The 12 roster priorities for the Patriots, according to relevance

We take a short-term and long-term look at New England’s to-do list ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft

FOXBOROUGH — Most free agency activity has ended, and while that doesn’t preclude teams from signing players or making trades, the core of the roster New England Patriots has been fixed.

Now, here we offer a proposal of how the pending list should be ordered by importance, in the short and long term, prior to the 2023 NFL Draft from April 27 to 29, for the Patriots.

1. Offensive tackle: Trent Brown and newly signed free agents Riley Reiff y Calvin Anderson top the template order. Anderson the Veteran Conor McDermott and the seventh round pick of 2022, Andrew Stueberthey are the only players under contract beyond 2023.

2. Equinero: Jalen Mills staying for another season via a restructured contract helps, even if he takes on a more hybrid role with safety responsibilities. Prevalent questions have to do with how much the team can trust its 2022 fourth-round pick, Jack Jonesafter finishing last season on the suspended list, and how important it will be to target a player with greater length/size.

3. Wide receiver: DeVante Parker, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Tyquan Thornton y Kendrick Bourne they are the best four, with Parker and Bourne in the final year of their respective contracts.

4. Defensive tackle: Promising 2021 second round recruit, Christian Barmorecomes from a campaign full of injuries, and at 33 years of age, Lawrence Guy he is closer to the end of his career than the beginning, heading into his 12th season as a professional. They accompany the stable owner, Of that Godchauxwho returns

5. Outside linebacker: Matthew Judon, Deatrich Wise Jr., Josh Uche y Anfernee Jennings they’re back for premium position, with Uche and Jennings slated for free agency next year.

6. Tight end: Hunter Henry y Mike Gesicki are scheduled for free agency at the end of the 2023 season, the third spot in the order is wide open, and NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah described this crop of tight ends as the best he’s seen in the last 10 years.

7. Inside Linebacker: Ja’Whaun Bentley, whom the assistant coach Jerod Mayo referred to as one of the most underrated players in the NFL, enters the final year of his contract. The other owner I know youis the only linebacker in this group signed beyond 2023.

8. Safety: Adrian Phillips, Kyle Dugger, Jabrill Peppers y Joshuah Bledsoe return, with Dugger slated for free agency after the 2023 season. It will be intriguing to see how the head coach Bill Belichick fills the gap created by the withdrawal of Devin McCourtyand whether he’ll feel the need to get a more center fielder-like option.

9. Specialists: The recently signed Corliss Waitman must wait for position as a punter. The same goes for the veteran. Nick Folk as a placekicker.

10. Center/Guard: There will be continuity for the veteran captain David Andrewsflanked by first-round pick 2022, Cole Strangeleft and Mike Onwenu on the right, the latter beginning the final year of his contract.

11. Quarterback: It will be important to keep an eye on a third in the order, thinking about future development, behind Mac Jones y Bailey Zappe.

12. Corridor: Rhamondre Stevenson, James Robinson y Pierre Strong Jr. They each have multiple years remaining on their respective contracts, and the sixth-round pick of 2022, Kevin Harrisalong with the veteran Ty Montgomeryadd depth to the template.