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As training camp approaches, the New England Patriots are still without their top corner Stephon Gilmore.
Bill Belichick and New England knew ahead of time that Gilmore wouldn't attend the mandatory minicamp. It's been an ongoing battle between the Patriots and the veteran corner since the end of last season.
Stephon Gilmore wants more money from New England. The four-time Pro Bowler wants more than the $7 million he's due to earn in 2021. Looking at the numbers, Gilmore has every right to demand more than what the Patriots are paying.
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Bill Belichick is not the head coach to give in to a player's wants. He has always kept things about business, and it's expected to be the same with Gilmore.
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New England also has a great quarterback battle brewing between Cam Newton and Mac Jones. The Patriots are excited to see how the quarterback battle turns out in training camp. It's been noted that the competition between Mac Jones and Cam Newton is starting to heat up.
With that said, here are the projections for the New England Patriots 53-man roster before the start of training camp.
Who will make the final 53 man roster for the New England Patriots?
Quarterbacks (3):
Cam Newton, Mac Jones, Jarrett Stidham
After a difficult battle, Cam Newton will prevail as the starting quarterback heading into the 2021 season. The kicker is that Newton will have a tight leash on his starting job. If he struggles, Bill Belichick will pull back and give Mac Jones his first chance to start.
Jarrett Stidham will be the third-string quarterback.
Running Backs (4):
Damien Harris, Sony Michel, James White, Rhamondre Stevenson
Damien Harris had a phenomenal 2020-2021 season for the New England Patriots. If Sony Michel can remain healthy and find form, the Patriots could have one of the best rushing attacks in 2021. James White is still a valuable piece in New England's running back room.
Wide Receivers (5):
Jakobi Meyers, Nelson Agholor, Kendrick Bourne, N'Keal Harry, Gunner Hall
The Patriots' wide receiver room is far from great. Belichick did the best he could with what was available during free agency. Adding Nelson Agholor and Kendrick Bourne were reasonable upgrades for New England. But it's nothing to write home about.
Tight End (3):
Hunter Henry, Jonnu Smith, Devin Asiasi
New England has spent their money wisely this off-season on offense. Bill Belichick regrouped after his rough 2020-2021 season by signing the top two tight ends in free agency. Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith will bring the New England offense something that has been missing: two reliable tight ends.
Offensive Line (8):
Isaiah Wynn, Mike Onwenu, David Andrews, Shaq Mason, Trent Brown, Alex Redmond, Ted Karras, and James Ferentz
Having a great offensive line is the first step. Having Tom Brady and Bill Belichick are steps two through seven. But since the Patriots have only half of this equation, they'll have to make the most of it.
Defensive Line (5):
Lawrence Guy, Davon Godchaux, Henry Anderson, Deatrich Wise, Christian Barmore
Lawrence Guy and Deatrich Wise return as the team's top defensive linemen. They've added more muscle by signing Godchaux and Anderson. Their youngest defensive lineman, Christian Barmore, is also the best on the roster.
Outside linebacker (5):
Matt Judon, Kyle Van Noy, Josh Uche, Chase Winovich, Ronnie Perkins
Uche is coming off massive performances during spring practices. Judon and Van Noy give the Patriots outside linebackers unit a fresh new look. Chase Winovich moves into the backup role, which fits him perfectly.
Inside linebacker (4):
Dont'a Hightower, JaWhaun Bentley, Raekwon McMillian, Anfernee Jennings
New England will receive a massive boost from the return of Dont'a Hightower, who opted out of the 2020 season due to COVID-19 concerns. Hightower showed up to the minicamp leaner and ready for the 2021 season.
Cornerback (6):
Stephon Gilmore, J.C. Jackson, Jonathan Jones, Myles Bryant, Joejuan Williams, Richard Sherman
Gilmore and the Patriots will come to some sort of agreement. New England will also add another crafty veteran in Richard Sherman. Bill Belichick will create an almost perfect secondary with the addition of Richard Sherman.
Safety (4):
Devin McCourty, Adrian Phillips, Jalen Mills, Kyle Dugger
McCourty and Phillips bring veteran leadership to the Patriots' secondary. Dugger is another young player that New England is expecting to make a massive leap in his second season.
Special Teams (6):
Nick Folk, Jake Bailey, Joe Cardona, Matthew Slater, Justin Bethel, Cody Davis
Bill Belichick will go with consistency over power with Nick Folk. The Patriots' special teams ranked at the top of the NFL in 2020. It's almost guaranteed that it'll be the same result in 2021.
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