The New England Patriots face an uphill battle when receiving a visit from the defending NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday.
On one hand, this is a nightmare season-opening opponent for a Patriots team that is completely outmatched on paper, but on the other hand, it’s an opportunity for the Bill Belichick-led team to shock the world by knocking off one of the NFL’s Super Bowl favorites in Week 1.
Buy Patriots TicketsThe Patriots have made a few changes to their 53-man roster, most notably at the quarterback position.
Keep in mind, more moves could come ahead of kick-off on Sunday, but the following players will most likely be on New England’s 53-man roster and practice squad against the Eagles.
Quarterbacks (4)
53-man roster (2): Mac Jones, Matt Corral
Practice squad (2): Bailey Zappe, Malik Cunningham
Patriots starting quarterback Mac Jones might have a new backup with the team signing Matt Corral to the 53-man roster. The team could opt to promote Zappe to the main roster before the game, which makes the most sense considering his experience. Philly will attempt to put Jones under a lot of pressure throughout the game, and the Patriots better have a great emergency Plan B option if their quarterback goes down with an injury.
Running backs (4)
53-man roster (2): Rhamondre Stevenson, Ezekiel Elliott
Practice squad (2): Ty Montgomery, Kevin Harris
Rhamondre Stevenson and Ezekiel Elliott are cut from the same cloth as two battering ram running backs with the finesse to also make catches as receivers. They can do everything on the field, and that versatility is going to allow Bill O’Brien to get creative with the offense in ways the Eagles might not be expecting. Getting the running game going is a great way to slow down Philly’s pass rush early.
Wide receivers (7)
53-man roster (5): DeVante Parker, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Kendrick Bourne, Demario Douglas, Kayshon Boutte
Practice squad (2): Jalen Reagor, T.J. Luther
The Patriots might not have the most electric group of receivers, but they have proven playmakers at the position with the right play-calling and coaching. Bill O’Brien will get the most out of the Patriots’ receivers in the same way that Josh McDaniels was able to do so back in 2021. The unit also has a pair of rookie sixth-round draft picks in Demario Douglas and Kayshon Boutte capable of making a big difference right out of the gates.
Tight ends (4)
53-man roster (3): Hunter Henry, Mike Gesicki, Pharaoh Brown
Practice squad (1): Matt Sokol
The tight end position should be better than it’s been in years for the Patriots. Hunter Henry is playing with renewed confidence in an improved offense, and Mike Gesicki fits the mold better than Jonnu Smith did last year. Pharaoh Brown isn’t a marquee name, but he’s a gritty tight end with the ability to block and make catches downfield.
Offensive line (13)
53-man roster (10): Trent Brown, Cole Strange, David Andrews, Mike Onwenu, Calvin Anderson, Sidy Sow, Tyrone Wheatley Jr., Vederian Lowe, Atonio Mafi, Jake Andrews
Practice squad (3): Andrew Stueber, James Ferentz, Kody Russey
There have been a lot of moving parts on the offensive line in New England throughout training camp and the preseason. The unit has struggled in pass protection, and the quarterbacks under center have paid the price for it.
There’s hope that all of the starters will be back on the field on Sunday with Calvin Anderson likely standing in for Riley Reiff, who was recently placed on injured reserve. A healthier offensive line will be desperately needed against an Eagles pass rush that ranked among the best in the league in 2022.
Defensive line (8)
53-man roster (7): Christian Barmore, Davon Godchaux, Deatrich Wise Jr., Lawrence Guy, Keion White, Daniel Ekuale, Sam Roberts
Practice squad (1): Jeremiah Pharms Jr.
The Patriots’ pass rushers will have their hands full trying to contain Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts in the pocket. This is a game where they’re going to need players like Christian Barmore and Davon Godchaux to generate pressure up the middle and force Hurts into the awaiting arms of Deatrich Wise Jr., Lawrence Guy and Keion White. Even if the Patriots don’t generate a bunch of sacks, they need to at least rack up pressures and quarterback hits to make the Eagles’ signal-caller uncomfortable.
Linebackers (11)
53-man roster (8): Matthew Judon, Josh Uche, Ja’Whaun Bentley, Jahlani Tavai, Marte Mapu, Anfernee Jennings, Mack Wilson, Chris Board
Practice squad (3): Ronnie Perkins, Calvin Munson, Joe Giles-Harris
Speaking of making Hurts uncomfortable, nobody can do that better than Matthew Judon and Josh Uche. This is a game where the Patriots’ linebacker stars must show up in a big way. If the Patriots can consistently win on the edges, they can turn this entire game on its head.
Cornerbacks (7)
53-man roster (7): Jonathan Jones, Christian Gonzalez, Jack Jones, Marcus Jones, Myles Bryant, Shaun Wade, Ameer Speed
Practice squad:
Jack Jones’ legal proceedings are behind him, but there’s still a chance he could face discipline from the league, stemming from a June incident where he was arrested for allegedly attempting to bring firearms onto a plane at the Logan International Airport.
There are depth questions for the cornerback unit in New England if Jones misses time, but if the unit stays intact, they have a promising season ahead with Jonathan Jones and rookie first-round draft pick Christian Gonzalez leading the way.
Safeties (6)
53-man roster (5): Kyle Dugger, Jabrill Peppers, Adrian Phillips. Jalen Mills, Brenden Schooler
Practice squad (1): Joshuah Bledsoe
The Patriots’ safeties could stand toe-to-toe with any other defensive backfield in the NFL. Kyle Dugger is one of the best safeties in the league, and Jabrill Peppers, Adrian Phillips and Jalen Mills could all be starters elsewhere. This is a versatile group full of interchangeable players that can do a little bit of everything.
Specialists (4)
53-man roster: Chad Ryland, Bryce Baringer, Joe Cardona
Practice squad (1): Corliss Waitman
Kicker Chad Ryland and punter Bryce Baringer both beat out the veteran competition to earn starting jobs on the 53-man roster. Ryland has been up and down kicking field goals throughout training camp. His performance under pressure will be something to keep an eye on in this matchup. The same goes for Baringer, especially with him playing in his first NFL regular season game.
