Patriots pre-training camp 53-man roster projection | Karen Guregian

Mike Vrabel is about to embark on his first training camp as Patriots head coach.

Along the ride, Vrabel will have to make some important roster decisions – who stays, who goes.

He’ll need to trim the roster from 90 to the necessary 53 by August 26.

If the cutdown was tomorrow, how might it look?

Here’s my pre-camp roster projection.

Quarterback (2)

IN: Joshua Dobbs, Drake Maye

OUT: Ben Wooldridge

The most likely scenario has Vrabel going with Maye and backup Dobbs on the 53-man roster.

The third quarterback – at this point Ben Wooldridge – looks like a practice squad candidate.

Basically, barring injury, this is Maye’s team. He’s the man. The 2024 first-round pick will run Josh McDaniels offense for the foreseeable future.

Running back (4)

IN: Antonio Gibson, TreVeyon Henderson, Lan Larison, Rhamondre Stevenson

OUT: Terrell Jennings, Trayveon Williams

The Patriots will have the same one-two punch as last season with Stevenson and Gibson.

Henderson, the rookie, will push for playing time, and based on how well he looked in the early camps catching the football and eluding would-be tacklers, will get it.

As for Larison, he wasn’t hugely noticeable in the spring. But the Patriots signed him as an undrafted free agent for a reason. He can be used as a receiver out of the backfield, and also has special teams value.

Wide receiver (7)

IN: Kendrick Bourne, Efton Chism III, Stefon Diggs, DeMario Douglas, Kayshon Boutte, Mack Hollins, Kyle Williams

OUT: Javon Baker, Demeer Blankumsee, John Jiles, Ja’Lynn Polk, Jeremiah Webb

Seven is a lot, and that number excludes both Polk and Baker, who were high draft picks last year.

Perhaps there will be a surprise cut – Bourne? – but given how well he did in McDaniels system a few years back, it’s hard to see that happening.

Diggs, Douglas, Hollins and Williams are the locks. Hollins has yet to see the field due to a presumed injury, but he’ll be in the mix.

Chism has a spot for now based on the early camps. We’ll see how he does in training camp.

As for Boutte, he sticks by virtue of being their best X receiver. It’s possible Polk, who has been limited due to offseason shoulder surgery, might start the year on IR. As for Baker, he’s the odd man out.

Tight End (3)

IN: Hunter Henry, Austin Hooper, Brock Lampe (FB)

OUT: Jaheim Bell, C.J. Dippre, Gus Scott Jr, Jack Westover

Basically, this comes down to Henry, Hooper and fill in the blank.

Bell, a 2024 7th-round pick, might seem like a logical choice, but he didn’t show much during the OTA and minicamp practices the media got to view. Either Dippre or Westover might earn a spot, but this time out, we’re going with Lampe.

He can play fullback, a position McDaniels likes to have in his offense.

OFFENSIVE LINE (9)

IN: Garrett Bradbury (C), Marcus Bryant (OT), Will Campbell (OT), Morgan Moses (OT), Mike Onwenu (G), Sidy Sow (G), Cole Strange (G), Caedan Wallace (OT), Jared Wilson (C))

OUT: Ben Brown (C), Jack Conley (G), Yasir Durant (T) Demontrey Jacobs (T), Vederian Lowe (OT), Layden Robinson (G), Tyrese Robinson (T)

Based on the early camps, Campbell, Strange, Bradbury, Onwenu and Moses would be the starters, so it’s a matter of filling in around them.

Wallace and Bryant would provide tackle depth, with Sow and Wilson the backups at guard, and Wilson at center.

That might seem thin, but the practice squad should find a number of players who could be used in a pinch, with Brown and Conley, who has guard/tackle versatility, at the head of the list.

It also wouldn’t be a shock if Conley, the UDFA out of BC, makes the team outright.

Defensive Tackles (5)

IN: Christian Barmore, Joshua Farmer, Jeremiah Pharms Jr., Khyiris Tonga, Milton Williams

OUT: Isaiah Iton, Jahvaree Ritzie, Jaquelin Roy

This group, on paper at least, is one of the greatest strengths on the team. Assuming Barmore stays healthy, he and $104 million dollar man Williams will be a frightening force up front.

Jaquelin Roy was a tough cut here. He might still get on the roster, but for this projection, he’s on the outside looking in.

Edge Defenders (5)

IN: K’Lavon Chaisson, Anfernee Jennings, Harold Landry, Bradyn Swinson, Keion White.

OUT: Truman Jones, Elijah Ponder.

Based on his utilization at minicamp, running with the second and third teamers, Jennings would seem to be on his way out.

Given the lack of depth, however, he sticks for now.

Beyond Landry and White, who seems poised to make a splash this season, it’ll be interesting to see Chaisson and rookie Swinson, and how much they’re able to push for playing time.

Linebackers (4)

IN: Christian Elliss, Jack Gibbens, Robert Spillane, Jahlani Tavai

OUT: Monty Rice, Cam Riley

Spillane, Gibbens and Elliss are the top guns here. Tavai, who suffered a calf injury during the spring, could begin on the PUP list.

If that happens, LB/S Marte Mapu, who’s in his third season, could be the beneficiary.

Tavai doesn’t seem like a fit in Vrabel’s system, but he sticks this time out.

Cornerbacks (5)

IN: Alex Austin, Carlton Davis, Marcellas Dial, Christian Gonzalez, Marcus Jones

OUT: Miles Battle, Isaiah Bolden, Brandon Crossley, D.J. James, Kobee Minor, Jordan Polk

Having the Gonzalez-Davis duo on the outside should prove a huge difference-maker for the defense.

A couple of tough cuts with Bolden, who looked good in the spring, and Minor, a seventh-round pick out of Memphis on the outside looking in. Minor could find himself on the practice squad.

Dial, a seventh-round pick last year, adds special teams value. He also made plays during the spring.

Safeties (6)

IN: Kyle Dugger, Jaylinn Hawkins, Jabrill Peppers, Dell Pettus, Brenden Schooler, Craig Woodson

OUT: Marcus Epps, Marte Mapu, Josh Minkins

Another strong unit for the defense. Rookie Craig Woodson fit right in and should be a part of the rotation.

The surprise here is Epps, who was signed during the offseason. He’s coming back from injury, and wasn’t quite up to speed in the early camps.

Hawkins, who was with the Patriots last season, looked good and played aggressively during the spring.

Pettus, meanwhile, was actually one of the better rookie performers last season, and has picked up where he left off.

Special Teams (3)

IN: Julian Ashby (LS), Bryce Baringer (P), Andres Borregales (K)

OUT: Parker Romo

To this point, rookie Borregales has beaten out the veteran Romo.

The sixth-round pick is on course to assume the kicking duties unless he endures a few hiccups during training camp.

With no competition, Ashby and Baringer are locks.

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