Identifying the Core New England Patriots Players Moving Forward

Eliot Wolf stated he planned to do things the “Packer Way” with the New England Patriots. This philosophy consists of drafting, developing, and extending core players. Ten games into the 2024 season, Wolf’s first having final say over player personnel in New England, there is a sense of who those core players could be.

Wolf gave indications of who he believes belongs in this group. Since he took over, 13 veteran players have been signed to contracts have been signed to contracts beyond this season. Those players are likely to be considered core players by Wolf. However, the real question is which players will be part of the Patriots organization once they become legitimate contenders again. Fans, and employees in Foxboro alike, hope the team is playing for a Lombardi Trophy as soon as 2025. But being more realistic, it will likely be a longer journey to truly joining the NFL’s elite.

So, which members of the 2024 New England Patriots should fans expect to be around when the franchise is making deep postseason runs once again? Let’s break it down by position.

Also Read – Kendrick Bourne Gets Biblical About Benching

Quarterback

Core Players: Drake Maye

There is no doubt the Patriots’ rookie quarterback is the core player on the roster. New England used the third overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft to obtain him, and the early returns are extremely encouraging. The hope is that Maye will be in Foxboro for years to come, leading the way back to championship contention.

.@DRAKEMAYE2 MIC'D UP pic.twitter.com/pNjnhfkOhY

— New England Patriots (@Patriots) November 12, 2024

Joe Milton III developing as a reliable backup for Maye is ideal. However, only players expected to play major roles will be considered “core players” for this exercise. Thus, only one quarterback can qualify. However, developing Milton could result in him landing elsewhere. Matt Hasselbeck, Mark Brunnell, and Aaron Brooks were among the quarterbacks who developed as backups in Green Bay before finding success as starters elsewhere.

Running Backs

Core Players: Rhamondre Stevenson

The Patriots gave Rhamondre Stevenson an extension in the offseason that makes him the NFL’s seventh highest-paid running back. Stevenson seems to have recovered from his early season fumble issues and is back to being productive. Thirty is the reported age of running backs having a drop off in production, and Stevenson doesn’t turn 30 until 2028. However, 30-year-old Derrick Henry currently leads the NFL in rushing, so the bar might need to be moved. Either way, Stevenson should remain the Patriots lead back for the foreseeable future. Keeping quality depth behind him, either from players currently on the roster or on the outside, will be part of the roster development moving forward.

From Mondre, with love ❤️💙@budlight | #BudLightCelly pic.twitter.com/Sx90Ua6UKs

— New England Patriots (@Patriots) October 16, 2022

Wide Receivers

Core Players: Kayshon Boutte, DeMario Douglas

These second-year wide receivers have both shown enough to warrant being part of the team’s plans for the future. Boutte caught only two passes for 19 yards as a rookie. In 2024, he went from fighting for a roster spot to leading all Patriots wide receivers in offensive snaps in Week 10. Douglas came off a solid rookie campaign with high expectations for a second-year jump in production. However, despite the Patriots’ limited offensive attack to start the season, he’s on pace for 66 receptions, 605 yards, and two touchdowns, which are all improvements over his 2023 numbers. At worst, these two have proven themselves to be NFL-caliber wide receivers who will continue to be solid contributors, with the upside to be even more.

New England hopes rookies Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker join the core group. Neither has shown enough this season to warrant inclusion yet. It would be a huge draft miss for Eliot Wolf if Polk doesn’t produce. New England should try to add a top receiver in the offseason and keep these four, along with possibly Kendrick Bourne, as the wide receiver group moving forward. They just need to make sure they get the top receiver right because there are some nice potential complementary pieces in place.

.@DrakeMaye2's first @NFL TD is to @KayshonBoutte1 🏈

📺: CBS pic.twitter.com/Oi7BpFvq6H

— New England Patriots (@Patriots) October 13, 2024

Tight Ends

Core Players: Hunter Henry

Henry is having a Pro Bowl-caliber year for New England. He’ll turn 30 in December, and his role might diminish in the coming years. But the worst-case scenario would be Henry taking over the receiving tight end role occupied by Mike Gesicki and Austin Hooper over the past two years. He’s a productive player and a team leader who should continue to have some role in New England moving forward. Hooper has played well enough to warrant keeping beyond 2024 if New England doesn’t opt for a potential upgrade in free agency or the 2025 NFL Draft. Jaheim Bell was a seventh-round pick that could develop into a bigger role, though it is too early to say how likely that is.

Hunt is feeling it today 🔥@Hunter_Henry84 | #NEPats

📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/x1bN1KLq3R

— New England Patriots (@Patriots) September 15, 2024

Offensive Line

Core Players: Mike Onwenu

New England needs more than one offensive lineman to develop into a core player. As of now, Onwenu is it. Center David Andrews could return in 2025 but will be coming off a major injury. Retirement rumors circulated about Andrews even before this injury. The Patriots must decide where to play Onwenu and let him stay there. It seems the team would prefer him at right guard. Who will be the other four around him?

