FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- The New England Patriots open the 2026 NFL regular season at the Seattle Seahawks on Sept. 9 at 8:20 p.m. ET (NBC). But first, they play one more preseason game Thursday at the Cleveland Browns and then must cut their roster to 53 players by 6 p.m. ET on Sunday.
Who will make the team? Which positions have tough decisions on deck? And where might the lineup be deepest and thinnest this season?
One of the most intriguing questions is how many receivers the Patriots will keep. Most teams go with five or six, but the Patriots have seven worthy candidates, and coach Mike Vrabel has called the position a strength of the team. Also, how many rookies ultimately stick will be compelling, as undrafted linebacker Khalil Jacobs (Missouri) and undrafted tight end Tanner Arkin (Illinois) have made a charge behind a nine-player draft class.
Here is our projection for the 53-man roster for the Patriots.
Quarterbacks (3)
Drake Maye, Tommy DeVito, Behren Morton
Morton, the seventh-round pick from Texas Tech, earned his way onto the 53-man roster with strong play in preseason games. He's shown developmental promise and would benefit from a year learning behind the scenes - ideally on the practice squad, but it's too risky to assume he'd clear through waivers given the importance of the position.
Running backs (2)
Rhamondre Stevenson, TreVeyon Henderson
This is an unconventional approach to keep just Stevenson and Henderson, then load up the practice squad with any combination of Hassan Haskins, JaMycal Hasty, 2026 seventh-round pick Jam Miller and 2025 undrafted Lan Larison (and promote them for games as needed). Of the group, Haskins' special-teams experience (449 snaps over the past two seasons) gives him an added layer of value.
Fullbacks (1)
The Patriots targeted Gilliam in free agency because of his physical play in the running game and on kickoff returns.
Tight ends (3)
Hunter Henry, Eli Raridon, Tanner Arkin
Julian Hill's season-ending knee injury sustained in the spring took away sought-after blocking prowess, which Arkin has helped fill. It might be too risky at this point for the Patriots to see if Arkin clears waivers to make it to the practice squad.
Wide receivers (7)
A.J. Brown, Romeo Doubs, DeMario "Pop" Douglas, Mack Hollins, Kayshon Boutte, Kyle Williams, Efton Chism III
If another team is willing to give up something of value for Boutte, the Patriots might be tempted to consider it. But Boutte has been a regular part of the offense in training camp, making plays down the field.
Offensive linemen (10)
Will Campbell, Alijah Vera-Tucker, Jared Wilson, Mike Onwenu, Morgan Moses, Caleb Lomu, Marcus Bryant, Greg Van Roten, Ben Brown, Dametrious Crownover
Brown sustained an undisclosed injury in the preseason opener that has him sidelined multiple weeks, and depending on the timeline, he could be a candidate for injured reserve to free up a roster spot elsewhere. That's what led the team to sign the 36-year-old Van Roten on Aug. 18. Likewise with Bryant, who was knocked out of the Week 2 preseason game in the first quarter with a left ankle injury.
Defensive linemen (6)
Milton Williams, Christian Barmore, Cory Durden, Joshua Farmer, Leonard Taylor III, Eric Gregory
Barmore has been in and out of practice in recent weeks due to an undisclosed injury, so the team's visit with free agent defensive tackle DaQuan Jones could be connected to his status. Isaiah Iton, Jeremiah Pharms Jr. and Casey Rogers all have made cases to stick around.
Linebackers (8)
Dre'Mont Jones, Elijah Ponder, Gabe Jacas, Harold Landry III, Robert Spillane, Christian Elliss, Khalil Jacobs, K.J. Britt
One lingering question is whether veteran edge Landry opens the year on the physically unable to perform list or ultimately the active roster. If it's the first option, the team is thin on the edge and would have to tap the likes of Bradyn Swinson, Quintayvious Hutchins, Xavier Holmes and/or Jesse Luketa from the practice squad. At inside linebacker, it was tough to get a read on Britt in preseason, but the hunch is that his veteran presence is needed and rookie Namdi Obiazor could clear waivers and land on the practice squad.
Cornerbacks (6)
Christian Gonzalez, Carlton Davis III, Marcus Jones, Charles Woods, Karon Prunty, Kindle Vildor
When Davis missed two weeks of camp with a hamstring injury, the offense had success going at Woods as his top replacement. Vildor, the veteran who had an interception in the preseason opener, proved to be a valuable depth option to keep around.
Safeties (4)
Kevin Byard, Craig Woodson, Dell Pettus, Brenden Schooler
Similar to Landry at outside linebacker, the question is if Schooler opens the year on the non-football injury list or active roster. The answer could impact whether Mike Brown or John Saunders Jr. lands on the roster, but both would factor into plans with the practice squad in mind.
Special teams (3)
Bryce Baringer (P), Andy Borregales (K), Julian Ashby (LS)
The trio returns for a second year together and didn't face direct competition in training camp. The Patriots had long-snapper Niko Lalos in for a week when Ashby was managing an ankle injury.