The Patriots will break for summer a week from Tuesday.
Before they go on vacation, we’ll have ample opportunity to examine several key position battles.
The Pats will hold their three-day minicamp from Tuesday through Thursday this week, as well as two Organized Team Activity (OTA) sessions next week. Attendance at minicamp is mandatory, which means Tom Brady is expected to return to the field after skipping voluntary OTAs.
There are no pads or hitting during minicamp, but we’re expecting high-intensity practices each day.
Here are five position battles we’ll be monitoring:
TIGHT END
Competitors: Ben Watson (suspended) vs. Austin Seferian-Jenkins vs. Matt LaCosse.
We knew this position would look radically different the moment Rob Gronkowski hit publish on his retirement announcement.
And now, with Ben Watson facing a four-game suspension to begin the season, there’s another layer of intrigue.
The door is wide open for either Austin Seferian-Jenkins or Matt LaCosse to take over as the Patriots’ Week 1 starter.
The quick book on both: At 6-foot-5, 252 pounds, Seferian-Jenkins certainly looks the part. He’s flashed at times throughout his five-year NFL career, including an eight-catch performance versus the Patriots in 2017. The issue for Seferian-Jenkins has been his durability. He’s topped 10 games in only one season thus far.
Seferian-Jenkins missed voluntary OTAs with an excused absence.
LaCosse was one of the Patriots’ first signings in free agency, which might reflect how the club valued him. He was a classic Patriots free-agent acquisition — totally off the radar, not considered among the top players at his position, but an intriguing prospect who could quickly develop into a contributor with New England.
The 6-foot-6, 255-pound LaCosse impressed in the lone OTA session open to the media, displaying light feet and solid athleticism. We’ll get an even closer look at LaCosse over the next three days.
Another player to watch in this position battle: Fourth-year pro Stephen Anderson, who was elevated to the 53-man roster late last season. Anderson is undersized at 6-foot-3, 230 pounds, so he’s probably not an option to become the starting in-line tight end, but he could end up splitting snaps because of his proficiency in the passing game.
RUNNING BACK
Competitors: Sony Michel vs. Damien Harris.
James White is locked into his role. Rex Burkhead is likely viewed as a jack-of-all-trades, change-of-pace runner. The competition for “lead” back boils down to second-year pro Sony Michel and rookie Damien Harris.
Michel enters as the favorite. In 16 games last season, including playoffs, Michel rushed for 1,267 yards and 12 touchdowns. Big-time numbers. There’s still room for improvement in a few areas, though. Among running backs with 200+ carries, only Arizona’s David Johnson had fewer runs of 20+ yards than Michel (4). Additionally, Michel’s seven receptions were the lowest of any running back with at least 140 rushing attempts.
That’s where Harris comes in. If he proves to be a markedly better pass protector and receiver than Michel, this will become an interesting battle.
Ultimately, both backs will play. It’s just a matter of sorting out the snap distribution between them.
NO. 2 AND NO. 3 WIDE RECEIVER
Competitors: N’Keal Harry vs. Phillip Dorsett vs. Dontrelle Inman vs. Maurice Harris vs. Braxton Berrios.
Julian Edelman exhibited zero signs of slippage in 2018. He’ll be New England’s unquestioned No. 1 receiver and by far the most important player — Tom Brady excluded — on the offense.
And then? Well, it’s a little murky.
First-round pick N’Keal Harry will make the squad and probably play a good amount. But rookie success is hard to project. That’s why the Patriots brought in a slew of veterans to compete, too.
Phillip Dorsett earned the respect of his coaches and teammates over the past few years. Although he didn’t put up gaudy stats, he delivered some enormous plays (such as the 29-yard touchdown reception, fighting through an uncalled pass interference, at the end of the first half of the AFC Championship). Dorsett is entering his fifth NFL season and can still make strides.
A 30-year-old journeyman, Dontrelle Inman emerged as the No. 2 wideout down the stretch for the Colts last season, catching 17 passes on 19 targets for 231 yards and three touchdowns over his final four games. He’ll have every opportunity to win a roster spot — and a legitimate role in the offense —this summer.
Maurice Harris and Braxton Berrios are the wild cards. The Pats need a backup slot receiver behind Edelman. After a so-so summer as a rookie, Berrios gets another shot to prove he can be that guy. And Harris is a 6-foot-3, 200-pound receiver who brings a unique skill set to the slot position.
There’s no telling how this competition will shake out (especially if/when Demaryius Thomas and Josh Gordon get involved).
But this three-day minicamp should give us an idea heading into the summer.
NO. 2 CORNERBACK
Competitors: J.C. Jackson vs. Jason McCourty vs. Joejuan Williams.
This could change from week to week, depending on the matchup.
A physical corner with exceptional ball skills, J.C. Jackson worked his way into the starting lineup in early December and dominated throughout the final month of the regular season. He was relegated to more specialized roles in the playoffs, however. Jackson covered Rams tight end Gerald Everett in Super Bowl LIII.
If Jackson can make the expected progress from Year One to Year Two, he should open the season as the starter opposite Stephon Gilmore.
But fending off Jason McCourty and rookie Joejuan Williams will be no easy feat. There’s a reason the Pats traded up in the second round for Williams. They love his size on the perimeter. Listed at 6-foot-3, 208 pounds, Williams dwarfs every other New England corner. He saw extensive reps in the lone OTA session that was open to the media, turning in an up-and-down performance. Williams picked off Jarrett Stidham on the final rep of 11-on-11s, but was also beaten by N’Keal Harry on several routes.
FINAL SPOT IN THE SECONDARY
Competitors: Duke Dawson vs. Keion Crossen vs. Obi Melifonwu.
The Patriots are loaded in the secondary. They have an All-Pro in Stephon Gilmore. They have several high-level veteran starters such as Devin McCourty and Patrick Chung. And behind them, there’s a jumble of young players with upside.
But the Pats cannot keep ’em all.
This has been a theme in recent seasons, when the club cut ties with Justin Coleman, Cre’Von LeBlanc, Darryl Roberts, Kenny Moore and Cyrus Jones. All five ended up contributing on other teams.
Given the sheer depth across the board, it’s unlikely that Duke Dawson, Keion Crossen, and Obi Melifonwu all make the team.
Dawson, a second-round pick in 2018, must show something as a slot cornerback after essentially redshirting as a rookie.
Crossen can become a special teams superstar, but he can solidify a spot with refined technique on defense.
Melifonwu will likely see extended reps at strong safety throughout minicamp as Chung works his way back from two offseason surgeries. An outrageously gifted athlete, Melifonwu must take full advantage of this opportunity.
