NFL Notebook: 10 team-building questions for Patriots as draft weekend looms

In this week’s edition of the NFL Notebook, we get a status update on a Patriots’ defensive player who spent all last year on IR, ask Ryan Finley’s old offensive coordinator whether or not the former N.C. State signal-caller can be Tom Brady’s next backup, and check in with Kevin Faulk to get his take on whether or not the LSU roster has any guys who look like potential Patriots. But first, with the offseason roughly one-third done, we go through the New England depth chart and ask one question for each position.

1. With the bulk of free agency in the rearview mirror and the draft looming later this month, we wanted to ask one question per position, with a focus on where things stand at this point in the offseason.

Quarterback: Are they ever going to get around to extending Tom Brady’s deal? Granted, you don’t necessarily have to figure it out now, but it would certainly answer some questions about the long-term nucleus of the roster and square away some of the larger cap questions facing the franchise.

Running back: Is there a need to even add a body here, considering the fact the key players are (mostly) taken care of for the next couple of years? With the understanding they seem to turn over this position regularly, if they spot someone in the middle rounds they really like, it wouldn’t be a shock to see them pluck a mid-round running back and stash him for a year. (Think of how they found James White a few years ago.) But it’s not an overwhelming priority.

Offensive line: With the understanding Isaiah Wynn will take over at left tackle for Trent Brown, how soon is too soon to invest in a developmental tackle prospect? As the Patriots seem to do every year, I’d expect them to turn a pick over to Dante Scarnecchia and have him take the best available tackle on either Day Two or Day Three and have him major in Professor Scarnecchia’s NFL 101.

Tight end: How do you replace one of the most dominant tight ends of all time? I still believe there’s a chance they use a pick in the top two rounds on one of the premier tight ends — T.J. Hockenson, Noah Fant or Irv Smith. I also can’t get the idea of Dawson Knox as a second-round possibility out of my mind. Lots to consider here going forward, but I know they’re not going into 2019 with Jacob Hollister and Matt LaCosse leading the depth chart.

Wide receiver: Are you going to use the draft or trade market to rebuild the receiver depth? I feel like we could see one of these guys land in New England before the start of training camp. I’d also expect a pick in the first two days to be used on a receiver — maybe this guy.

Defensive line: Do you aim for a pass rusher or stout defensive tackle in this draft? Defensive tackle, but there is some intriguing talent still left on the free-agent market. Call me crazy, but if they can make the dollars work with Ndamukong Suh, that would represent an offseason thunderbolt for this roster.

Linebacker: With Ja’Whaun Bentley joining a group that includes Dont’a Hightower and Kyle Van Noy, do you even need to add a body here? Probably not, especially when you consider Christian Sam is coming back after a year on IR. But I’d expect a late-round flier at this spot, at least for depth sake.

Cornerback: Is this the deepest position on the roster? If it’s not the deepest, it’s not too far removed. And that’s without using Duke Dawson all year long. Good group.

Safety: How soon is to soon to start adding some youth to one of the oldest positions on the roster? This year. If there’s a smart, versatile safety on the market, sometime on Day 2, that could be where Bill Belichick surprises people on draft weekend.

Special teams: They’re going to re-sign Stephen Gostkowski, right? You’d think. But if not, maybe former Assumption kicker Cole Tracy is next in line?