Mike Reiss, ESPN Staff Writer 6y

How the Patriots' depth chart looks after free-agent defections

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- The New England Patriots have arguably had as many notable free-agent defections as any team in the NFL, which is a reminder of the significant change ahead in 2018.

With that as a springboard, and with the understanding that more additions are ahead in free agency and the draft, let’s take a look at the current depth chart:

Quarterback

Tom Brady

Brian Hoyer

Brady, the reigning NFL Most Valuable Player, turns 41 on Aug. 3 and has two years remaining on his contract. He's been saying goodbye to some of his "brothers for life" on Instagram over the past few days, which is never easy. He's always noted his motivation for the "next one" -- in terms of Super Bowl championships.

Running back

James White

Rex Burkhead

Mike Gillislee

Brandon Bolden

Dion Lewis, who opened last season as the No. 4 option behind the aforementioned three rushers before rising to the top spot in the seventh week of the year, scored a four-year, $23 million deal with $11.5 million in guarantees from Tennessee. The Patriots haven’t drafted a running back since White in 2014 (fourth round).

Wide receiver

Brandin Cooks

Julian Edelman

Chris Hogan

Phillip Dorsett/Malcolm Mitchell/Kenny Britt/Riley McCarron/Cody Hollister

Losing the clutch play of Danny Amendola, who agreed to a two-year, $12 million deal with Miami, could hurt down the homestretch and into the playoffs, but there is still a lot of talent on the depth chart. Edelman and Mitchell are coming off knee injuries that cost them their 2017 seasons.

TE

Rob Gronkowski

Dwayne Allen

Jacob Hollister

Will Tye

James Develin (FB)

Gronkowski, an All-Pro in 2017, is scheduled to earn a base salary of $8 million in 2018, and then $9 million in 2019. As long as he's in uniform, the Patriots are in good shape at tight end.

Offensive line

LT – Cole Croston/Antonio Garcia

LG – Joe Thuney/Ted Karras

C – David Andrews/James Ferentz

RG – Shaq Mason/Jason King

RT – Marcus Cannon/Andrew Jelks

The biggest hole is at left tackle after Nate Solder’s free-agent departure. Croston is a 2017 undrafted free agent out of Iowa who showed enough promise to earn a roster spot as a rookie, and Garcia is a 2017 third-round pick who missed last season on the non-football illness list. Free agents LaAdrian Waddle and Cameron Fleming were called starting-caliber players by line coach Dante Scarnecchia last year, and they could potentially return and be part of the mix.

Defensive tackle

Malcom Brown

Lawrence Guy

Danny Shelton

Adam Butler/Vincent Valentine

Shelton, the No. 12 overall pick in the 2015 draft who projects as a space-eating nose-tackle type after being acquired in a trade with the Browns, upgrades this group.

Defensive end/outside linebacker

Trey Flowers

Deatrich Wise Jr.

Derek Rivers

Eric Lee

Shea McClellin

Harvey Langi/Geneo Grissom/Keionta Davis

Rivers, the team’s top draft pick from 2017 (third round, No. 83 overall), missed his rookie season with a torn ACL. He could help boost the pass rush.

Linebacker

Dont’a Hightower

Kyle Van Noy

Elandon Roberts

Nicholas Grigsby

Hightower’s return after missing half of last season with a torn pectoral muscle will help solidify this group, although given his injury history, he might have to be managed carefully.

Cornerback

Stephon Gilmore

Eric Rowe

Jonathan Jones

Cyrus Jones/Ryan Lewis/Jomal Wiltz

Malcolm Butler is now in Tennessee (5 years, $61 million), and there is a large playing-time void to fill alongside Gilmore after Butler logged 98.8, 96.7 and 97.8 percent of the defensive snaps in each of the last three regular seasons.

Safety

Devin McCourty

Patrick Chung

Duron Harmon

Jordan Richards

Nate Ebner/Brandon King/David Jones/Damarius Travis

The Patriots run their big nickel three-safety defense as much as any team in the NFL, and this group returns intact from 2017.

Specialists

K – Stephen Gostkowski

P – Ryan Allen

LS – Joe Cardona

The same group is back again for the fourth year in a row.

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