The New Guys

The draft is over, undrafted free agents have been signed; the roster building process isn't over - it's never over - but the story that is the 2019 New England Patriots has begun.

Somewhere on this roster is an undrafted free agent who will make the Final 53. A new folk hero is waiting to happen. A new starring role yet to be cast in this 21st sequel in the epic "The Goat of San Mateo" film series is waiting to happen.

So, who will win best actor in a supporting role? Who will be the breakout star? And who's story ends in tragedy?

Let's break it down by position, with an eye on the new additions to the roster.

Quarterback

Danny, we hardly knew ye! The Pats drafted Jarrett Stidham, putting Danny Etling's spot on the roster at risk. Could the Pats trade Brian Hoyer and keep the kids? Seems unlikely, though an injury to another team's QB in the preseason could present an offer Bill Belichick finds it hard to refuse. Hoyer holds value as an insurance policy for that which we will not mention, but he's perhaps more valuable as the scout team QB. Hard to imagine another team, however desperate, offering a 2nd round pick for Hoyer.

Stidham is objectively a better talent than Etling. Sometimes it's as simple as that.

Bon chance, Danny Etling.

Running Back

It didn't appear to be a position of need on the surface, with Sony Michel, James White, and Rex Burkhead already in the running backs' room but perhaps drafting Damien Harris makes more sense with additional scrutiny/rationalization…

Michel and Burkhead have injury histories. Let's not forget New England pressed Cordarrelle Patterson into emergency duty as a running back last year. Harris was productive and durable playing for Nick Saban against NFL-level talent in the SEC.

I'm already on record for being good with the Patriots going run heavy with Michel and Harris. It's a classic Belichick zig when the league zags. It will take advantage of lighter, smaller defenses built to stop all those millennial, college concept-driven passing offenses. It will reduce risk to Tom Brady and make the play action offense even more effective.

Fullback

If Jakob Johnson becomes a story this year it probably means something bad happened to James Develin. So, let's hope this is the last time I mention Jakob Johnson.

Wide Receiver

Can N'Keal Harry be that rookie WR who succeeds in New England's famously complex offensive system? Forget "to be or not to be?" because that is the question for the 2019 Patriots.

With Julian Edelman the only constant at wide receiver, there are plenty of other questions for this position group, of course. In no particular order:

• Does Demaryius Thomas have any gas left in the tank?
• Can Phillip Dorsett continue to be effective with increased usage?
• Will Josh Gordon get on the field in 2019?
• Can Bruce Ellington, Maurice Harris, or Braxton Berrios provide a 4th (or 5th) option in the passing game?
• Will one of the UDFA pickups, Jakobi Meyers, Xavier Ubosi, or Ryan Davis find their way onto the Final 53?

My best case scenario:

• The Pats start the season with Edelman, Dorsett, and Harry as their Top 3 at WR; Harry immediately has an impact, Dorsett continues to catch everything thrown his way, and Jules is Jules.
• Berrios beats out Ellington and Harris, showing the potential to eventually succeed Edelman in the slot and provides an option in 4-wide formations..
• Thomas comes off PUP/Gordon's suspension is lifted and Thomas/Gordon gives the passing game a boost in the second half of the season.
• One of those UDFAs shows he can return punts in the preseason so Edelman doesn't have to (except in obvious fair catch situations).

Training camp and the preseason is going to be a fascinating watch for this group.

Tight End

After their only move in free agency was to sign veteran Austin Seferian-Jenkins I began wondering if Belichick and his coaches maybe felt better about the talent already on the roster than any other humans in the known universe. Then the Patriots passed on the position in the draft - but did pick up blocking TE Andrew Beck as an UDFA, which makes sense if the Pats focus on the running game in 2019. Still, having watched hours of Patriots Porn on YouTube, I think it's fair to say tight end will still be an important piece of the Pats passing game because tight end has always been an important piece of the Pats passing game (I'm looking at you, Jermaine Wiggins and remembering that game-winning drive in SB36).

Seferian-Jenkins could be in line for a career year with New England in 2019 because (a) Tom Brady and (b) though he caught 50 passes for the Jets in 2017 those 50 catches resulted in just 357 yards (7.1 yards per catch). It feels like Seferian-Jenkins has been around forever but he's just 26-years old. And given his recent tenure with the Jets and Jaguars, the Pats have scouted Seferian-Jenkins pretty extensively. The more I think about this signing the better I feel about it!

The Pats also like 12 and 22 personnel so who's going to be that second TE? UDFA rookie Beck in an "extra tackle" role? Matt LaCosse or redshirt frosh Ryan Izzo as block first in-line TEs with some pass catching ability? Jacob Hollister or Stephen Anderson as move/H-Back pass catchers you really don't want to see trying to block because they'll pull a hammie?

So many questions. I really missed another bullet list opportunity there. Anyway...

Another position with compelling watchability in the run up to the regular season. Seems the most likely position to be upgraded via trade.

