The New England Patriots kept the momentum rolling from their impressive joint practice performance into Friday’s preseason opener against the Washington Commanders.
They dominated the visiting Commanders in a 48-18 victory in a matchup that felt more like a regular season game. The Patriots were the more physical football team from start to finish. Even after the starters left the game, that same energy carried over into the second and even third-string units.
Advertisement
They looked like a completely different football team from the one that faced the Philadelphia Eagles around the same time a year ago. It’s a testament to players buying in and believing in coach Mike Vrabel’s message. With that said, a better performing team will only make Vrabel’s job harder when it comes to trimming the roster down to 53 players for the season.
Here is my 53-man roster projection as it stands after the first preseason game:
Quarterbacks (2): Drake Maye, Joshua Dobbs
Jul 23, 2025; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) throws a pass during training camp at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images
Drake Maye was only on the field for two drives in Friday’s preseason opener, and it was an up-and-down performance. He had a terrible fumble on the first drive, but he quickly bounced back on the second drive by leading the offense down the field and running into the end zone for a touchdown.
Advertisement
As for Joshua Dobbs, he had a wildly inaccurate night, but one poor performance isn’t enough to shift the belief that the Patriots would keep rookie Ben Wooldridge over him.
Running Backs (4): Rhamondre Stevenson, TreVeyon Henderson, Antonio Gibson, Lan Larison
Jun 9, 2025; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) hands the ball to running back Rhamondre Stevenson (38) during minicamp at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images
Rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson was so impressive against the Commanders that fans are already questioning if he should be considered the starter over Rhamondre Stevenson. He took a kickoff to the house for 100 yards on the first play of the game. The former Ohio State standout also had one rush for 18 yards and three receptions for 12 yards. In case you haven’t realized, the hype behind Henderson is very real.
Advertisement
Tight Ends (3): Hunter Henry, Austin Hooper, Jack Westover
Jul 23, 2025; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots tight end Hunter Henry (85) runs after making a catch at training camp at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images
One wrinkle that stood out was the Patriots using second-year tight end Jack Westover to fill the fullback void with rookie Brock Lampe being on injured reserve. Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels has a long history of getting great usage out of the fullback position. That element being a potential cog in the Patriots’ offense might have created a real opportunity for Westover to stick on the roster.
Wide Receivers (7): Stefon Diggs, Kyle Williams, Demario Douglas, Mack Hollins, Kayshon Boutte, Efton Chism III, Javon Baker
Jul 28, 2025; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs (8) runs after the catch during training camp at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images
The Patriots will have too tough a time cutting their receiving corps down to five players. I think they like undrafted rookie Efton Chism III, who led the team in receiving with six catches for 50 yards on Friday. Cutting him and hoping he makes it to the practice squad would be a major gamble. Another team will likely scoop him up and stash him on their roster instead.
Advertisement
Ja’Lynn Polk hasn’t stayed healthy, and it wouldn’t surprise me if the Patriots seek to move Kendrick Bourne in a trade. That leaves Javon Baker, who is showing upside at receiver and the ability to contribute on special teams as well. That last part is even more important with Marcellas Dial Jr. out for the season.
Offensive line (9): Will Campbell, Morgan Moses, Mike Onwenu, Caedan Wallace, Demontrey Jacobs, Marcus Bryant, Jared Wilson, Garrett Bradbury, Ben Brown
Jul 28, 2025; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots center Jared Wilson (58) heads to the practice fields for training camp at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images
The rookies have stepped up in a major way for New England’s offensive line. Left tackle Will Campbell and center/left guard Jared Wilson might both end up as starters by the end of training camp. Rookie offensive tackle Marcus Bryant has also started to come on as of late. He worked with the top offensive line unit with veteran Morgan Moses missing in action.
Advertisement
Defensive Tackles (5): Christian Barmore, Milton Williams, Joshua Farmer, Khyiris Tonga, Jeremiah Pharms Jr.
Jul 28, 2025; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots defensive tackle Christian Barmore (90) gets warmed up during training camp at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images
The defensive front should be one of the greatest strengths for the Patriots in 2025. Milton Williams and Christian Barmore are two of the best interior defenders in the NFL, and Khyiris Tonga is one of the league’s most underrated space-eaters. They’re going to wreak havoc against opposing offenses throughout the season.
Edge Rushers (5): Harold Landry III, Keion White, K’Lavon Chaisson, Bradyn Swinson, Truman Jones
Jul 23, 2025; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots linebacker Harold Landry III (2) walks to the practice fields for training camp at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images
The Patriots didn’t register a single sack in Friday’s preseason game, but they were also playing without Harold Landry and K’Lavon Chaisson. Both have stood out as potential key contributors in training camp. With that said, there are still concerns that the Patriots don’t have enough firepower on the edge. Trading for a No. 1 edge rusher, like Cincinnati Bengals’ disgruntled star Trey Hendrickson, would take the defense to another level.
Advertisement
Linebackers (4): Robert Spillane, Jahlani Tavai, Jack Gibbens, Christian Elliss
Jul 23, 2025; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots linebacker Robert Spillane (14) walks to the practice fields for training camp at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images
The linebacker corps in New England got an injection of life with the arrival of Robert Spillane. He has quickly morphed into a locker room leader, and Christian Elliss has continued his climb up the depth chart. There should be no surprises for the Patriots at this position.
Cornerbacks (5): Christian Gonzalez, Carlton Davis III, Marcus Jones, Alex Austin, D.J. James
Jul 28, 2025; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez (0) does a drill during training camp at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images
Christian Gonzalez and Carlton Davis III were both out on Friday, and it created an opportunity for Alex Austin and D.J. James to step into the spotlight. Austin is a capable backup who could play across from Gonzalez or Davis in a pinch. Meanwhile, James has been one of the more surprising training camp stories so far this year. He finished the game with three tackles, one interception and a pass deflection.
Advertisement
Safeties (6): Kyle Dugger, Jabrill Peppers, Craig Woodson, Dell Pettus, Jaylinn Hawkins, Brenden Schooler
Jul 28, 2025; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots safety Jabrill Peppers (5) heads to the practice fields for training camp at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images
Kyle Dugger could be a surprise trade candidate on the roster, especially if rookie Craig Woodson continues to play well. If Dugger sticks around, the Patriots will continue to have one of the deepest safety rooms in the NFL. The toughest decision will be whether to keep Dell Pettus or Marcus Epps.
Special Teams (3): K Andres Borregales, P Bryce Baringer, LS Julian Ashby
Jun 10, 2025; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots place kicker Andres Borregales (36) lines up a kick during minicamp held in the WIN Field House at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images
John Parker Romo is putting up a real fight for the starting kicker job. He booted a 57-yard field goal through the uprights against the Commanders. However, Andres Borregales still gets the edge, so far, with a strong training camp and being a rookie sixth-round draft pick.
Follow Patriots Wire on Twitter and Facebook.
This article originally appeared on Patriots Wire: Patriots 53-man roster projection after first preseason game