With the 2024 NFL Draft in the rearview, we have our first glimpse at the Patriots’ initial 90-man roster.
The Patriots can still make more veteran additions before practice begins, but as the team continues its offseason workout program, here’s our best guess at the team’s depth chart.
* Denotes rookie
Quarterback
Drake Maye, Jacoby Brissett, Bailey Zappe, Joe Milton*, Nathan Rourke
Post-draft notes: Truly, no one knows who will start the season at quarterback between Maye and Brissett. But the Patriots invested the third overall pick in one guy, and just a one-year, $8 million contract in the other. So, if everything is equal, and if the team feels comfortable with Maye starting as the offense is currently constructed, we’d lean toward the rookie. Expect both quarterbacks to get sizable reps during OTAs, minicamp and training camp. Neither player has earned anything in the competition so far. Zappe will likely take reps ahead of Milton, but his job (as is Rourke’s) is at risk after the Patriots used two draft picks on quarterbacks.
Running back
Rhamondre Stevenson, Antonio Gibson, Kevin Harris, Ja’Mycal Hasty, Ke’Shawn Vaughn, *DeShaun Fenwick
Post-draft notes: The Patriots didn’t use a draft pick on a running back, but they did sign Gibson as a free agent last month. Hasty and Vaughn were both late-season additions with some playing experience. Fenwick was a UDFA signing.
Wide receiver
*Ja’Lynn Polk, Kendrick Bourne, DeMario Douglas, K.J. Osborn, *Javon Baker, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Jalen Reagor, Tyquan Thornton, Kayshon Boutte, T.J. Luther, Kawaan Baker
Post-draft notes: This was the trickiest group to put together. Polk has every opportunity to earn the Patriots’ “X” receiver role. Bourne, if healthy, is the favorite to start at “Z.” Douglas is best utilized in the slot. Osborn can play all three positions and could end up supplanting Polk, Bourne or Douglas as a starter. Javon Baker has a ton of upside as a fourth-round pick and will likely battle it out with Polk at the “X.” If the Patriots keep six wide receivers, Smith-Schuster, Reagor, Thornton, Boutte, Luther and Baker could be battling it out for just one spot.
Tight end
Hunter Henry, Austin Hooper, Mitchell Wilcox, *Jaheim Bell, La’Michael Pettway, *Jacob Warren
Post-draft notes: Wilcox was just signed as a veteran free agent last week. Expect him and Bell to compete for one roster spot behind Henry and Hooper. As a seventh-round pick, Bell will likely take reps behind the three vets.
Offensive line
LT Chukwuma Okorafor, LG Cole Strange, C David Andrews, RG Sidy Sow, RT Mike Onwenu, *OT Caedan Wallace, *G Layden Robinson, G Atonio Mafi, C Jake Andrews, G Nick Leverett, OT Conor McDermott, OT Vederian Lowe, OT Calvin Anderson, OT Tyrone Wheatley Jr., G Michael Jordan, OT Andrew Stueber, *C Charles Turner*, *OT Zuri Henry
Post-draft notes: Free agency and the draft have passed, and the Patriots don’t have an obvious fit at left tackle. Okorafor has only played right tackle in the regular season, and Wallace, a third-round pick, started on the right side at Penn State. McDermott, Lowe, Anderson, Wheatley and Stueber were all on the Patriots last season when the tackle spots were a revolving door. Okorafor and Wallace are the two players most likely to compete for snaps to protect Maye or Brissett’s blind side.
Defensive line
DT Christian Barmore, DT Davon Godchaux, DT Daniel Ekuale, DT Armon Watts, DT Jeremiah Pharms Jr., DT Sam Roberts, DT Trysten Hill
Post-draft notes: Barmore, Godchaux, Ekuale and Watts will likely form the team’s defensive tackle rotation in 2024.
Edge defender
Matthew Judon, Deatrich Wise Jr., Anfernee Jennings, Josh Uche, Keion White, William Bradley-King, *John Morgan
Post-draft notes: Judon, Wise, Jennings, Uche and White should all see significant snaps this season on the edge. The Patriots do still need to resolve Uche’s contract situation before the season.
Linebacker
Ja’Whaun Bentley, Jahlani Tavai, Sione Takitaki, Raekwon McMillan, Christian Elliss, Joe Giles-Harris, *Jontrey Hunter, *Jett Bush
Post-draft notes: It was slightly surprising that the Patriots waited until after the draft to add rookies in Hunter and Bush. Bentley, Tavai and Takitaki are a solid group of starters, but an injection of youth would have helped.
Cornerback
Christian Gonzalez, Jonathan Jones, Marcus Jones, Alex Austin, Marco Wilson, Shaun Wade, *Marcellas Dial, Isaiah Bolden, Azizi Hearn, *Mikey Victor, *Kaleb Ford Dement
Post-draft notes: It also came as a bit of a surprise that the Patriots didn’t invest resources in upgrading this unit this offseason. But Gonzalez, Jonathan Jones and Marcus Jones are the most likely trio to start. It is slightly concerning that Gonzalez and Marcus Jones’ seasons ended before last season’s quarter mark. Austin, Wilson, Wade, Dial and Bolden all have upside as depth players.
Safety
Kyle Dugger, Jabrill Peppers, Marte Mapu, Jaylinn Hawkins, Joshuah Bledsoe, Brenden Schooler, *Dell Pettus
Post-draft notes: The Patriots released Adrian Phillips and didn’t re-sign Jalen Mills this offseason. Expect Mapu to take on a bigger role as a box safety/linebacker.
Special teams
K Chad Ryland, P Bryce Baringer, LS Joe Cardona
Post-draft notes: As of now, the Patriots will go into next season with the same group of specialists as last year. Ryland struggled, so he needs to improve over the spring and summer.