Throughout the 20+ years of the Patriots' dynasty, there were a lot of incredible rosters that Bill Belichick put together, some of which didn't even win a championship despite their overwhelming talent.
But now that we're in a new, rebuilding era in New England, it's fun to fantasize about creating the ultimate Patriots team that could win a Super Bowl if playing together in the 2023 season.
There are obvious choices to be made, of course. However, let's focus on the last five years of rosters to create this unbeatable team.
Here is the full 53-man roster for the ultimate Patriots team.
Quarterback(s)
Tom Brady
Backups: Mac Jones, Brian Hoyer
Imagine a world where Tom Brady never left the Patriots and was still slinging the football up and down the field, even at 45.
Given his success during his three years with the Bucs, it's an absolute no-brainer to have him as the quarterback in this fantasy team-building scenario. And although in a perfect world, we would assume he would be healthy and not need to be on the sideline for any reason whatsoever, it would only be fair to list a backup quarterback just in case.
Looking back over the last five seasons, a truly elite quarterback hasn't stood out the most to be Brady's number two. But since Mac Jones has seen the most success since the GOAT's departure, it makes the most sense to have him on the bench for this ultimate team.
This would create an invaluable opportunity for Jones to learn from the greatest of all time, allowing him to pick the brain of a quarterback guru who has seen the most success of any quarterback in the history of the NFL.
It would likely be comforting to those questioning Jones' future as the Patriots quarterback. Knowing he was able to be mentored by a player they trust and respect could be what some fans need to be more optimistic about what Jones could do under center.
And then, of course, is Mr. Reliable Brian Hoyer.
Going into a new season with three quarterbacks is pretty standard and would make sense knowing the history and experience Hoyer has in the New England system. His presence would also be good for Jones, who he has already credited as a great teacher in their time together, and gives the team a security blanket in an emergency.
Running backs
Brandon Bolden, Rex Burkhead, Rhamondre Stevenson, James White
Surprisingly, this was a tough one to narrow down.
The Patriots have been oddly fortunate when it comes to productive running backs in the last five years. However, with the quad of versatile Brandon Bolden, Mr. Does It All Rex Burkhead, most likely to break out in 2023 Rhamondre Stevenson, and Super Bowl hero James White, the team would have the most perfect running back room imaginable.
Between them all, Brady would have endless plays to call as they all were heavily involved in the offense as receivers and ball carriers. But at the same time, they bring their unique skillsets to the table that Brady could utilize throughout the season.
Bolden plays into the flexibility that the Patriots are known for wanting in their players. He can be a receiver, running back, or a returner on special teams, making him even more valuable on the roster.
White would provide consistent reliability and become the go-to third-down back.
Stevenson would be the wrecking ball of the group, just running through defenses that wind up chasing him down the field.
And Burkhead would be the one used to do whatever was needed; whether it be catching the football or running it down the field, he was always a consistent performer during his four years in New England.
They would have all their bases covered with the four of them on the team, allowing Bill O'Brien more creativity when game planning for each and every game.
Wide receivers
Kendrick Bourne, Antonio Brown, Julian Edelman, Chris Hogan, Jakobi Meyers, Cordarrelle Patterson
The debate of how great or not the Patriots' wide receivers have been over the years can be had until the end of time, but deciding who to pick for this team was not easy, even with that in mind.
Of course, the most obvious first choice is Julian Edelman, with Jakobi Meyers listed right behind him. The contributions made by Edelman during his eleven-year career can't be overstated. At the same time, Meyers' performance shouldn't be looked past either, even if they are vastly different.
Then things get a little bit more complicated.
Although he was only on the team for one game in the 2019 season, the possibilities of a Tom Brady run offense with Antonio Brown as the WR1 are endless. We were all looking forward to an entire season of seeing that connection but were robbed of it in New England because of Brown's apparent downward spiral.
Choosing Chris Hogan and Cordarrelle Patterson may surprise some, especially since neither were star performers during their time with the team. But Hogan more than proved to be a tough competitor through three seasons and had the best performances of his career during that time.
Patterson would bring the duality of a receiver and running back, which Belichick first utilized and has now become Patterson's dominant position. He would create more opportunities for the offense while instilling some worry in opposing defenses upon seeing him on the field.
