The New England Patriots are deep at a few key positions which means some veterans may not be a roster lock for 2019.
Somewhere overnight, the New England Patriots have put together a pretty deep roster going into the 2019 NFL season.
With a nice mix of young players and some veterans looking to revive their careers, Bill Belichick has created some healthy and competitive position battles to watch during both training camp and the preseason.
Some of positions to watch will be at tight end as the team looks for someone to somewhat replace Rob Gronkowski. With Ben Watson serving a four-game suspension to start the season, that is a battle that has become even more important because the team is not just looking for one tight end to step up, but potentially two.
Then there is left tackle, where the team will once again need to find someone to step up to protect Tom Brady’s blindside.
The wide receiver position will be interesting as well as the team will be looking for playmakers beyond Julian Edelman and first-round pick N’Keal Harry.
On the defensive side of the ball, the New England Patriots are deep in the secondary, linebacker position and along the defensive line, which also will present some interesting roster battles.
In all, this puts Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots in a pretty good position. There will be some tough decisions to make, but as Belichick will say, those decisions will be what’s best for the team.
With all that being said, here are five surprise veterans who could find themselves on the 53-man roster bubble.
Danny Shelton, DT
With newcomer Mike Pennel and veteran defensive lineman Lawrence Guy anchoring the top of the defensive tackle depth chart, a player like Danny Shelton could find himself on the roster bubble.
More from Chowder and Champions
- 3 Midseason Chaim Bloom Decisions That Have Killed the 2023 Red Sox
- 10 Patriots Who Will Be Cut by Tuesday’s Roster Deadline
- MLB Screws Red Sox Fans With Broadcast for Mookie Betts Return
- 3 Most Underpaid Celtics Heading Into the 2023 Season
- Red Sox Continue Rollercoaster Season With Massive Win
After exploring free agency, the mammoth nose tackle signed a one-year deal to return to the Patriots in hopes of finally living up to becoming the type of player worthy of being taken No. 12 overall by the Cleveland Browns in the 2015 NFL Draft.
Although the 345-pounder was nearly invisible throughout the 2018 NFL season, Shelton finished the season with 21 total tackles in 13 regular-season games. The bright spot is that he did play in two postseason games, racking up a tackle for a loss in the Super Bowl.
That jolt of confidence, along with another training camp with the New England Patriots could just be what Danny Shelton needs to become a consistent contributor with the defending Super Bowl champions.
His size and talent should give him an edge, but young, hungry interior defensive lineman like Adam Butler and rookie Byron Cowart will challenge for playing time and could edge Shelton out on the 53-man roster if he doesn’t bring his A-game in training camp and throughout the preseason.
Jason McCourty, CB
New England Patriots veteran cornerback Jason McCourty will always be remembered for his touchdown saving pass breakup in Super Bowl LIII, but his spot on the 2019 roster is far from secure.
McCourty did sign an $11 million two-year deal with the Patriots with $5.5 million guaranteed, but that hasn’t stopped Bill Belichick from cutting players in the past, especially if that player shows any sign of slowing down or a younger player emerges.
That could be the case for Jason McCourty going into 2019. Yes, he is a veteran presence who could even move over to safety at some point, but if he struggles while younger players like J.C. Jackson, Duke Dawson, Keion Crossen and second-round pick JoeJuan Williams make leaps, McCourty could find himself as the odd man looking in.
Again, with his experience and guaranteed money this would appear unlikely, but no roster spot outside of Tom Brady and perhaps Julian Edelman and Stephon Gilmore are safe on this team if a player is not making plays.
The key for Jason McCourty in 2019 is to build off how he ended the 2018 NFL season.
Brian Hoyer, QB
New England Patriots veteran quarterback Brian Hoyer has some competition for the backup spot during training camp and preseason.
Although both competitors are young and not as experienced as Hoyer, they are much younger than the 33-year-old quarterback and present more upside.
Fourth-round pick Jarrett Stidham will make the team due to his mid-round draft status, which means second-year quarterback Danny Etling and Hoyer will compete for backing up Tom Brady at least while Stidham learns the system.
More from New England Patriots
- Former Patriot Stevan Ridley Put Kevin Hart in a Wheelchair
- 3 Patriots Who Can Clinch a Roster Spot in Final Preseason Game
- Patriots Get Win Over Division Rivals Before Season Even Begins
- New Massachusetts Sportsbook Promos: $450 Bonus to Bet on Your Patriots at Caesars + DraftKings
- Ezekiel Elliott Reveals 3 Reasons Why He Signed With Patriots
Although Brian Hoyer threw all but 7 yards during the regular season in 2018, he has been a starter in the NFL and knows the New England Patriots system. If anything happens to Brady, he is the quarterback primed to come in and at least give the team an experienced option.
But that alone does not rule out either Etling or Stidham being the number called based on their readiness.
While that’s a scary thought, the Patriots once had a second-year quarterback out of Michigan step in back in 2000 and turned out to be the greatest quarterback to ever wear the uniform.
That’s a lot to ask of Danny Etling or Jarrett Stidham, but if either quarterback or both outperformed Brian Hoyer, the younger options will be the choice while the team takes its chances with a quarterback in Tom Brady who has been Mr. Durability over his 19-year career.
Demaryius Thomas, WR
Is Demaryius Thomas a washed-up receiver?
If the veteran playmaker has anything left, you better believe the New England Patriots will get it out of him.
Coming off a torn Achilles injury that ended his brief stint with the Houston Texans, Thomas has been the least talked about receiver on the Patriots new depth chart that includes Julian Edelman, N’Keal Harry, Phillip Dorsett, Dontrelle Inman and perhaps a reinstated Josh Gordon.
Signed to a one-year deal, there is no guarantee Thomas will make the 53-man roster. But, his familiarity with Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and skillset should give him a fair shot depending on how strongly he recovers from the torn Achilles.
While that could land him on the PUP list to start the season, Demaryius Thomas could be cut depending on the chemistry the other receivers form with Tom Brady. Now, there is always hope a receiver who has multiple 1,000-yard seasons under his belt can gel with the six-time Super Bowl champion quarterback, but we’ve seen this story before.
If Thomas is even on the roster come Week 1, they he got a lot further than the likes of Eric Decker and Reggie Wayne who both retired before they could be cut.
Is that a similar path Thomas could take?
Again, it all depends on how well he has recovered from his injury and his desire to continue on as a productive wide receiver in the league.
Rex Burkhead, RB
When healthy, Rex Burkhead is a key contributor in the New England Patriots offense and on special teams.
His versatility as a running back who can run between the tackles, catch the ball out of the backfield and make high-level plays in the kicking game pretty much cements Burkhead as the ultimate Patriots player.
However, there is a history of not being very durable in his two seasons with the team. Despite scoring the winning touchdown in the AFC Championship Game against the Kansas City Chiefs and rushing for big yards in Super Bowl LIII, Rex Burkhead is no guarantee.
Besides Sony Michel and James White, the Patriots have two running backs in third-round pick Danien Harris and undrafted free agent Nick Brossette who could not only battle Burkhead for snaps, they can also leave him as the odd man looking in.
Because of what he can do in the passing game, the veteran running back should be fine. But, again, if health keeps him off the field during training camp and the preseason, there are two, hungry running backs waiting make the most of their opportunity.
In all, the running back battle could be one of the more heated battles once training camp begins. Will Rex Burkhead still be standing in the New England Patriots backfield once the dust settles?