New England Patriots final depth chart prediction, pre-training camp

Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports

1. LeGarrette Blount

2. Jonas Gray

3. Brandon Bolden

4. James White

5. Travaris Cadet

FB: James Develin

Cut: Tyler Gaffney, Dion Lewis

Unlike the situation with Brady, there are no if’s regarding Blount’s suspension; he will miss the opener against his former team, the Pittsburgh Steelers.

As a result, it’s very likely that Gray will be the top back for the Patriots entering the regular season. Like Blount, he’s a bruising workhorse who usually falls forward for an extra yard while being tackled.

Bolden is a solid ball carrier, but the Patriots like him better as a special teams player. His spot on the team is pretty secure because of his skill set in that arena.

After those guys, it gets a bit more interesting. White essentially red-shirted as a rookie last year, rushing only nine times for 38 yards and catching five passes for 23 yards. He impressed at training camp, but was on the active roster for only three games. Expect his role to broaden this season as he becomes more comfortable in the offense, especially as a receiver out of the backfield.

White’s competition as the Shane Vereen replacement is former New Orleans Saints running back Cadet, who at 6-foot-1 has intriguing height for the role. When he was a rookie with the Saints in 2012, he impressed coaches so much with his receiving ability that he spent time in wide receiver meetings.

Gaffney barely misses making the team, but he’ll have more chances to prove himself as a member of the practice squad going forward. For the veteran Lewis, however, the future looks pretty grim in New England.

Next: Wide receivers