Five position battles to watch when the Patriots open training camp

Patriots wide receiver Efton Chism played just 8.4 percent of the offensive snaps last season.Matthew J. Lee/Globe Staff

The Patriots will host their first training camp practice on Saturday, marking the start of an important six-week stretch.

With several players vying for spots on the 53-man roster, which will be finalized Aug. 30, let’s take a look at some of the projected positional battles to watch ...

Wide receiver depth

The Patriots this offseason made significant upgrades at receiver, trading for A.J. Brown and signing Romeo Doubs. Those moves instantly elevated the passing attack, supplying quarterback Drake Maye with two talented targets.

Where does that leave the rest of the room?

Mack Hollins should be a roster lock. He played 60 percent of the offensive snaps last season, leading all receivers. He has familiarity with offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, posting the best numbers of his career — 57 catches, 690 yards, 12.1 yards per catch, and four touchdowns with the Raiders in 2022; 46-550-12.0-2 TDs with the Patriots last season — when playing in his system. His size (6 feet 4 inches, 221 pounds) allows him to play with physicality, both when blocking and making contested catches.

Kayshon Boutte should also be a lock, given his previous production (33 catches, 551 yards, 16.7 yards per catch, six touchdowns last season) and strong rapport with Maye, but there is growing chatter he will be traded. Boutte, who is entering the final year of his rookie contract, has some overlap with Brown’s skill set, so it’s unsurprising if he prefers to play elsewhere ahead of a critical negotiation period. But will the Patriots be able to find a trade partner offering an acceptable return?

If Boutte ends up staying, there will be seven receivers jockeying for five or six spots.

Kayshon Boutte has built a good rapport with Drake Maye, but is on the final year of his rookie contract and could be a trade candidate.Barry Chin/Globe Staff

Kyle Williams will stick around. His rookie year didn’t result in eye-popping numbers, just 10 receptions for 209 yards and three touchdowns, but the coaching staff has expressed optimism for his second. Coach Mike Vrabel said Williams has upped his strength, something executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf also listed as a key area of focus to complement his speed.

DeMario Douglas and Efton Chism are on the bubble. Douglas, whose production and playing time dropped last year, could see an uptick in snaps out of the slot now that Stefon Diggs is gone. Chism, last year’s training camp darling, played just 8.4 percent of the offensive snaps. Unlike Douglas, Chism has contributed on special teams.

Second tight end

With Julian Hill out for the season, the Patriots need to find an inline tight end. Hunter Henry functions best as a pass catcher, so there will be an opportunity for third-round pick Eli Raridon, undrafted rookie Tanner Arkin, Mitch Van Vooren (signed Wednesday), Jack Westover, or CJ Dippre.

All five are young and inexperienced, so it makes sense that Vrabel indicated in June that the team would consider adding another player at the position. Available names include Pharaoh Brown, Will Dissly, Tucker Fisk, and Jonnu Smith.

If the Patriots elect not to bring in a veteran, Raridon could experience an expedited development. There also is a path for Arkin (6-4, 262) to make the roster, given his measurables and well-documented run-blocking ability in college. Westover and Dippre will have their chances, too, even though Westover primarily played fullback last season and Dippre is opening camp on the physically unable to perform list.

Regardless of how the competition shakes out, the Patriots may end up relying more on Hollins as a blocker and/or on jumbo packages with a sixth offensive lineman.

Third running back

The tandem of Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson is set to lead the backfield, but the Patriots will need another body to round out the rotation.

Terrell Jennings, Lan Larison, seventh-round pick Jam Miller, and undrafted rookie Myles Montgomery are in the mix. Jennings, who is starting camp on PUP, is the only option with NFL experience, logging 73 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries last season. But he did not wow to the point that he is the favorite for the job.

Larison popped at points last summer before landing on injured reserve with a broken foot. He would be a compelling addition because of his ability to contribute in the passing game. He caught 62 passes for 847 yards and six touchdowns, while rushing for 1,465 yards and 17 touchdowns, as a senior at UC Davis in 2024.

Miller isn’t as proven as a receiver, but by the end of his freshman year at Alabama, he was a member of all four units on special teams. Montgomery doesn’t have much experience in the passing game, either.

Kickoff returner

The Patriots are in need of a go-to kickoff returner after releasing Antonio Gibson. Given some of the players that will likely be competing for the job — Chism, Jennings, and Larison — this role could end up looming large in final roster cuts.

Last season, Chism, Williams, and Henderson took significant reps as kickoff returners following Gibson’s season-ending injury in Week 5. If Henderson and Williams are going to experience increased workloads, the Patriots may not want them also returning kickoffs.

Edge rusher

Edge rusher was a top need headed into the offseason and remains one. There is excitement about the addition of Dre’Mont Jones and growth of Elijah Ponder, but veteran Harold Landry, who is opening camp on PUP, and second-round pick Gabe Jacas, who remains unsigned, did not participate in practice throughout the spring. If they continue to miss time, there will be an opportunity for 2025 fifth-round pick Bradyn Swinson, undrafted rookie Xavier Holmes, or Jesse Luketa to earn a spot in the rotation.