Patriots: Veteran additions display new jersey numbers at OTAs

A number of veteran additions to the New England Patriots roster were spotted wearing new jersey number designations at Thursday’s OTAs.

The media got its first look at some of the newest additions to this year’s Patriots roster on Thursday. The team held OTAs that were closed to the public, but open for the first time to reporters and credentialed members of the press.

While there’s still an ocean of time between where we’re at now in the offseason and the start of the regular season in September, it’s still intriguing to see what jersey numbers players are wearing in these practices.

For most players who were here in 2018, their numbers stayed the same. Similarly, all of New England’s rookies are donning temporary numbers until Week 1 of the preseason (Thursday August 8 against the Detroit Lions).

But for many of the team’s veteran additions that came over from other squads, today represented the first official look at what numbers these players might choose for the upcoming season. As such, it was a great opportunity to start getting familiar with those names and numbers, even though some of them might still change before September.

One of those numbers will definitely have to change.

That’s the No. 8 that’s currently being sported by linebacker Jamie Collins Sr. Under the NFL’s uniform number policy, linebackers aren’t allowed to wear single-digit numbers, so Collins’ choice is clearly just a temporary one for spring/summer OTAs.

He wore No. 91 during his first stint in New England, but that number now belongs to defensive end Deatrich Wise Jr. Collins wore No. 51 with the Cleveland Browns, but that number is currently occupied by fellow linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley.

Collins said the main reason he chose No. 8 was because it’s the same number he had in college, but if he ends up making the Patriots’ preseason roster, he’ll have to change it to something else at that point.

Elsewhere on the defense, Michael Bennett will wear No. 77 – the same number he wore the last two seasons with the Eagles. Fellow defensive end Shilique Calhoun sported No. 74, and defensive tackle Mike Pennel wore the No. 98 he had with the Jets last season.

On offense, running back Brandon Bolden is once again wearing No. 38, the same number he had the last time he was with New England. Tight end Benjamin Watson is also wearing the number he originally wore as a Patriot: No. 84.

Wide receiver Demaryius Thomas was assigned his familiar No. 88, which meant that tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins needed a new number. For the time being at least, ASJ will wear No. 81. Tight end Matt LaCosse is wearing the No. 83 previously issued to Dwayne Allen, who now plays for the Miami Dolphins.

After wearing No. 13 with the Washington Redskins, wide receiver Maurice Harris will wear No. 82 with the Patriots. Finally, wide receiver Dontrelle Inman will wear the No. 15 jersey that Chris Hogan previously wore, as Hogan now plays for the Carolina Panthers.