FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- The New England Patriots are scheduled to practice for the first time at 2021 training camp on Wednesday, which means it's time for a refresher on a roster that has undergone significant change.
During a busy offseason the Patriots went on a spending spree, signing more than a dozen free agents, traded for starting offensive tackle Trent Brown, saw the return of three contributors who opted out of the 2020 season and drafted eight players -- including first-round pick Mac Jones, who they hope becomes their long-term quarterback.
The Patriots open camp with 91 players (one more than usual thanks to the NFL's International Player Pathway Program) and the ability to keep 16 on the practice squad due to the league's flexible roster rules this season.
It adds up to a lot of new faces. Let's learn about the entire roster with some fun facts, by jersey number:
1: Cam Newton, QB: Has the most rushing first downs by a quarterback in NFL history with 413 (Michael Vick is second, 343).
2: Jalen Mills, DB: Free-agent from the Philadelphia Eagles picked the jersey number to honor his late uncle.
4: Jarrett Stidham, QB: He and his wife, Kennedy, opened their home to free-agent tight end Hunter Henry and his wife, Parker, for a month this spring until theirs was ready; Stidham is on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list.
5: Brian Hoyer, QB: First player in franchise history to have three different stints with the team.
6: Nick Folk, PK: The oldest player on the roster (36), his 51-yard field goal against the New York Jets (Nov. 9, 2020) and 50-yarder against the Arizona Cardinals (Nov. 29, 2020) are the longest game-winners as time expired in Patriots history.
7: Jake Bailey, P: First Patriots punter to earn All-Pro honors (2020).
8: Ja'Whaun Bentley, LB: Second on the team with 89 tackles last season. He was the first three-time captain in Purdue history.
8: Devin Ross, WR: Earned a second stint with the Patriots this spring after participating in the HUB Football Camp in San Diego.
9: Matt Judon, OLB: Free agent from the Baltimore Ravens switched to his jersey number at Grand Valley State, which he said also reflects how he represents his nine siblings on the field.
13: Nelson Agholor, WR: Free agent had nine receptions for 84 yards in the Eagles' Super Bowl LII win against the Patriots.
14: Marvin Hall, WR: Played in 20 games (five starts) for former coach Matt Patricia's Detroit Lions over the past two seasons.
15: N'Keal Harry, WR: Only wide receiver picked in the first round by the Patriots in the coach Bill Belichick era (2019, No. 32 overall). His agent requested a trade this offseason.
16: Jakobi Meyers, WR: Played quarterback at Arabia Mountain (Georgia) High, a skill set that was tapped last season when he was 2-of-2 for 43 yards with two touchdowns.
17: Kristian Wilkerson, WR: Totaled 33 touchdown catches at Southeast Missouri State, a school record.
18: Matthew Slater, WR: His eight Pro Bowl berths are the most for a special teams player in NFL history, surpassing Steve Tasker.
19: Isaiah Zuber, WR: Speedy return man for Kansas State led the Big 12 in 2019, averaging 17.8 yards on punt returns.
21: Adrian Phillips, S: Led the Patriots in tackles (107) last season, his first with the team.
22: Cody Davis, S: Had his son, Kane, creatively announce his re-signing with the team on a two-year deal in March.
👀 First reported by NFL Family Insider Kane Davis pic.twitter.com/puscddVFDw
— Cody Davis (@CodyDavis) March 17, 2021
23: Kyle Dugger, S: First player the Patriots have drafted out of Lenoir-Rhyne (2020 second round), he reached out to recently retired Patrick Chung to ask if it was OK to switch to his No. 23.
24: Stephon Gilmore, CB: Selected to the Pro Bowl each of the past three years, he's seeking an upgraded contract.
25: Brandon Bolden, RB: After opting out of the 2020 season, he returned with a new number, switching from No. 38 to 25 to honor his grandfather.
26: Sony Michel, RB: The Patriots are 11-1 when he scores a touchdown.
27: J.C. Jackson, CB: With 17 interceptions since 2018, he is second behind Xavien Howard (18) of the Miami Dolphins for most in the NFL over that span.
28: James White, RB: His 25 touchdown receptions in the regular season are second all-time among Patriots running backs behind Larry Garron (26).
29: Justin Bethel, ST: Led the Patriots with 14 special teams tackles last season. He has reached double digits in each of his nine NFL seasons.
30: Adrian Colbert, DB: A cousin of Chicago Bears wide receiver Marquise Goodwin, he signed after playing under former Patriots assistants Brian Flores (2019, Dolphins) and Joe Judge (2020, New York Giants).
31: Jonathan Jones, CB: Emerging leader on defense, he posted an Instagram video this offseason in which he gifted his father, Stacey, a new car.
32: Devin McCourty, S: Has played the most defensive snaps since he entered the NFL in 2010 with 10,859. Malcolm Jenkins (New Orleans Saints/Eagles) is second with 10,817.
33: Joejuan Williams, DB: The 2019 second-round pick played in 24 games over the past two seasons, but is still seeking his first start.
