With two weeks before the opener, now more than ever, this 53 is going to be a moving target. But let's give you our thoughts on the roster, the immediate moves we might see, a few names that I think they could have some interest in, even though personnel execs around the league don't anticipate the Patriots to be a big claim team.
The initial 53:
MOVES WE COULD SEE
N'Keal Harry to IR, replaced by Brian Hoyer: This is the natural move to get Hoyer back. As a vested veteran, Hoyer is not subject to waivers. That means a team can't just sign him. He has to say yes, as he did when the Colts made him a substantial offer. Have a hard time seeing that happen again, plus Hoyer is going to need a lot of money to uproot himself and his family now that he has ties here.
Brandon Bolden to IR, replaced by Matt LaCosse or Nick Folk: This is just a guess, and an unlikely event since Bolden was at practice today in a red jersey. If he tweaks something — oh, my arm, I think it's broke — that would be an easy way to get Folk back on the roster while not exposing Quinn Nordin to waivers.
Players I also wouldn't mind stashing on IR for 3 weeks (or longer) to bring Folk, LaCosse and others back: Brandon King, Shaun Wade, Yasir Durant, Harvey Langhi.
Trade for a cornerback: I don't know who would be up their alley — that's why the pro personnel department gets paid — but please tell me the Patriots have better plan at cornerback without Gilmore than two players who are probably better safeties than corners (Mills, Williams) and a rookie feeling his way who also might be a better safety than a corner (Mills).
MOVES I DIDN'T LIKE
Keeping four special team heroes: I'm getting this out of the way early because it will tie in on some of the releases I didn't like. You can have Matthew Slater and Justin Bethel, no doubt. But Cody Davis and Brandon King? Nope, sorry. You get one ... maybe.
Do you know how many kicks and punts the Patriots had to cover last season?
44
That's not even 3 a game.
The Patriots offense and defense combined for 1,961 meaningful plays.
So that's a total of 2,005 meaningful plays altogether. Special teams accounted for 2.2 percent.
Seven special teams players are 13.2 percent of the roster. The four "positional" players are 7.5 percent of the roster.
It's totally out of whack in today's game, which has basically eliminated special teams.
Releasing Myles Bryant: How do you keep Davis, yet release a kid who as an undrafted free agent last year was so accomplished that you played him at safety, cornerback and some sub linebacker?! This is one move that I think the Patriots are going to regret making and it was preventable. You kept Joejuan Williams and Jalen Mills over Bryant? I know he has been battling an injury, but get him to short-term IR and bring back LaCosse to give you some support at tight end.
Relying on Hunter Henry and Devin Asiasi with no net: Jonnu Smith hasn't exactly been an iron man so far, but he has compared to Henry, who has yet to show in his entire career that he can remain healthy for a whole season. And the only backup is ... Asiasi?! Look, the kid has come on of late, no doubt, and has earned a spot. But I would feel much better in an offense that is expected to be 2 TE-heavy, if there was a more proven backup. And do NOT bring back Ryan Izzo, who got cut from the awful Texans.
Keeping Quinn Nordin over Nick Folk: Hopefully Folk is back because I'm scared to death of Nordin as a rookie after he couldn't even prove at Michigan that he could hold the starting job.
The Patriots are still the fourth-oldest team in the league: Despite having rookies or 2nd year players at QB, backup RB, RG, edge and kicker, the Patriots slipped from 5th-oldest to the fourth-oldest team in the league. And the Patriots invested in younger free agents this offseason. How is this even possible?! Oh, right, the special teamers are the Over-The-Hill-Gang.
MOVES I LIKED
Burning the boats at QB: Yes, I thought Newton earned the No. 2 role and everyone would have handled it fine, but gotta kind of respect that Belichick decided to burn all the boats and go forward with Hoyer and, likely, Stidham down the line. The rest of the NFL is getting younger and athletic at the QB position. Belichick stays in the stone age, and I love it.
Going with four receivers: Projecting that Harry will go on IR soon ... that leaves the Patriots with four receivers. No one else earned a spot. Kind of surprised they didn't go with four TEs to give themselves options.
Replacing Will Sherman with Yasir Durant: I'm not in favor of nine offensive linemen, but at least the Patriots admitted their drafting mistake on Will Sherman (and Tre Nixon) by just cutting him. He had an awful camp. Maybe something happens on the practice squad for both of them. I don't know much about Durant, but they needed another developmental interior guy.
Putting Stephon Gilmore on PUP: If this was about the contract, I'm glad the Patriots didn't budge and give him any money without Gilmore proving he's healthy. I'm all for paying the players, but his season ended with an injury. Get on the field and show you're healthy. The Patriots will manage the loss, and they'll be all the better down the stretch.
FORMER PATRIOTS RELEASED
DE Rashod Berry, Lions
OG Hjalte Froholdt, Texans
TE Ryan Izzo, Texans
TE Paul Quessenberry, Texans
TE Kahale Warring, Colts
QB Brian Lewerke, Giants
TE Eric Tomlinson, Ravens
C Jordan Devey, Bills
TE Jacob Hollister, Bills
DT Mike Pennel, Bears
OT Cam Fleming, Broncos
DE Derek Rivers, Texans
WR Philip Dorsett, Jaguars
OL Jermaine Eluemunor, Jaguars
OL Caleb Benenoch, Saints
WR Chris Hogan, Saints
LB Cassius Marsh, Steelers
QB Nate Sudfeld, 49ers
DT Woodrow Hamilton, Titans
PLAYERS TO WATCH ON WAIVERS
QB Jake Fromm, Bills
QB Will Grier, Panthers
QB Jake Luton, Jaguars
TE Stephen Sullivan, Panthers
WR Isaiah Coulter, Bears (URI)
WR Eqanimeous St. Brown, Packers
WR Keelan Doss, Raiders
WR Austin Mack, Giants
WR David Sills, Giants
RB Malcolm Perry, Dolphins
DE Jason Strowbridge, Dolphins
TE Carl Tucker, Alabama
VETERANS NOW AVAILABLE
LB Pernell McPhee, Ravens
CB Desmond Trufant, Bears
DE Noah Spence, Bengals
WR Geronimo Allison, Lions
CB Nickell Robey, Lions
WR John Brown, Raiders
WR Kevin White, Saints
DT Robert Nkemdiche, Seahawks