You knew Christian Gonzalez wasn’t going anywhere. Ditto for Keion White, Marte Mapu, Marcus Jones and Cole Strange.
But there are a handful of young Patriots who were not locks to make the initial 53-man roster when training camp opened who are now part of the club. From that group, if you’re looking for surprising 2023 contributors, here are the most intriguing…
MORE PATRIOTS COVERAGE
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Boston sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
Demario "Pop" Douglas, WR
Dynamism personified. That’s Douglas. At least, that’s what he was in camp. The regular season is a different world. But the sixth-rounder out of Liberty flashed exceptional athleticism during camp practices — he wasn’t touched at times in one-on-one tackling drills, and he consistently created separation with his lateral quickness — and already looks like the team’s fourth receiver.
Kayshon Boutte, WR
While Douglas looked like a 53-man roster player early in the summer, it took a little longer for Boutte to get hot. Eventually he started making eye-opening catches on a daily basis. One-handed in the end zone. Diving over the middle. Toe-tapping along the sideline. Bill Belichick recently credited him for having real explosive ability, but it seems like his body control and hands have been his best traits.
Boutte may have a harder time making the game-day roster unless there are injuries within the receiver unit, but the Patriots clearly don’t want to lose him.
Sam Roberts, DL
This second-year defensive lineman is one of the best stories on the team. Roberts won the Cliff Harris Award in college as the best non-Division 1 defensive player in the country. Drafted out of Division 2 Northwest Missouri State in the sixth round a year ago, Roberts contributed as a rookie — he saw action sparingly in five games — but appears to have gotten stronger and quicker this summer. He was consistently disruptive in practices and brought that production to preseason games.
Given where he came from as a collegian, it may take a few years before Roberts really approaches his ceiling as a pro. But he’s obviously improved, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him have more of a role in Year 2.
Atonio Mafi, OL
A former defensive tackle at UCLA, Mafi is a big-bodied interior offensive lineman who earned a gig as a fifth-round pick. No small feat. That level of draft pick isn’t guaranteed a roster spot. But he’s been the top left guard option in Strange’s absence this summer.
If Strange isn’t fully ready for Week 1, Mafi could find himself alongside Trent Brown against the Eagles. If the game plan is to burn clock, run the football, and keep the football out of the hands of Jalen Hurts, that could be good news for Mafi, whose power and aggressiveness moving forward are his strengths.
Chad Ryland, K
Big leg. Accustomed to kicking in the elements coming from Eastern Michigan (he later transferred to Maryland). It says a lot about Ryland that the Patriots were willing to move on from the consistency and professionalism Nick Folk brought to the table.
Even though Ryland was never going to be left off the roster — his fourth-round draft position all but guaranteed that — the Patriots could’ve tried to keep both around, maybe by getting Folk on the practice squad. Instead they traded Folk to Tennessee.
Ryland also has the ability to execute a variety of kickoffs. In the new NFL world where kicks can be fair-caught inside the 25 and taken out to the 25, there may be some creativity on display by Belichick on that front.