He’s listed as a wide receiver but has seen just as many reps in the backfield this summer, if not more, looking like a strong candidate to handle third-down back duties if White can’t recover from hip surgery in time for the season. Montgomery’s versatility allows the Patriots to carry fewer traditional running backs in this projection. In: Damien Harris, Rhamondre Stevenson, Pierre Strong, Ty Montgomery It’d also help to have a veteran voice in the QB room with Joe Judge coaching the position for the first time. But there’s value in keeping Hoyer, who got $3 million guaranteed this offseason and is an important mentor for Jones. Could a strong preseason win him the top backup job? Perhaps. The Patriots like what they’ve seen from the rookie Zappe, who’s gotten plenty of reps in camp with Hoyer missing time with a reported illness. But the primetime practice offered an informative look at the Patriots’ current depth chart, providing some intel on how some of the team’s competitive roster battles are shaking out.Īhead of Thursday night’s exhibition matchup against the New York Giants, here’s our latest attempt at predicting the Patriots’ final roster: Is every player from that starters squad a roster lock? Certainly not. The Patriots shared some early hints last Friday, separating their roster into one team of starters and key contributors and one team of backups for a game simulation held inside Gillette Stadium. With nine training camp practices in the books and the preseason opener on the horizon, the New England Patriots’ 53-man roster is starting to take shape. Patriots 53-Man Roster Projection: Predicting Cuts Before Preseason

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