LB Donta Hightower
S Patrick Chung
WR Marquise Lee
T Marcus Cannon
T Naaje Tooran
RB Branden Bolden
FB Dan Vitale
Considering Chung, Hightower, Cannon, Lee, and Vitale were all expected to be starters this season that is quite the blow to their team already. The other guys may not be starters but they were depth and special teams contributors. Let's take a look at how the Patriots will fare despite the losses.
Patrick Chung is a prototypical strong safety in today's NFL. He is the type who can do anything you ask as a safety or he can drop down in the box and play as a nickel LB. However he is 32 years old, and now going to be sitting out all of 2020, which affects his position on the team more than others, as he had a charge for cocaine possession that may result in a suspension in 2021. The Patriots also drafted Kyle Duggar who was going to be the longterm replacement for Chung, and signed Adrian Wilson to play the third safety role. Which one replaces him in 2020 remains to be seen but my bet is on Duggar. He may never suit up again for the Patriots.
Donta Hightower is a much more difficult player to replace. Although the Patriots drafted Josh Uche and Anferree Jennings, they have limited experience playing inside linebacker as both have been used as edge defenders primarily. However the Patriots don't have any experienced options at inside linebacker. Anferree Jennings is the likely option here with him simply having to focus on learning ILB instead of pass rusher in a 3-4 defense.
Marcus Cannon opting out puts the Patriots in a difficult position. He was their starting right tackle in 2019, and their primary swing tackle Yodney Cajuste likely would have started at left tackle in Isaiah Wynn's absence, but had an injury of his own and Marshall Newhouse is no longer here to learn on. This year Cajuste might be asked to start at right tackle if the team isn't sold on Korey Cunningham who was added via trade from Arizona last season. Losing Naaje Tooran doesn't help the situation, losing a starter and another depth piece is more than most lose in an entire season now the Patriots are forced to move linemen around a second year in a row.
Running back Branden Bolden is a bigger loss on special teams than he is on offense. He has logged 41 special teams tackles over his career including 8 last year. He provides depth on offense as well but his primary value has always been on special teams for the Patriots. Replacing him should be no issue, and he is another guy on this list who could have suited up as a Patriot for the last time. Ironically due to another player from the backfield opting out he likely could have had a chance to see even more playing time on special teams. That player is FB Dan Vitale.
Vitale was slated to be the starting fullback after the retirement of James Devlin. However due to his decision to opt out fullback Jakob Johnson an international pathways player who spent the 2018 season playing pro football in Germany. By 2019 he was signed by the Patriots, relegated to the practice squad until the aforementioned Devlin suffered a career ending injury. Johnson was then elevated to replace Devlin and suffered an injury himself. This season he is in the driver's seat to a starting job as a fullback, and in line for more work on special teams as well. The question is can he stand up to that workload?
Marquise Lee is likely the easiest player here to replace because he never even practiced with the team. He signed late, and stepped away early. The Patriots have players like Mohammed Sanu, N'Keal Harry, and Julian Edelman as their top 3 receivers, and depth behind them in Dameire Byrd, Jakobi Meyers, Mathew Slater, and Gunner Ozlewski. He will not be missed and coult ultimately be cut upon returning next season.
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