34: Tyler Gaffney, RB: Left the NFL in 2018 to pursue a baseball career before returning late in 2020.
35: Michael Jackson Sr., CB: Prior to joining the Patriots, he played for the Lions under Patricia, and his fiery on-field battles with Harry added some spice on the practice field.
36: Brandon King, ST: Hasn't played since 2018 because of injuries and is opening camp on the active/PUP list, which means he's not cleared to practice.
37: Damien Harris, RB: No. 1 option averaged 5.04 yards per carry last season, joining Don Calhoun (1976, 5.59), Mosi Tatupu (1983, 5.45), LeGarrette Blount (2013, 5.05) and Carl Garrett (1969, 5.04) as the only players in franchise history to hit the mark.
38: Dee Virgin, CB: Most recently played 21 games for Patricia's Lions (2018-20), contributing primarily on special teams.
39: D'Angelo Ross, CB: Slot option out of the University of New Mexico spent his rookie 2019 season on injured reserve, and was on the practice squad throughout 2020.
41: Myles Bryant, DB: Rose quickly in 2020 as an undrafted free agent (UDFA) out of the University of Washington, elevated from the practice squad early and playing in nine games.
42: J.J. Taylor, RB: He was on the opening-day roster in 2020, extending the Patriots' streak of keeping a UDFA to 17 years.
43: Rashod Berry, OLB: Played defensive line and tight end at Ohio State, but was solely on defense as a practice squad player and occasional call-up to the roster in 2020.
44: Dalton Keene, TE: Nicknamed "Rambo," the 2020 third-round pick opens camp on the PUP list.
45: David Wells, TE: San Diego State alum was added to the roster last Friday for depth.
46: Raekwon McMillan, LB: The 2017 second-round draft pick out of Ohio State said he had other free-agent visits scheduled, but decided not to take them after traveling to New England.
47: Jakob Johnson, FB: Belichick said he wasn't on the team's radar in 2019, if not for the NFL's International Player Pathway Program.
48: Harvey Langi, LB: Originally joined the team in 2018 as a priority UDFA, and tweeted about his second stint in New England after two seasons with the Jets -- during which he became a dad.
Two babies later... Foxboro, run it back!
— Harvey Langi (@LANGI21) May 12, 2021
Back to where it all started.
GRATEFUL, BLESSED & EXCITED!
LFG 👊🏽 pic.twitter.com/s3Hwl1DAaQ
49: Joe Cardona, LS: Has never missed a game since joining the team as a fifth-round draft pick in 2015.
50: Mac Jones, QB: He goes by Mac, but his full name is Michael McCorkle Jones. Growing up in Jacksonville, Florida, he was brought up in an athletic family, with parents Gordon and Holly excelling in tennis. As for No. 50, that's a Belichick tradition of putting rookies in non-traditional numbers to remind them to focus on the most important things.
50: Chase Winovich, OLB: His 5.5 sacks and 12 quarterback hits led the team in 2020, but he opens camp on the PUP list.
51: Christian Barmore, DT: Second-round draft pick from University of Alabama grew up in Philadelphia and had originally verbally committed to play at Temple.
52: Akeem Spence, DT: First NFL sack came at New England (Sept. 22, 2013) as a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers; initially joined the Patriots in November.
52: Ronnie Perkins, OLB: A St. Louis native drafted late in the third round, he totaled 32 tackles for a loss and 16.5 sacks in three seasons at Oklahoma.
53: Rhamondre Stevenson, RB: Growing up in Las Vegas, he first attended Cerritos College in California before landing at Oklahoma, which paved the way to be selected in the 2021 fourth round.
53: Kyle Van Noy, OLB: Re-signed after a shorter-than-expected one-year stint in Miami in which he served as a captain. He's coming off seasons of 6.5 and 6.0 sacks, respectively.
54: Dont'a Hightower, LB: Returns after opting out last season. Hightower and his wife, Morgan, welcomed their first child, son Grayson, in July 2020.
54: Cameron McGrone, LB: Fifth-round pick from Michigan tore his ACL last November, and Belichick acknowledged he might not be ready to play this season.
55: Josh Uche, LB: The 2020 second-round pick gave up his No. 53 so Van Noy could have it.
58: Anfernee Jennings, OLB: A 2020 third-round draft choice, he credits a fan's tweet for helping him avoid a potentially serious medical complication after a leg injury on Jan. 2, 2018.
58: Will Sherman, OT: Sixth-rounder from the University of Colorado worked out at all five offensive line positions entering the draft.
59: Terez Hall, LB: Hard hitter is opening camp on PUP after undergoing offseason ankle surgery.
59: Tre Nixon, WR: A native of Viera, Florida, the 2021 seventh-rounder began his career at Ole Miss (2016-17) before transferring to Central Florida (2018-20).
60: Joshuah Bledsoe, S: Sixth-rounder from University of Missouri is recovering from a wrist injury at the Senior Bowl and opening camp on the PUP list.
