Which Patriots players helped their roster chances the most this spring?

For players on the bubble, a roster spot can't really be won or lost during spring practices. It's such a limited setting (non-padded practices, generally focus on lower-tempo, install sessions) that players don't get a full chance to show what they can or can't do.

That being said, what bubble players can do in the spring is lay a strong foundation to make a push for a roster spot once the pads come on in August. By showing coaches now they deserve more opportunities, they should get more of those chances in the summer to prove themselves.

Which players on the roster bubble did the most to show out this spring? Let's take a look at some standouts, keeping in mind we're just focused on bubble players. This doesn't includes players who had a good spring, but already project as more roster locks.

Chism far and away sits at the top of this list. The UDFA from Eastern Washington saw maybe the biggest jump in usage of any player over the course of the spring, mixing in with Drake Maye by the time minicamp rolled around. While players can't outright win a roster spot in June - the pads haven't even come on yet - it felt like Chism did as much as possible to position himself to make a roster push come August when the practices more resemble real football. Earning reps with the top offense now should help with that.

It also helps that Chism feels like a natural fit in Josh McDaniels' offense. His ability to consistently get open through quick separation at the top of the route and ability to read the defense, plus being a strong hands catcher, are important skills in the volume slot role the Patriots use. He may not move into that role right away, but if he makes the team would have a chance to continue to develop to grow into a bigger role in a year or two.

"I think he's a talented player. I think he has a certain skill set. He's dedicated. He's studied extremely hard. He has a good feel for what we're asking him to do," head coach Mike Vrabel said last week when asked about Chism. "I think the biggest thing for receivers is that there's trust from the guy that throws the football. When you earn the quarterback's trust – any one of them that we have, any one of the three – it doesn't take you long to figure out who the quarterback trusts. It's the ones they target. That's a good indicator."

The first thing that stands out about Conley watching him play is his size. Conley, a UDFA out of Boston College, is listed at 6-foot-7, 333 pounds but that looks like a conservative measurement.

In addition to his size, the other thing Conley has going for him is versatility. At BC over the past four years Conley played both tackle spots as well as right guard and eligible sixth offensive lineman/tight end. Throughout the spring Conley got reps at different spots, both tackle and guard, with different offensive groupings.

For a Patriots team that doesn't have much settled depth along the offensive line - especially at tackle - Conley's ability to play multiple positions could give him an inside edge, especially over one-position backups like Demontrey Jacobs, Vederian Lowe, and Layden Robinson.

Coming away from the spring Jennings sits right on the bubble of the Patriots' roster. He's clearly an NFL talent, but there's questions about how he fits in the Patriots' new defensive scheme.

Those questions weren't exactly answered this spring as Jennings didn't see as much workload as a player of his level typically would, which could be a sign he's falling on the depth chart. That being said, when he was on the field he regularly made plays and was a disruptive presence. The scheme fit will be a factor no matter what, but if Jennings can be as consistent as he was this spring when the pads come on the 2020 third-round pick is going to create a tough choice for the Patriots come roster cutdown day.

Of all of the players on this list Austin was probably the most likely for a roster spot heading into the spring. Still, what was encouraging was seeing him see time both on the boundary and in the slot. At 6-foot-1, 191 pounds Austin has the prototypical build to play on the outside but also fits the mold of the 'big slot' corner that's played in Vrabel's defense in the past.

Without a clear backup for Marcus Jones in the slot, Austin could potential fill both the third boundary cornerback and backup slot cornerback roles. That versatility could help him lock up a roster spot, as it might allow the Patriots to keep an extra player at another position.

Hawkins saw a lot of time with the top defense this spring. He mostly played as a deep safety, but did move around the formation a bit.

Granted, that came as Kyle Dugger did not take part in team drills as he works his way back from an injury. So while Hawkins may not have as significant of a role once Dugger is full-go, the fact he got as many reps as he did suggests the Patriots have some sort of plan for him on the roster, even if it looks different than it did in the spring.

There's room for at least one if not two depth safety spots behind Dugger, Jabrill Peppers, and rookie Craig Woodson (who had a good spring). Hawkins is in a competition for that role along side Marcus Epps and Dell Pettus, and got the most reps of that group this spring.