The New England Patriots are in the early stages of their rebuild, and one of their goals at this point in the process is building a foundation. While some veteran players are part of it and will continue to serve as cornerstones for years to come, the focus clearly lies on youth.
Look no further than the nine rookie players making the Patriots’ initial 53-man roster. All eight of the team’s draft choices made the cut — a first in 27 years, as pointed out by Alex Barth — as did one rookie free agent.