Kendrick Bourne feels like the best choice to include one of the newer receivers on the team. Despite a forgettable 2022 season, his first year with the Patriots stands out. It was his most productive season to date, even sitting behind Meyers on the depth chart, and he really came alive in the latter half of the season.
Imagining this group together on one team is unfathomable. The talent and versatility they would bring to the offense is what most Patriots fans wanted for Brady long before his departure in 2019.
Tight ends
Rob Gronkowski, Hunter Henry, Ben Watson
Similar to how easy it was to choose what quarterback to go with, narrowing down the best tight ends was easy.
Rob Gronkowski is clearly the first choice, and if Martellus Bennett were an option, he would be the next one up. But since he is outside the five-year parameters, taking Ben Watson and Hunter Henry seems like the next best decision.
The 2018 season for Gronk was not his best, but what he did throughout his career will land him in the Hall of Fame. During the prime of his career, he was literally unstoppable, dragging defenders down the field as they clung to his legs, hoping to bring him down to the ground and end the play.
When he was healthy, Gronk was an absolute machine. There's a reason he will likely go down as the best tight end of all time. And fortunately for Patriots fans, he was on our team for most of his career.
Putting Watson and Henry behind him creates one of the best tight-end groups that could possibly be put together.
Watson was always a contributor for the Patriots during his original tenure in the early 2000s and even brought the most he could in his final season in 2019. Adding Henry into the mix brings in another guy who is difficult to tackle, with the reliability of not missing games as he hasn't in his first two seasons with the Patriots.
Fullbacks
James Develin
Fullbacks are an often forgotten member of any NFL team, but the Patriots went through several years of utilizing them within their offense, most notably James Develin.
Looking back at his statistics during his seven seasons in Foxboro will not likely impress people. Still, it's because fullbacks' contributions are not recorded nor praised, similar to that of a tight end's blocking.
Develin became an integral piece of Brady's offense from 2012 - 2019. Not just for his blocking abilities to help open paths for running backs and receivers but also for his involvement in a game plan. He totaled just 222 yards in those seven years, but some of those plays are unforgettable to Patriots fans even to this day.
On top of it all, because the offensive line has been hard to watch in recent years, it seems like the best choice to have a fullback, just in case.
Offensive line
Center: David Andrews, James Ferentz
Right tackle: Michael Onwenu
Right guard: Shaq Mason, Marcus Cannon
Left tackle: Trent Brown
Left guard: Joe Thuney, Ted Karras
Because of the significant concerns around the offensive line in recent years, it wasn't exactly simple to decide who would be the best performers as a group on the offensive line.
The good thing, however, is the linemen haven't always been worrisome.
Picking a center was the easiest. David Andrews is the epitome of consistent and reliable, becoming one of the best centers in the league during his seven-year career. When deciding his backup, it made sense to have James Ferentz there on the off chance he would be needed, although Ted Karras could also fill in.
Michael Onwenu at right tackle is the only correct choice. Since being drafted in 2020, he's been utilized all over the line and quickly became a star for his work ethic and performance.
Choosing who should be the right guard wasn't easy, but Shaq Mason (who most Patriots fans wish Belichick had never traded) and Marcus Cannon felt the right way to go.
Trent Brown would be used as the left tackle on this team, but he also has played on the right side, which will inevitably be helpful throughout the season.
Then at left guard are the two that got away; Joe Thuney and Ted Karras.
When both guys hit free agency, their protection of the quarterback over the years earned them massive contracts with their new teams. Although it wasn't fun to see them go, especially as the line became even worse in the years since it made sense for them to chase the bag or, in Thuney's case, a Super Bowl.
So in this dream team creation, they will both make their returns and help the Patriots win another championship.
Defensive line
Defensive ends: Trey Flowers, Deatrich Wise Jr.
Defensive tackles: Christian Barmore, Davon Godchaux, Lawrence Guy
Linebackers: Ja'Whaun Bentley, Dont'a Hightower, Matthew Judon, Josh Uche, Kyle Van Noy
With a defensive-minded coach and a team often running through their dominant defense, narrowing down who to choose for this ultimate team was the toughest of the bunch.
Trey Flowers and Deatrich Wise Jr. would be a great pair of defensive ends.
