BOSTON (CBS) – Bill Belichick has been a busy man.
Last week, the Patriots carried out negotiations and a series of signings by big names. Add a few released players and a retirement to start, and it has been difficult to maintain control.
SEE MORE INFORMATION: Patriots reportedly signing DT Montravius Adams
So, to try to resolve this, let’s take a look at the depth chart to see how things are at the moment for the local football team. Given the team’s activity this week, it’s likely to be just a temporary image. We will try to focus on the upper end of the depth chart as well, leaving out players who are unlikely to have a role in the 2021 team.
OFFENSE
QUARTERBACK
Cam Newton
Jarrett Stidham
Everyone is well informed about this. Cam Newton signed a one-year contract that will essentially pay him between $ 5.5 million and $ 7 million in 2020. Stidham still has two years left on his newbie contract.
RUNNING BACK
Sony michel
Damien Harris
JJ Taylor
Brandon Bolden
Dan Vitale
Jakob Johnson
James White is still seeking a free agency deal, potentially leaving a hole for capturing passes in the Patriots’ defense field. The presence of Dan Vitale – who gave up last year in relation to the concerns of COVID – should not be overlooked, as his power and versatility can open up a real offensive creativity with Josh McDaniels.
It is likely that Rex Burkhead also has a depressed market, as it is coming out of a torn ACL. He could be a candidate to sign a one-year contract and spend the first half of the season on the puppy’s list, but that is mere speculation.
WIDE RECEIVER
Julian Edelman
Nelson Agholor
Kendrick Bourne
Jakobi Meyers
N’Keal Harry
Top Scorer Olszewski
Edelman’s status still deserves attention, as it is unclear what he and the Patriots want to do in their final year under contract. Other than that, the Patriots clearly received a much-needed infusion of talent with Agholor and Bourne, who combined 1,563 yards and 10 touchdowns last season. (Patriots wide receivers totaled 2,063 yards and four touchdowns in 2020.)
Harry’s position on the list also remains an issue, as several reports have indicated that the Patriots are having serious discussions about switching him. He has only 414 receiving yards and four touchdowns in 21 games played.
TIGHT END
Hunter Henry
Jonnu Smith
Devin Asiasi
Dalton Keene
The most drastic change in the list, of course, is at the tight end. It was not necessarily neglected last year, as the investment of two third-party choices in the position counts for something. But the two newbies were unable to catch up quickly.
The Patriots now have two legitimate rigid tips that can do everything. Considering the importance of this position for Bill Belichick’s team for so long, things it could starts to get closer to normal for an offense that fought so hard a year ago.
Ryan Izzo, who hasn’t done much in his two seasons, was traded on Thursday. We will know between now and September if one of the two sophomore boys ends up being eliminated.
OFFENSIVE RESPONSE
Trent Brown
Isaiah Wynn
Justin Herron
Korey Cunningham
Yodny Cajuste
Trent Brown is back, but he will likely will be working on the right side this year, as opposed to his position on the left tackle in the 2018 Super Bowl victory season. But if Isaiah Wynn struggles to stay healthy (he has played 18 of the 32 games since joining the league), it may make sense to move Brown to the left and use Herron or Cunningham on the right.
Mike Onwenu, who stole last year’s draft, it could work on the tackle, but it may be needed more inside. Yodny Cajuste (the 101st overall choice in 2019) has not yet played in the NFL due to injuries, but he is still under contract and therefore should not be missed.
INTERIOR LINE
Mike Onwenu
Ted Karras
Shaq Mason
It’s a solid trio in the middle of the Patriots line, but maybe you should expect the Patriots to target this area in the draft. If any of the initial three players gets hurt, it will be a problem for the entire attack.
SEE MORE INFORMATION: Patriots switching Ryan Izzo to Houston to choose the 7th round draft
Reports say David Andrews’ work now belongs to Ted Karras, but if he doesn’t find the deal he’s looking for at the free agency, it’s possible that he could return to the Patriots in a one-year deal situation.
DEFENSE
SAFETY
Adrian Phillips
Devin McCourty
* Jalen Mills
Kyle Dugger
Patrick Chung’s retirement probably came as no surprise to the Patriots, as Chung’s physical playing style has led him to absorb a lot of damage over the years. Adrian Phillips played that role very well a year ago, and although his limit jumps a little to $ 4.25 million this year, he expects him to remain in that position. Greater opportunities for Kyle Dugger – who played about half of New England’s defensive moves as a rookie – should allow last year’s overall 37th place to continue to develop.
Jalen Mills may technically be a cornerback, but he looks more like a hyper-versatile security-corner-linebacker-nickelback hybrid. It is no surprise that he was appealing to Belichick.
CORNERBACK
Stephon Gilmore
JC Jackson
Jonathan Jones
Joejuan Williams
This group is very much in the air at the moment. Stephon Gilmore is certainly not going to play the 2021 season on a $ 7 million salary, so he is still the prime candidate for a restructuring or exchange. JC Jackson had a run-off proposal placed on him, which theoretically opens him up as a candidate to be hunted by another team. But … it seems unlikely that the Patriots would let him go, especially with the Gilmore situation.
Veteran Jason McCourty is a free agent and hasn’t generated much buzz so far. Perhaps he was open to a discount to “continue playing with my twin brother” to add a little depth to the veteran in the position.
Joejuan Williams – the 45th overall choice in 2019 – played only 17% of the team’s defensive plays a year ago. He will face a kind of decisive opportunity in 2021.
DEFENDER
Dont’a Hightower
Kyle Van Noy
Ja’Whaun Bentley
Josh Uche
Anfernee Jennings
Terez Hall
Hightower’s return is massive. Van Noy’s return is significant. These two returns instantly transform a cast’s weakness into a strength.
BORDER
Matt Judon
Deatrich Wise
Chase Winovich
The Patriots needed to increase their pass rush, so they went out and gave Matt Judon a ton of money. If he succeeds, it changes the entire scope of a defense that was among the worst in the NFL in generating pressure on opposing QBs.
DEFENSIVE EQUIPMENT
Davon Godchaux
Henry Anderson
Byron Cowart
Akeem Spence
* Montravius Adams
A little more needs to be shaken here, as Lawrence Guy remains a free agent. Belichick has liked Guy for some time, and the fact that he is still around means that he still has a chance to return.
The team is a bit well if Guy leaves (as Adam Butler did), after hiring Godchaux and Anderson at a free agency. Still, for a team that sucked at stopping the race last year, Belichick may want to do a little more work on the inside of the D-line. This could help to rebuild that defense into something that compares to the 2019 unit that was arguably the best defense in the entire league.
* Almost immediately after the publication of this story, the Patriots signed with Montravius Adams. Choosing 300 pounds from the third round of 2017 certainly adds some weight to the middle of the D-line.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Jake Bailey
Matthew Slater
Top Scorer Olszewski
Jake Cardona
Roberto Aguayo
Justin Rohrwasser
Brandon King
Justin betel
Cody Davis
Jake Bailey is a stallion – as much as punters can be stallions, you know – but the Patriots still don’t know exactly what they’re doing in the kicker. Nick Folk, who was surprisingly excellent last year, is a free agent. Justin Rohrwasser spent his debut season on the training team (after a seemingly unimpressive camp), and Roberto Aguayo was a complete and total disaster in his only NFL season … in 2016.
MORE NEWS: Updated analysis of patriots ‘choices after details emerge from Marcus’ cannon trade
Finding the kicker may not have been a Patriot Day 1 priority this offseason, but it is still an important point that needs to be addressed.