Offensive Line

Yodny Cajuste's draft profile says he's a potential starter at the pro level and that's a good thing with redshirt freshman Isaiah Wynn coming off a season-ending achilles injury and Marcus Cannon having last started all 16 regular season games in 2014. Enigmatic holdover Cole Croston may also provide depth in 2019. UDFA Tyree St. Louis has a great sports name (and yes, that matters). I'm not sure I believe the Donald Penn rumors but depending on how Wynn's rehab is going it wouldn't be a shock.

Belichick added depth to the IOL with spell-check killer Hjalte Froholdt, who will challenge Ted Karras for backup OG/C. Hm. Wondering if Belichick would trade Joe Thuney a year early and role with Karras as the starter at LG (or play Cajuste at LT and move Wynn inside)? If the Pats are going run first I'd expect them to hold onto Thuney. Then again, I never thought Belichick would trade Logan Mankins, either.

Plenty to sort out here, even if we're hoping Cajuste and Froholdt turn out to be starter-caliber pros.

Edge Defender

The addition of Chase Winovich gives the Pats a solid (possibly dominant) four-man rotation with Michael Bennett, Dietrich Wise, Jr., and John Simon. We all know what Bennett can do and Wise has gotten better his first two years in Foxborough and seems primed for a big season. Simon reminded me a little bit of Ninkovich in his first season with the Pats. If Winovich lives up to the hype this could be a scary bunch.

It would be jimmies on the sundae of Derek Rivers, Keionta Davis, or Trent Harris can get on the field in 2019. Got to hope those three have a "Plan B" if football doesn't work out because they're probably going to need it.

Defensive Tackle

The top three still look like Lawrence Guy, Adam Butler, and Mike Pennel. We'll pencil in 5th round pick Byron Cowart for the fourth spot in this position group; we have to assume Belichick made this pick to push depth options Ufomba Kamalu, Frank Herron, and David Parry. As in, push one of them off the roster.

Linebacker

It sound like the Patriots really like UDFA Terez Hall but New England already has a pretty good group on the roster with Dont'a Hightower, Kyle Van Noy, Ja'whaun Bentley, and Elandon Roberts.

The new "base" defense in the NFL seems to be a 4-2-5 with "sub" packages looking like a 3-2-6 or even a 3-1-7; a four-man rotation at linebacker seems good given those configurations with LB depth options primarily allocated to special teams. That seems the likely camp story for this group: Can Hall, practice squadder Calvin Munson, or redshirt freshman Christian Sam unseat incumbent Brandon King for special teams roster spot.

Cornerback

This position group would've been strong without the addition of 2nd round pick Joejuan Williams and 7th round pick Ken Webster. The Pats have Stephon Gilmore, J.C. Jackson, and Jason McCourty as likely starters with Jonathan Jones, Keion Crossen, and Duke Dawson as depth/5th DB options already on the roster. Williams appears to be a succession plan for McCourty while Webster will push Crossen, Dawson, and Jones for a roster spot.

The combination of an elite secondary and an improvements to the front seven should result in more sacks and more interceptions. Belichick is building a defense to stop millennial offenses while building an offense to impose its will on millennial defenses.

Safety

The top 3 - Devin McCourty, Patrick Chung, Duron Harmon - will be back again in 2019. Aside from UDFA Malik Gant, there are no changes to a depth chart that features the enigmatic talents of Obi Melifonwu and special team ace Nate Ebner. Based on talent and current NFL offenses, it seems likely the Pats would keep an extra corner over an extra safety.

Special Teams

Kicker Stephen Gostkowski and long-snapper Joe Cardona are locks. The only drama here is whether or not punter Ryan Allen can hold of yet another challenger to his roster spot. Belichick traded up for punter Jake Bailey and it's been observed by pigskin pundits and bobbleheads that while Allen was great in SB53 he's been closer to league average (or below) during the regular season.

It's also been noted that Bailey could handle kickoffs, allowing Gostkowski to focus exclusively on extra points and field goals. Not to mention keeping Gostkowski out of harm's way on kickoff returns (as infrequent as they've become). Small edges perhaps but Belichick is all about the narrow margins.

This is not the minor subplot some might think and definitely worth our attention. They still call it football and it is still a game of field position. Improving net punting average by even a few yards could have a huge impact on the outcome of games.

Overall

Are we still freaking out? No tight end drafted. One wide receiver drafted. I'm not sure why I feel better but I do. Maybe things weren't quite as bad as I thought in the first place. Maybe I'm just rationalizing; Belichick has met these challenges before and Tom Brady has turned journeymen wide receivers into pro bowlers. Why should 2019 be any different?

Yeah, maybe I'm crazy but despite the loss of Trey Flowers, I think the defense will be better in 2019. The secondary is stacked and the D-Line is going to get after quarterbacks. Despite the lack of precedent for a Pats rookie wide receiver having an offensive rookie of the year-level season, I think the offense could be at least as good in 2019 and if pressed I would bet the over.

Am I just talking myself into this? Maybe. Yeah.

Ride or die, bitches.