As with the first-year wideouts, New England would love rookies Caedan Wallace and Layden Robinson to develop into core players. Vederian Lowe, Demontrey Jacobs, and Ben Brown have all looked like serviceable NFL players at times, though blossoming into reliable starters or core players has yet to happen. Sidy Sow seems to have fallen out of favor after a promising rookie campaign in 2023. Determining how to move forward with this group should be Eliot Wolf’s top priority in the offseason.

Defensive Linemen

Core Players: Christian Barmore, Davon Godchaux, Keion White

Barmore needs to be available to be included here. He received a blood clot diagnosis at the beginning of training camp, which has sidelined him ever since. The expectation is that he will return, though when that will be remains unknown. Barmore received the Andre Tippett Award in 2023 as the New England Patriots Defensive Player of the Year and locked up a lucrative extension in the offseason. Getting him back will be huge for the Patriots defense. Davon Godchaux has proven to be a reliable player who also received an extension before the 2024 season. New England can build around this duo in the middle, either from the current roster or through other means.

Keion White has made a significant impact in his second season. Through ten games, he has 42 tackles, 14 quarterback hits, 5.0 sacks, and two forced fumbles. All dwarf his rookie numbers from 2023. Fortunately for the Patriots, White appears to have more room for improvement. Barmore’s return could help bolster the amount of disruption he can cause. He’s not eligible for an extension until after the 2025 season, though New England should try to get something done as soon as they’re allowed.

Linebackers

Core Players: Anfernee Jennings, Jahlani Tavai

Jennings earned the Patriots mid-season Defensive Player of the Year. Against Chicago in Week 10, Jennings began the second half of the schedule with two sacks against the Bears. But statistics don’t tell the full story for Jennings, who is excellent against the run and sets the edge for the defense. Tavai makes this list as well. Despite a slow start to his 2024 season, Tavai has come on strong the past two weeks. He was exceptional in 2023, winning the Tom Brady Award as the Patriots team MVP. He continues to contribute on special teams and is versatile as a defender, able to line up in the middle or move outside as needed. His extension keeps him under team control through 2027.

Jahlani Tavai INT pic.twitter.com/pm0XEaYza9

— Patriots Nation  𝕏 (@PatsNationTM) November 3, 2024

Ja’Whaun Bentley is a team leader and a productive player. However, his injury has him out for the rest of 2024 and next season is the last year of his deal. He could be added to this list next year if he makes a full recovery and gets extended.

Defensive Backs

Core Players: Kyle Dugger, Christian Gonzalez, Marcus Jones, Dell Pettus

Christian Gonzalez’s inclusion here is a no-brainer. Aside from Drake Maye, he ranks as the most important player on the current roster. Gonzalez gives the Patriots a bona fide lockdown corner, which is not easy to find. As with Keion White, New England would be wise to get an extension done as soon as he is eligible following the 2025 season.

Christian Gonzalez picks off Huntley!

📺: #MIAvsNE on FOX
📱: https://t.co/waVpO8ZBqG pic.twitter.com/QpjbbHrc5y

— NFL (@NFL) October 6, 2024

Marcus Jones gets the nod here as well. He has proven to be a solid corner, even if that means being third on the pecking order. Jones resumed his excellence as a punt returner this season following a 2023 campaign that was lost to an early-season injury. Being a rotational corner (at the least) and elite return specialist is a player worth keeping around, even if the new regime has not opted to play him on offense yet this season.

Kyle Dugger received a new contract this offseason that will keep him in New England through 2027. He has taken on more of a leadership role this season, which will likely expand further in the coming years. With the absence of Jabrill Peppers, who may have played his last game for the Patriots, having a dependable veteran manning the defensive backfield is crucial.

Dell Pettus might be the most surprising pick on this list, as he’s an undrafted rookie free agent. But already Pettus has shown he is a capable safety and a core special teams player. Perhaps anointing him a core player is premature, especially over the likes of Marte Mapu and others, but the feeling here is that Pettus will have a long stay in New England.

Special Teams

Core Players: Bryce Baringer, Joe Cardona, Brenden Schooler

Quite simply, there is no need to think about replacing any of these players. All are excellent at what they do. Baringer has improved on his rookie campaign and is one of the most reliable punters in the NFL. Cardona is 32 but is still playing some of his best football in 2024. Furthermore, three NFL long snappers started the season at age 38. Brenden Schooler has become the special special teams player in the NFL. He’s likely to earn his first Pro Bowl nod in 2024 with an excellent opportunity to be a first-team All-Pro selection. He seems to love it in New England, and the Patriots love having somebody to follow in the footsteps of Tatupu, Izzo, and Slater. The team’s other specialist, Joey Slye, has performed very well in his first season with New England. But it was tough to include a veteran journeyman kicker after only ten games. He is scheduled to hit free agency in 2025, and bringing him back would make a lot of sense.

BLOCKED KICK 🚨

📺: #MIAvsNE on NBC
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/FhXtx7w3wW pic.twitter.com/Algkk6q1IN

— NFL (@NFL) September 18, 2023

Eliot Wolf’s three-step plan for the New England Patriots players was to draft, develop, and extend core players. Many thought the cupboard was dry when Wolf took over after the 2024 season. But these 18 players form a solid core for the franchise as they fight to get back to a playoff and then championship contender. As the 2024 season plays out and on into 2025, more players from the current roster can work their way into this group as well. And those already included need to continue showing they belong.