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What to make of Patriots insider’s 53-man roster projection

By Mike Luciano

MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA - JANUARY 09: Head coach Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots and inside linebackers coach Jerod Mayo talk on the sidelines in the fourth quarter of the game against the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium on January 09, 2022 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images)
MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA - JANUARY 09: Head coach Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots and inside linebackers coach Jerod Mayo talk on the sidelines in the fourth quarter of the game against the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium on January 09, 2022 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images) /
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After an offseason that saw some longtime faces leave town and some big-name additions like DeVante Parker make the journey up north, the New England Patriots are ready to go on the attack and get back to the postseason in 2022. A robust depth chart with quality reserves galore is paramount in accomplishing that goal.

The Patriots managed to make enough moves so they don’t have many festering open wounds on the chart despite a draft class that was met with bewilderment as well as a lack of aggression in free agency. In a division that’s still short of elite, the Pats can make some noise.

New England is still in the process of figuring out which players will win some of the more tightly-contested position battles on the roster. Few teams get more use out of the collective 53 players on a given roster than Belichick’s Patriots, making it more important than ever to figure out who’s occupying the end of the bench.

ESPN’s Mike Reiss projected which players will stick around on New England’s initial depth chart to begin the season. While most of the names you would expect to see at the top are there, the back end has some glaring omissions that could surprise fans.

Biggest surprises from Patriots 53-man roster projection

On offense, no fullbacks are projected to make the final roster. Jakob Johnson, now with Josh McDaniels’ Raiders, allegedly told reporters that the club informed him that they were moving forward without a fullback. N’Keal Harry’s time appears to have come after getting the ax.

James White appears likely to start the season on the physically unable to perform list, clearing the way for both Pierre Strong Jr. and Kevin Harris. Late-round draft picks Chasen Hines and Andrew Steuber did not make the cut on the offensive line and will head to the practice squad.

On defense, Terrance Mitchell did not make the cut. While he isn’t the second coming of Ty Law, the fact that a solid veteran was not in the plans comes across as a bit shocking. 2020 draftee Anfernee Jennings only made it because of special teams, and 2021 pick Ronnie Perkins is only on the 53-man roster by the skin of his teeth.

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The Patriots are by no means a perfect roster. In fact, there are areas where they could add one or two difference-makers.

However, the 53-man roster is looking more robust than that of some of their competitors in the AFC, and Reiss gave fans a clearer picture as we approach training camp.

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