
--T Will Campbell
--G/T Jack Conley
--T Morgan Moses
--G Mike Onwenu
--G Sidy Sow
--G/C Cole Strange
--T/G Caedan Wallace
--C/G Jared Wilson

Another UDFA makes his way on the roster here with Conley's ability to play both tackle and guard providing key value. He just beats out seventh-round pick Marcus Bryant, who was the 54th player in this 53-man roster projection and a likely practice squad candidate. Yasir Durant should factor into the battle at backup tackle as well.

Last year's starting tackles Vederian Lowe and Demontrey Jacobs come up just short as they don't offer the same versatility. Last year's starting center Ben Brown is also just on the outside looking in. All three could land on the practice squad as well.

--Christian Barmore
--Joshua Farmer
--Jeremiah Pharms
--Khyiris Tonga
--Milton Williams

This group is revamped from last year. Barmore is back and paired with free agent signing Milton Williams to form a strong interior duo. Among the depth group is Farmer, who had a strong spring (as much as a lineman can in non-padded practices). Tonga will likely be a run-specific player.

Last month the Patriots were awarded a roster exemption for UDFA Wilfried Pene (who is from Tours, France) as part of the International Pathway Program. That means the team can keep him on the practice squad without him taking up a spot.

--K'Lavon Chaisson
--Anfernee Jennings
--Harold Landry
--Bradyn Swinson
--Keion White

Jennings is another player that is squarely on the bubble. He's a talented player but there are questions about how he fits in this new Mike Vrabel defense and his workload seemed lessened this spring. He could be a trade candidate out of camp, but if not it's tough to see the Patriots outright cutting him. White, Landry, and Chaisson seem to have the top spots in the pass rush rotation.

--Christian Elliss
--Jack Gibbens
--Robert Spillane
--Jahlani Tavai

Tavai is another player from last year that is right on the bubble as the defense changes stylistically. He's more of a downhill thumper than a sideline-to-sideline athlete, but there is value is having a guy that can do that to play situationally in clear run situations. If the Patriots decide they want more linebacker depth but want a player more in the mold of their other linebackers, that could open the door for Marte Mapu.

--Alex Austin
--Isaiah Bolden
--Carlton Davis
--Marcellas Dial
--Christian Gonzalez
--Marcus Jones

This might be the most competitive position on the Patriots' roster. There's also a few players here who have struggled with injuries, so it makes sense to stay a little deeper. Austin is in a key spot, projecting as both the third boundary corner and backup slot corner. Bolden and Dial showed up in coverage at times this spring and offer good depth, but their special teams abilities (Bolden got some kickoff return work this spring) put them over the top here.

--Kyle Dugger
--Jaylinn Hawkins
--Jabrill Peppers
--Brenden Schooler
--Craig Woodson

Hawkins saw a ton of time on the field this spring, which isn't typical of a player a team plans on cutting. Once Dugger returns to action (he was limited all spring) he likely won't be quite as involved, but a backup/rotational role seems likely, especially given he's the team's top true free safety option. We'll see if Marcus Epps, who is coming back off a torn ACL, can make a push for that role this summer.

--K Andres Borregales
--P Bryce Baringer
--LS Julian Ashby

Borregales already had an edge for a roster spot given the team drafted him in the sixth round back in April, has looked like the better kicker throughout the spring. It's his job to lose heading into the summer, while his two fellow specialists currently don't have any competition on the roster.

Last 3 on:

--EDGE Anfernee Jennings
--OL Jack Conley
--LB Jahlani Tavai

Last 3 off:

--OT Marcus Bryant
--S Dell Pettus
--C Ben Brown