And then there were 53.

But as evidenced one Labor Day weekend ago – when the New England Patriots began one below the limit – it is a fluid 53.

How much turnover has there been from the final Saturday of August 2018 to the final Saturday of August 2019? For reasons ranging from retirement and release to trade and injury, a total of 22 players who were on New England’s initial active roster then are not on the initial active roster now.

Here’s a glance through what’s changed – or stayed the same – at each position for the Patriots.

QUARTERBACK

2018: Tom Brady, Brian Hoyer

Tom Brady, Brian Hoyer 2019: Tom Brady, Jarrett Stidham

Stidham finds himself the No. 2 QB on the Patriots’ depth chart following a preseason that included an AFC-leading 731 passing yards to go with four touchdowns. The rookie fourth-rounder by way of Baylor and Auburn unseats the 33-year-old incumbent in Hoyer.

RUNNING BACK

2018: Sony Michel, James White, Rex Burkhead, Jeremy Hill

Sony Michel, James White, Rex Burkhead, Jeremy Hill 2019: Sony Michel, James White, Rex Burkhead, Damien Harris, Brandon Bolden

Hill is out. Harris is in. And Bolden is now back in after his 2018 release led to a season-long hiatus with the Miami Dolphins.

FULLBACK

2018: James Develin

James Develin 2019: James Develin

A member of the NFL’s International Player Pathway program will remain, but German fullback Jakob Johnson is slated to spend this year as the 11th man on New England’s 10-man practice squad.

TIGHT END

2018: Rob Gronkowski, Dwayne Allen, Jacob Hollister, Ryan Izzo

Rob Gronkowski, Dwayne Allen, Jacob Hollister, Ryan Izzo 2019: Ryan Izzo, Matt LaCosse

The lone tight ends to check into a game for the Patriots beyond the preseason in 2018 are now elsewhere. As for Izzo, the Florida State seventh-rounder from a year ago had been moved to injured reserve a day after making the 53 last August. He’s likely sticking this time with Ben Watson and Lance Kendricks serving four- and one-game suspensions, respectively.

WIDE RECEIVER

2018: Phillip Dorsett, Chris Hogan, Cordarrelle Patterson, Matthew Slater

Phillip Dorsett, Chris Hogan, Cordarrelle Patterson, Matthew Slater 2019: Julian Edelman, Phillip Dorsett, Josh Gordon, N’Keal Harry, Jakobi Meyers, Gunner Olszewski, Matthew Slater

Edelman’s four-game ban left the Patriots with three true wideouts on the opening 53 of 2018. There’s as many rookies on the depth chart as the calendar flips to September this time around.

OFFENSIVE LINE

2018: Trent Brown, Joe Thuney, David Andrews, Shaq Mason, Marcus Cannon, Ted Karras, LaAdrian Waddle

Trent Brown, Joe Thuney, David Andrews, Shaq Mason, Marcus Cannon, Ted Karras, LaAdrian Waddle 2019: Isaiah Wynn, Joe Thuney, Ted Karras, Shaq Mason, Marcus Cannon, Russell Bodine, Korey Cunningham, Jermaine Eluemunor

Wynn spent his rookie year on injured reserve. Brown and Waddle left via free agency this spring. And with Andrews’ season officially ending Saturday, there are four offensive linemen in the Patriots’ active fold now who were not at this time a year ago.

DEFENSIVE TACKLE

2018: Lawrence Guy, Malcom Brown, Danny Shelton, Adam Butler

Lawrence Guy, Malcom Brown, Danny Shelton, Adam Butler 2019: Lawrence Guy, Danny Shelton, Adam Butler, Byron Cowart

Four defensive tackles is still the magic number. But with a 2015 first-rounder departing for the New Orleans Saints this offseason, a 2019 fifth-rounder arrives out of Maryland.

DEFENSIVE EDGE

2018: Trey Flowers, Adrian Clayborn, Deatrich Wise Jr., Derek Rivers, Keionta Davis, Geneo Grissom

Trey Flowers, Adrian Clayborn, Deatrich Wise Jr., Derek Rivers, Keionta Davis, Geneo Grissom 2019: Michael Bennett, John Simon, Deatrich Wise Jr., Chase Winovich, Shilique Calhoun

New England’s defensive ends from 2018 are split between there and outside linebacker now. Clayborn is an Atlanta Falcon again. Rivers and Davis are on IR. Grissom is a free agent. And in the mix this Labor Day weekend are four who weren’t in the mix for the last one.

LINEBACKER

2018: Dont’a Hightower, Kyle Van Noy, Ja’Whaun Bentley, Elandon Roberts, Nicholas Grigsby, Brandon King

Dont’a Hightower, Kyle Van Noy, Ja’Whaun Bentley, Elandon Roberts, Nicholas Grigsby, Brandon King 2019: Dont’a Hightower, Kyle Van Noy, Ja’Whaun Bentley, Elandon Roberts, Jamie Collins

Hightower, Van Noy, Bentley and Roberts remain from the first 53-man roster of 2018. Collins returns from the Cleveland Browns to accompany them. But two from last year’s opening group are not returning, with Grigsby waived in the middle of last season and King placed on injured reserve this preseason.

CORNERBACK

2018: Stephon Gilmore, Jason McCourty, Eric Rowe, Jonathan Jones, J.C. Jackson, Duke Dawson, Keion Crossen

Stephon Gilmore, Jason McCourty, Eric Rowe, Jonathan Jones, J.C. Jackson, Duke Dawson, Keion Crossen 2019: Stephon Gilmore, Jason McCourty, Jonathan Jones, J.C. Jackson, Joejuan Williams

The two cornerbacks New England drafted last April were traded away this Friday and Saturday. And the position is at a handful heading into Week 1.

SAFETY

2018: Devin McCourty, Patrick Chung, Duron Harmon, Nate Ebner

Devin McCourty, Patrick Chung, Duron Harmon, Nate Ebner 2019: Devin McCourty, Patrick Chung, Duron Harmon, Nate Ebner, Terrence Brooks, Obi Melifonwu

The Patriots’ four-man safety squadron still is one. But there’s room for six at this time. Brooks and Melifonwu could help in the kicking game in the aforementioned King’s absence. A role in the box could potentially be in the cards, too.

SPECIALISTS

2018: Stephen Gostkowski, Ryan Allen, Joe Cardona

Stephen Gostkowski, Ryan Allen, Joe Cardona 2019: Stephen Gostkowski, Jake Bailey, Joe Cardona

The right leg of Bailey brings a changing of the guard at punter for the first time since 2013. New England traded up to select the Stanford Cardinal in the fifth round this spring,