Pontifications as though the Pats had signed AJ Green or someone like that. But Hogan? Washington?
Edelman's not going anywhere, obviously. Amendola took a hit to the wallet in order to stay. Hogan's deal is for 3 years, $12m, with $7.5m guaranteed and a $4m roster bonus in 2016. While it's theoretically possible that he won't make the team, there's no way he's not making the team. That makes it
Edelman
Amendola
Hogan
as locks/near locks. That leaves:
Mitchell
Washington
Carter
Harper
Lucien
Martin
Dobson
competing for what is likely only 2 spots (carrying 3 QBs is going to hamper any idea of carrying 6 'true' WRs + Slater).
Martin clearly showed more than Dobson last season, with 24 catches on 37 targets, in 9 games, compared to 13 catches on 21 targets in 8 games.
Washington's coming off a 47 catch season, albeit with only 50% catch rate.
Mitchell's a 4th round pick rookie, and those are near-locks to make the Patriots roster.
So, yeah. Dobson's not at zero percent to make the roster and, as I noted, he could theoretically get himself back in the team's plans, but the team's clearly moved on.