The New England Patriots have one of the league's best rosters, and given the impact of as many as 14 rookies last season, the team should remain among the best for years to come.
While preseason is a time to welcome new stars and under-the-radar contributors, it is also the end of the line for several players. Most recently, Kayshon Boutte was traded, but most players are likely to be released outright, ending their time with the Patriots.
With the trio of preseason games over, coaches and fans alike have a good gauge of who's in and who's out ahead of August 30 at 4:00 pm, the league's cut-down day.
Final roster prediction sees Patriots part ways with two intruiging young players
Quarterbacks (3): Drake Maye, Tommy DeVito, Behren Morton
Both backup quarterbacks were impressive through the three preseason games, with DeVito finishing 23/41 for 344 yards and 3 touchdowns, while adding 44 yards from 3 carries. Morton's final preseason game was a stain on his stat sheet, but he still finished the preseason 38/58 for 318 yards, a touchdown, and 2 interceptions.
The team could likely sneak Morton onto their practice squad, but seeing they'll keep an emergency third quarterback, Morton has been deserving enough to make the 53.
Running Backs (5): Rhamondre Stevenson, TreVeyon Henderson, Lan Larison, Jam Miller, Reggie Gilliam (FB)
Stevenson and Henderson are the clear leaders of the backfield, while Larison's catching ability and role as a kick returner likely cement him as the RB3. Miller, his primary competition, had 25 carries for 91 yards in the first two games, for just 3.6 YPC.
He was also unable to manage a catch, with one drop to his name. Despite that, the Alabama product makes the roster due to his powerful running style.
Larison hasn't been a factor in the running game: just 36 yards all preseason. His receiving upside, however, has turned heads, with nine catches for 99 yards in his first two preseason games. He's a more natural receiver than Henderson, while also taking out a trio of kicks for 26.0 yards a pop.
Tight Ends (2): Hunter Henry, Eli Raridon
Keeping only two tight ends may seem like they'd be going light at the position, but the Patriots did exactly that last season, rostering only Henry and Austin Hooper.
Hybrid fullback Jack Westover saw some in-line work early on, but Mack Hollins also saw reps as the de facto TE3, something that could certainly continue in 2026 given the lack of production from Westover, C.J. Dippre, and Tanner Arkin in the preseason.
Wide Receivers (6): A.J. Brown, Romeo Doubs, Pop Douglas, Mack Hollins, Kyle Williams, Efton Chism III
The Kayshon Boutte trade made this projection far easier than originally thought. Going into the offseason, the only player that didn't seem a complete lock out of this group was Chism, while Douglas also could've been traded if Boutte wasn't first dealt.
Williams showed strong play in joint practices and preseason games, proving that his burial in the depth chart is due to the position's talent rather than incompetence.
Offensive Tackles (4): Will Campbell, Morgan Moses, Marcus Bryant, Caleb Lomu
The team opted to select Lomu after trading up in the first round to be the long-term replacement for Moses on the right side, but Bryant has instead been the story of the preseason, looking very comfortable to begin his second season.
With Vederian Lowe having left in free agency, the former SMU and Missouri product taking the reins as the team's primary swing tackle seems reasonable.
Dametrious Crownover, despite an up-and-down preseason, has received public praise from Mike Vrabel and, like Bryant, has tremendous size. While he'll need time to develop, he could be a contributor later on, leaving him as one of the practice squad's top players
Interior Offensive Line (5): Alijah Vera-Tucker, Mike Onwenu, Greg Van Roten, Jared Wilson, Ben Brown
The team rebuilt its offensive line this offseason, signing Vera-Tucker and moving Wilson to center after trading Garrett Bradbury. Onwenu took a pay cut to stay in New England, and given the potential resurgence of the offensive line, it's clear to see why.
The Patriots signed Van Roten following injuries to Brown and Andrew Rupcich, meaning he'll slide in to be the top interior backup until Brown returns. Brown has yet to be placed on IR, but doing so before roster cutdowns would see him ineligible to play for the rest of the season.
There's a chance Brown ends up on the short-term IR, in which case James Hudson or Joe Michalski would likely take his spot as a backup option in the interim.
Interior Defensive Line (5): Milton Williams, Christian Barmore, Cory Durden, Leonard Taylor, Joshua Farmer
The Patriots' interior defensive line has six candidates to make the team, with Williams, Barmore, and Durden being locks. There's little doubt Taylor has played his way into a roster spot as well, while the final spot will be reserved for Farmer or Eric Gregory.