When Flowers hit free agency for the first time, he was considered one of if not the best at the position of the class. He wound up reuniting with former New England defensive coordinator Matt Patricia in Detroit, signing a massive contract with his new team.
His time with the Patriots was memorable, totaling 21 sacks and 59 quarterback hits during the four years there. Adding Wise, who has gradually improved since signing with the team in 2017, would bring another threat to opposing quarterbacks, which the Patriots need more help with in recent years.
Then there are the defensive tackles; Christian Barmore, who has been a rising star since being drafted, Davon Godchaux, who has begun to establish himself more as a pillar of the defensive line; and Lawrence Guy, the trusted veteran who gets the job done.
Lastly, the linebackers.
The idea of having Ja'Whaun Bentley, Dont'a Hightower, Matthew Judon, Josh Uche, and Kyle Van Noy all on the team at the same time is enough to give Patriots' fans a heart attack because the group would be nearly too good to be true.
From their pressure on quarterbacks and making big-time plays to stopping plays in their tracks before anything good happens would make them an unstoppable force.
Secondary
Cornerbacks: Stephon Gilmore, J.C. Jackson, Jonathan Jones
Safety: Patrick Chung, Devin McCourty, Jabrill Peppers
Defensive backs: Kyle Dugger, Duron Harmon, Adrian Phillips
Some of New England's most enjoyable players to watch over the last five years have been in the secondary.
The cornerbacks, in particular, have brought the most joy of them all, even if their tenures with the Patriots ended far sooner than most hoped.
Stephon Gilmore thrived in his four years as a Patriot, winning Defensive Player of the Year and creating some of the more iconic moments in the team's history. J.C. Jackson could almost say the same, as we watched his rise to stardom before he signed his first big contract with the Chargers last season.
Jonathan Jones fits the bill to add a current Patriot to the cornerback roster as well. His performance in the slot earned him his dependable reputation, but how he played on the outside for the first time in his career last year proved he was an overall talent.
Regarding safeties, it was easy to choose Patrick Chung, Devin McCourty, and Jabrill Peppers.
Chung and McCourty bring that old-school mentality that has been labeled "the Patriot way" and the toughness that made the legends of the team. Peppers has shown similar characteristics in his one season with the Patriots and is expected to build upon that this upcoming season.
Keeping in line with how the other players were chosen, Kyle Dugger and Adrian Phillips fill in the currently rostered players for the defensive backs. But you can't leave off the man nicknamed "The closer," Duron Harmon because his insane ability to make plays at the right time will be forever helpful.
Special teams
Kicker: Stephen Gostkowski
Punter: Jake Bailey
Long snapper: Joe Cardona
Returner: Marcus Jones, Gunner Olszewski
Others: Justin Bethel, Cody Davis, Brenden Schooler, Matthew Slater
These choices feel pretty straightforward and obvious.
Choosing a kicker was probably the most difficult, actually, since Stephen Gostkowski had been a consistent performer for the Patriots for many years. But Nick Folk has also been that since signing with the team in 2019, making it a bit more difficult to go with Gostkowski.
However, longevity wins this one, so Gostkowski it is.
Although maybe controversial, going with Jake Bailey as the punter was more so due to how well he could have performed before being injured and ultimately released rather than how long he was part of the team.
The next few choices were the easiest decisions of all; Joe Cardona at long snapper and Marcus Jones and Gunner Olszewski as the returners.
Not much needs to be explained regarding the reason to go with Cardona; it feels pretty evident to almost any Patriots fan. But choosing Jones as the returner may spark some debate, mainly because he's only going into his second season in the NFL.
Having Jones on the team allows Belichick to use him in various ways. Technically listed as a cornerback, Jones has experience with all units of a football team. He can play offense, defense, and special teams, meaning he could be the go-to plug-and-play guy on the team that Belichick loves.
Plus, having Olszewski to split returns with would be vital to keep Jones healthy and allow him to be used in other areas of the team as well.
Then, of course, are the rest of the players that make up the special teams unit.
An ultimate Patriots team cannot be complete without Matthew Slater. There's not much else to say because he is the ultimate Patriot himself.
Joining him would be Justin Bethel, Cody Davis, and Brenden Schooler, all of whom had been or still are assets to the special teams operation. They would make them a solid unit the team needs heading into this upcoming season.