60: David Andrews, C: The four-year captain and his wife Mackenzie are expecting their first child, and while both are Georgia natives, they have set up roots in Massachusetts.
61: Quinn Nordin, K: The only undrafted rookie on the roster, putting the team's 17-year streak of having one make the opening-day roster in jeopardy.
63: R.J. Prince, OL: University of North Carolina alum was signed after a tryout at spring mandatory minicamp.
64: Alex Redmond, G: Former Cincinnati Bengals player (2017-20) was signed in mid-May to add interior depth.
65: James Ferentz, C/G: Entered the NFL in 2014 as a rookie free agent and made his first two career starts last season in New England.
66: Marcus Martin, C: Most recently played for Patricia's Lions before signing with the Patriots.
67: Ted Karras, C/G: Was honored to earn the 2021 Harry Agganis Most Outstanding Athlete Award.
69: Shaq Mason, G: Sponsored two AAU basketball teams in his hometown of Columbia, Tennessee and regularly attended their tournaments.
71: Mike Onwenu, G/T: Nicknamed "Big Mike," the 6-foot-3, 350-pounder earned an additional $554,792 in performance-based-pay last season, playing 94.9% of the snaps.
72: Yodny Cajuste, OT: A 2019 third-round pick, he has yet to appear in a regular-season game because of injuries.
74: Korey Cunningham, OT: Acquired in a trade from the Arizona Cardinals in August 2019, the University of Cincinnati alum has appeared in 12 games (zero starts), mostly on the field-goal protection unit.
75: Justin Herron, OT: The 2020 sixth-round draft pick, who started six games as a rookie, was presented an Outstanding Citizen certificate by Tucson, Arizona, police in March for helping to stop an alleged sexual assault.
76: Isaiah Wynn, OT: Joined Michel to become the first college teammates (Georgia) picked in the first round in Patriots' draft history (2018).
77: Trent Brown, OT: Listed at 6-foot-8 and 380 pounds, he spent the time between June's mandatory minicamp and the start of training camp in Foxborough, hoping to duplicate his approach from his best pro season in 2018.
80: Gunner Olszewski, WR/PR: Led the NFL and set a team record with a 17.3-yard punt return average in 2020 (20 returns for 346 yards).
81: Jonnu Smith, TE: Credits his mother, Karen, for having him move from Philadelphia to Florida with his aunt when he was entering his sophomore year of high school, creating a chance for him to play football in a different type of environment.
82: Devin Smith, WR: Speedster is opening camp on the PUP list as he hopes to revive his career after being drafted in the 2015 second round (Jets).
83: Matt LaCosse, TE: Returns after opting out in 2020 due to family considerations, he is a trading-card collector and started a Twitter account to connect with fans over the hobby.
84: Kendrick Bourne, WR: Thankful for the impact positive mentors made in his life, he agreed to be an honorary board member for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Massachusetts after signing a three-year contract with a base value of $15 million.
85: Hunter Henry, TE: Admittedly not a big jersey-number guy, he said part of the reason he will wear No. 85 in New England is to honor his former Chargers teammate, Antonio Gates.
86: Devin Asiasi, TE: The 2020 third-round draft pick from UCLA saved his best game for last (two catches, 39 yards, TD), and now faces less pressure with the additions of Smith and Henry.
88: Troy Fumagalli, TE: Former Denver Broncos player (2019-20) joined the Patriots in May and has elevated to the highest level of his profession despite having a finger amputated at birth.
90: Montravius Adams, DT: Third-round draft pick of the Packers in 2017 out of Auburn was plagued by injuries, now with a fresh start he hopes to meet those expectations.
91: Deatrich Wise Jr., DL: Cashed in as a free agent, signing a four-year deal with a base value of $22 million that could be worth up to $30 million.
92: Davon Godchaux, DT: Entered the NFL as a fifth-round draft pick of the Dolphins in 2017 and was targeted by New England as a Day 1 free agent (two years, $15 million, with $9 million guaranteed).
93: Lawrence Guy, DT: First-year captain in 2020 credits a vegan diet for helping prolong a career entering its 11th NFL season.
94: Henry Anderson, DT: Signed a two-year, $7 million deal after being released by the Jets and fondly recalled being rigorously worked out at Stanford's pro day by former Patriots executive Nick Caserio, now the Texans general manager -- an experience that "still haunts" him.
95: Nick Thurman, DT: The University of Houston alum has been a regular on the practice squad over the past two seasons.
96: Tashawn Bower, OLB: One of three LSU alums on the roster (Mills and Godchaux are the others), he's been in New England since joining the practice squad in November 2019.
97: Bill Murray, DT: William & Mary alum earned his stripes on the practice squad last season.
98: Carl Davis, DT: Veteran was signed off the Jacksonville Jaguars' practice squad last October and provided a boost to the run defense before being knocked out with a concussion after three games.
99: Byron Cowart, DT: The 2019 fifth-round pick will open camp on the PUP list after missing all of the spring.