There's no doubt a world where both make the team, but Gregory was a victim of other players at different positions in this projection (linebackers and cornerbacks).
Gregory is likely too good a player for the practice squad, meaning cutting him loose could mean he leaves for good. If Gonzalez's contract situation is figured out in the next 24 hours, however, the team may be willing to part with a cornerback, for example, allowing Farmer/Gregory to remain with the team in 2026.
Edge Defenders (4): Dre'Mont Jones, Elijah Ponder, Gabe Jacas, Bradyn Swinson
The team's lack of stardom on the edge is their Achilles heel for now, and last season's regular-season sack leader, Harold Landry, is likely to miss the first few weeks, which certainly doesn't help. Landry has been nursing an ankle injury that's kept him out of training camp and the preseason.
The 30-year-old missed the AFCCG with the same injury.
Free agent signing Jones will be one of the team's starters on the edge to start the season, but he's never been a premier pass rusher: his 7.0 sack season last year was a career best. Ponder will be asked to step up in his sophomore season after an encouraging 4-sack regular season and strong playoffs, especially given Jacas' lack of effectiveness in preseason.
Swinson makes the team after a solid preseason, but he's in danger of relegation to the practice squad when Landry returns. Jesse Luketa, Quintayvious Hutchins, and Amari Gainer have all shown flashes this preseason, but they each appear to be practice squad candidates for now.
I'd expect at least two of them to remain with the team in that capacity.
Linebackers (5): Robert Spillane, Christian Elliss, Khalil Jacobs, K.J. Britt, Namdi Obiazor
At the second level, Spillane and Elliss lead the unit, while Britt's absurd 96.8 PFF grade in the team's first preseason game could be enough to give him the nod as the LB3. Britt also has major special teams value, playing a career-high 333 snaps with the unit last season.
Jacobs seems to have jumped Obiazor in the depth chart, but the TCU alum's athleticism and upside are enough to keep him on the roster as a fifth linebacker.
Chad Muma, originally pegged to be the team's third linebacker, has been so disappointing in preseason that he slips off the roster entirely. Given his special teams role last season (22 snaps per game in the playoffs), a future as a practice squader is a possibility.
Cornerbacks (6): Christian Gonzalez, Carlton Davis, Marcus Jones, Charles Woods, Kindle Vildor, Karon Prunty
Gonzalez's contract standstill may mean the team keeps an extra cornerback for insurance purposes, but the group's depth has surprised. The team's cornerback room has been impressive in preseason, with Vildor and Prunty both doing enough to make the team in my final prediction.
Woods will play an important special teams role with Prunty, especially considering Vildor's lack of experience in the game's third phase.
Safeties (4): Kevin Byard, Craig Woodson, Dell Pettus, Jaylen Reed
The top three safeties in New England shouldn't come as much of a surprise. Byard and Woodson are surefire starters, and Pettus is likely to play a similar role as last season, including spot defensive play and extensive special teams work.
John Saunders made a valiant effort to make the squad, but Reed is effectively a lock to make the roster as the final safety following the Kayshon Boutte trade. Reed dealt with knee and forearm injuries that kept him to just seven regular season games in 2025.
He played defensive snaps in just three of them, with 55 coming in Week 12. He played 100 defensive snaps across two playoff games, with 53 coming against the Patriots in the Wildcard.
Specialists (4): Andy Borregales, Matt Haack, Julian Ashby, Brenden Schooler
Haack is the only real wrinkle in the special teams conversation, with Bryce Baringer being replaced by third-string quarterback Behren Morton during the team's second preseason outing against the Colts after he felt hamstring tightness.
It isn't totally clear how much time the former Michigan State punter is likely to miss, though starting the season on IR hasn't been definitively ruled out.
Borregales' struggles in the first preseason game didn't lead the team to sign another kicker, and after going 4/4 across all kicks against the Eagles, he appears to have dodged a bullet.
Practice Squad (14/16)
TE Tanner Arkin, WR Cameron Dorner, WR Nick DeGennaro, WR Kyle Dixon, OT Dametrious Crownover, OT James Hudson, OG Joe Michalski, C Jacob Rizy, ED Jesse Luketa, ED Quintayvious Hutchins, LB Chad Muma, LB Riley Wilson, CB Kobee Minor, SAF John Saunders Jr.
I'd expect the team to leave a few roster spots open on the practice squad, specifically looking to snag castaway edge defenders and cornerbacks to add depth.
Unfortunately, I omitted both TE C.J. Dippre and DT Eric Gregory, as I'd expect each of them to find homes on 53-man rosters elsewhere if they don't make the team.
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