It's that time. It's time to put on record my first guess at the Patriots' 53-man roster. I ripped through the first 50 easy. It was the final three that caused some hemming and hawing. Unlike last year, I'm not listing everyone I have on the outside looking in. When you got 90 names, invariably, I'd leave a guy off. That annoyed the crap out of me, so I'm just going to do the in, with a nod to a hard cut or two at a position. Enjoy.
QUARTERBACKS (3): Jacoby Brissett, Drake Maye, Joe Milton
Practice squad: Bailey Zappe
I think Zappe is the backup quarterback, if it comes to that. Maybe I'm nuts. But Maye is not ready yet, and while I see him dressing as the number two signal caller in week one, if anything were to happen to Brissett, I suspect Zappe would start the following week. There's no comparison in terms of pure talent, but - as of the second week of August - there's also no question that Zappe is ready to plug and play. Maye is not. Now, as for whether Zappe will do what he did last year when he cleared waivers (re-upping), I have my doubts. As for Milton, there is too much physical talent to risk on the wire. This isn't Malik Cunningham. This is a 6'5", 245-pound dude with a howitzer. Someone would roll the dice on that.
RUNNING BACK (3): Rhamondre Stevenson, Antonio Gibson, Kevin Harris
JaMychal Hasty had put himself in the conversation with a good spring, but he's fallen into the background. Harris brings zero in the passing game but runs hard and is a powerful dude. I could see rolling the dice with just two RBs and then working the practice squad game.
Anyway, the Pats want to run but have struggled in camp if that continues into the regular season, oh boy.
WIDE RECEIVER (7): DeMario Douglas, Ja'Lynn Polk, K.J. Osborn, Jalen Reagor, Tyquan Thornton, Kayshon Boutte, Javon Baker.
PUP: Kendrick Bourne. JaQuae Jackson to the practice squad.
Douglas is their best receiver for a second straight summer. Polk is solid. It feels like he's been in the league for a few years already. Osborn has turned it up after a slow start. Reagor is the kick returner. I've liked Boutte's game more than Thornton's, but the team continues to push the third-year pro as the first 'X.' I can't ignore that. Baker has faded into the background after too many who cover the team worked themselves into a lather. Take a cold shower, people. He's got a ways to go, but I'd keep working at it because there's plenty of talent there. Jackson might be something. I don't know what that is, but he's been showing up.
TIGHT END (3): Hunter Henry, Austin Hooper, Jaheim Bell
Henry was limited or absent at the start of this week, and let me tell you, it changed the complexion of this group from slightly underwhelming to below average. Of all the guys on offense, I look at Henry and think he's one of the few guys I can count on. Don't have that and Pepto Bismol better back up an 18-wheeler to Alex Van Pelt's office.
OFFENSIVE LINE (9): David Andrews, Mike Onwenu, Chuks Okorafor, Sidy Sow, Vederian Lowe, Layden Robinson, Nick Leverett, Caedan Wallace, Calvin Anderson
IR/PUP: Cole Strange, Tyrone Wheatley Jr., Jake Andrews
Man, I don't love this group, and I'm keeping an extra body at tackle even if I don't think that option (Anderson) has played well. I keep asking, why not move Onwenu back to tackle, even if that's not his best spot? Do that and open a spot for Robinson, who was quite good Thursday. Wallace has scuffled for about a week now, for those asking. Ditto for Okorafor coming off the injury-related absence.
DEFENSIVE LINE (10): Matthew Judon, Davon Godchaux, Keion White, Josh Uche, Anfernee Jennings, Deatrich Wise, Daniel Ekuale, Jeremiah Pharms Jr., Mike Purcell, Oshane Ximenes
IR: Christian Barmore
It still wouldn't surprise me if Judon gets moved. His up-and-down participation/behavior isn't doing anyone favors. You can see it on the field. There are moments when it looks like all is right in his world. Then - sometimes in the same session - it's not. Another week has passed. Make a damn decision to pay him or move on.
White and Jennings will be rocking against the run, and the hope is that the former adds a thing or two to his pass-rushing bag.
Obviously, no Barmore is massive, but DeMarcus Covington promises they'll still play as they play. He will have to mix and match depending on the down, situation, and opponent. In other words, how they've operated for two decades.
LINEBACKER (4): Ja'Whaun Bentley, Jahlani Tavai, Raekwon McMillian, Christian Elliss
PUP: Sione Takitaki
Bothered me to leave off Joe Giles-Harris, but he could have a date with the practice squad.
Bentley is not Dont'a Hightower, but the physicality he brings is reminiscent of his now-LB coach. And I love the attitude that comes with it. It flashed again in the joint practice with the Eagles. He didn't like the way he was hit after the whistle. He said some things but saved the violence for the next play, sending a Philly player to the turf. His teammates vibe off Bentley's style.
Tavai is coming off a career year, got a contract extension, and has been steady as can be this summer. I never thought he'd get to where he's gotten, so I won't write that he can't do it again.
McMillian is a Mayo favorite, and Elliss is a special teams wiz who has shown good range and instinct at LB during camp.
CORNERBACKS (7): Christian Gonzalez, Jonathan Jones, Marcus Jones, Shaun Wade, Alex Austin, Isaiah Bolden, Marcellas Dial Jr.
I've been watching Marco Wilson more closely since I was told to reevaluate my opinion. I still don't see the consistency I'd want from someone fighting for a job. Meanwhile, though he's been in a red jersey for much of the summer, Wade has performed better and has some positional versatility (inside and out). So that's why I settled on him over Wilson.
Gonzalez is the team's best corner, but this hasn't been a declarative camp for him. I don't get caught up in the viral clip of him getting beat. He won't pitch a shutout with the number of reps he's getting. No one does — not Gilmore, not Talib, etc. But I believe the team is pushing Gonzalez a little more than he might be used to — for good reason. He has the talent to be elite.
The Jones boys have been absent for too much camp for my liking, especially Marcus, who has yet to prove that he's anything more than a return man. Austin has spunk and showed up a fair amount in the joint practice with Philly. Bolden has the length/speed combo that makes you want to keep working with him, and Dial is quietly improving and is competitive on nearly every rep.
SAFETY (3): Jabril Peppers, Kyle Dugger, Jaylinn Hawkins
IR: Marte Mapu
UDFA Dell Pettus should be a practice squad keeper.
Peppers and Dugger are rarely going to leave the field, and if the team decides to play big nickel, they can drop those two closer to the line of scrimmage and then have Hawkins play deep. He's not Devin McCourty, but he has done a solid job.
SPECIALISTS (4): Chad Ryland, Bryce Baringer, Joe Cardona, Brenden Schooler
Schooler has gotten a lot of run at safety. I don't think he's good at it. But we know he's good at covering kicks, especially if he stops with the stupid penalties.
I had Ryland with a slight edge over Joey Slye, but Slye had been coming on of late. Quite frankly, I'm not psyched about either.