Thursday was our first opportunity to get a look at the 2019 Patriots. While you always have to be cautious when it comes to making sweeping judgments at this time of year, based on the roster makeup and what we saw on the field, we know there are a handful of players who are facing an important spring and summer in their development. At the same time, because of health or other roster issues, most of them should get a chance to show what they’re capable of. Here are five guys who really need to make the most of every chance they get in the next few months.
Obi Melifonwu: One of the guys I’ve been asked about the most this offseason, Acquired midway through last season, Melifonwu is a player who will (theoretically) benefit the most from an entire offseason in the program. A hyperathletic defender at a position where the Patriots could use an infusion of youth, he was one of the big winners of the draft in the New England didn’t get a developmental safety — he could get a chance to be more than just a special teams accessory this season. He was one of a few youngsters who got a sizable amount of playing time on Thursday, lining up alongside Devin McCourty with a reasonable facsimile of the starting defense. (Patrick Chung wasn’t on the field.) Melifonwu played well, but it’s early. We’ll see how it all shakes out down the road, but it was a good start.
Derek Rivers: The young defensive end sat his entire rookie year, and was used sparingly last season. Now, he’s facing a key stretch as an edge defender capable of holding down the right side of the line. Michael Bennett isn’t expected to be around this spring, which means Rivers should have a chance — he got a lot of time in Thursday’s practice, and didn’t look out of place, for what it’s worth. What he does with that opportunity from here is up to him.
Rex Burkhead: Every year, it seems like the Patriots start the season with too many running backs, and every year, it seems like someone gets hurt or underperforms, or does something to level things out a bit. So there’s probably a natural inclination to hold on to an extra running back. (Ivan Fears told us as much the other week.) But the decision to draft Damien Harris got us thinking a bit when it comes to the future of Burkhead. When he’s been healthy, Burkhead has certainly earned his credentials, and with no Sony Michel on Thursday, he got some more snaps than usual. But given the crowded running back room, he’s another guy who can’t afford to get comfortable.
Elandon Roberts: Roberts played really well last year down the stretch, but with Jamie Collins returning from exile in Cleveland and Ja’Whaun Bentley back from spending most of last season on injured reserve, he has a sizable challenge when it comes to playing time. The Patriots like their defenders to be able to do multiple things, but on the surface, there appears to be some redundancy when you look at what Bentley and Roberts bring to the field. We haven’t even mentioned how the likes of the returning Christian Sam might fit. Ultimately, even after playing as well as he did down the stretch and into the playoffs last year, Roberts faces a positional battle of his own this spring and summer. (One possibility we keep coming back to with Roberts? If all the linebackers stay healthy, he could be a potential end-of-summer trade chip with a Bill Belichick-friendly team like the Lions.)
Phillip Dorsett: Longtime BSJ subscribers know I’m practically a Dorsett apologist, and while the receiver position is thinned out when compared to previous years, Dorsett will still face a challenge when it comes to going up against the likes of Dontrelle Inman and N’Keal Harry (the latter of whom got a long look at Thursday’s OTA session, in full view of the media) for chances in the passing game. In addition, there’s the possibility of Demaryius Thomas and Josh Gordon getting some time in 2019, which could further complicate matters for Dorsett. Dorsett’s steadiness is perhaps his best attribute — last year, he was the guy who was impacted more than any other when it came to Gordon’s roller-coaster season, but he still managed to put together a solid year as a complementary receiver. That sort of reliability could bode well for him down the road, but he still can’t afford to coast. (One thing worth keeping an eye on? Dorsett was working as a part-time punt returner during Thursday’s OTA session, something he’s never done in his two year’s in New England. It could mean nothing, but the chance to show some special teams value could play a big role if he finds himself in a fight for a roster spot.)