The following is a rolling 54 man roster that will be updated as situations warrant. Generally there are but 53 players on an active NFL roster, but the Patriots have received an exemption from the NFL to carry an extra player in advance of Brandon Browner's four game suspension to begin the season. When Browner is reinstated for Week 5, he will be added to the active roster and the 54th man will be waived or an injured player can be placed on the IR.
Quarterbacks (2)
12 - Tom Brady
10 - Jimmy Garoppolo (R)
Yes,
only two quarterbacks. This is not to say that Ryan Mallett will be
traded, but the fact that he was limited in OTAs and in minicamp and is
wearing a brace on his left knee is a curious development. It is
entirely possible that he begin the season on the PUP list, then either
be activated just before the trade deadline or shut down for the season. He is in camp and still wearing the brace, so it is a situation to monitor.
Running Backs (5)
22 - Stevan Ridley
34 - Shane Vereen
28 - James White (R)
36 - Stephen Houston (R)
46 - James Develin
With
contracts coming due on Ridley, Vereen and Brandon Bolden, it goes to
figure that the Patriots are not going to be able to negotiate contracts
for all three, so dumping Bolden now and training replacements for the
other two is just smart business - though it is possible that Ridley and
Vereen could be around beyond this year if their price is right.
Develin is looking more and more like a classic H-Back with his
versatility.
Tight Ends (3)
87 - Rob Gronkowski
47 - Michael Hoomanawanui
45 - D. J. Williams
Gronkowski
appears to be on track for the start of the season, which clears up the
tight end picture a bit. While Gronk is an all-around force, Hooman is
a decent blocker and has shown good hands in his few targets, while
Williams has yet to realize the potential that intrigued the Packers
into drafting him as a "move" tight end. Rookie free agent Justin Jones
will probably find himself stashed away on the practice squad to refine
his raw skill and potential. H-back James Develin factors in here as
well.
Receivers (7)
80 - Danny Amendola
11 - Julian Edelman
17 - Aaron Dobson
19 - Brandon Lafell
85 - Kenbrell Thompkins
18 - Matthew Slater
82 - Josh Boyce
The
status of Dobson's foot and the thought that his conditioning will be
an issue upon his return may upset this apple cart, otherwise, this is a
solid group with a good mix of individual skill sets. New addition
Lafell is a veteran who understands coverages and where the sticks are,
and could be in the mix at the "move" type tight end position. Boyce
and Slater figure prominently on special teams as well.
Offensive Linemen (8)
77 - Nate Solder
70 - Logan Mankins
76 - Sebatian Vollmer
61 - Marcus Cannon
67 - Josh Kline
71 - Cameron Fleming (R)
69 - Jon Halapio (R)
66 - Bryan Stork (R)
Noticeably
absent from this list are last season's starting center and right
guard, Ryan Wendell and Dan Connolly - but either could stick as depth
should the Patriots decide to keep nine linemen. Stork should start
from Day one, as should Halapio with Fleming and Cannon providing depth
on the bookends and at guard in a pinch.
Defensive linemen (9)
50 - Rob Ninkovich
75 - Vince Wilfork
93 - Tommy Kelly
95 - Chandler Jones
99 - Michael Buchanan
74 - Dominique Easley (R)
94 - Chris Jones
96 - Sealver Siliga
90 - Will Smith
The duo of Wilfork and Siliga at the nose and the trifecta of Kelly, Chris Jones and Easley at the three-tech make the interior of the defensive line formidable, but questions remain regarding the depth at the ends. Ninkovich and Chandler Jones form a strong set of bookends, but it remains to be seen if Smith's knee can hold up and if Buchanan has gotten his strength back after a broken jaw two years ago sapped much of it along with 30 pounds. Hightower also figures in on the line as a five-tech nickle rusher.
Linebackers (6)
54 - Dont'a Hightower
91 - Jamie Collins
51 - Jerod Mayo
45 - Steve Beauharnais
44 - Darius Fleming
55 - James Anderson
It is possible that the veteran Smith could double up on the
roster at both end and strong side linebacker but a lot depends on the status of his wheels after recovering
from ACL surgery nearly a year ago. If he can,it may mean that someone like Fleming won't make the cut. Anderson is an all-around
veteran talent that adds a lot of versatility to the scheme.The coaching staff likes Beauharnais a lot, and he is also versatile enough to play in the middle or on the weak side.
Corners (6)
24 - Darrelle Revis
39 - Brandon Browner
26 - Logan Ryan
37 - Alfonzo Dennard
25 - Kyle Arrington
35 - Daxton Swanson
Swanson
is a wild card, and wins out over fellow rookie Malcolm Butler for the
sixth corner spot. Regardless of who actually wins out in camp, the top
five corners won't allow for many snaps to Swanson or whomever - that
is, once Browner returns to the team in week five.
Safeties (5)
30 - Duron Harmon
32 - Devin McCourty
23 - Patrick Chung
21 - Jemea Thomas (R)
27 - Tavon Wilson
Solid
group of safeties, with Chung brought back to be that intimidating
presence in the middle in the nickle and dime situations. Thomas is a
versatile athlete that is probably a better corner than safety, though
he played both in college. In fact, should Thomas find a spot on the
roster, his presence could eliminate one of the listed corners and make
room for a player at another level - such as another tight end, safety
or defensive lineman.
Specialists (3)
6 - Ryan Allen
3 - Stephen Gostkowski
48 - Danny Aiken
Aiken
wins out over Tyler Ott in the competition for long snapper, though
Aiken will probably be on a short leash after his late season air mail
struggles. Allen and Gostkowski are as dependable as they come.
Offense: 25
Defense: 26
Specialists: 3
Total: 54
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