New England Patriots: Predicting the Week 1 roster in July

3 of 7

FOXBORO, MA – SEPTEMBER 22: Benardrick McKinney /

Tight Ends

#83 Dwayne Allen
#87 Rob Gronkowski*
#88 James O’Shaughnessy

Both Rob Gronkowski and Dwayne Allen are locks to make the roster. The question comes with who will fill the third tight end slot. The competition in camp will likely be between James O’Shaughnessy, Matt Lengel, and rookie Jacob Hollister. In my opinion, the more experienced O’Shaughnessy will win it outright, but don’t be surprised if you see Lengel or Hollister on the practice squad.

Wide Receivers

#11 Julian Edelman*
#14 Brandin Cooks*
#15 Chris Hogan
#19 Malcolm Mitchell*
#80 Danny Amendola

Wide Receiver is another spot where the Patriots have gotten even stronger. While Julian Edelman will remain TB12’s go-to man, fans hope Brandin Cooks will be a stud. The Patriots acquired Cooks in a trade with the New Orleans Saints this offseason, and they didn’t even have to give up CB Malcolm Butler to do so. I believe Malcolm Mitchell will take a step forward in his second NFL season, making the cut as the final starter. New England will have excellent depth with Chris Hogan and Danny Amendola on the bench. Both will still see significant playing time on the field.

Home/New England Patriots