“One man’s trash is another man’s treasure,” The New England Patriots front office takes this old adage to heart. Every so often it seems the Patriots rejuvenate or create a career for a relatively unknown player who emerges from the trash pile to become a player of sustenance.

Take a look at their current roster, how it’s configured, and you can find a handful of players the Patriots way has had a significant influence on. Helping them become regular contributors under head coach Bill Belichick’s watch, after failing to become so on other franchises.

The first name that stands out from the pack, can be considered the heart and soul of the Patriots defense. He embodies everything Belichick is looking for in a defender; hustle, passion for the game, dependability, and impact plays.

That player is defensive end Rob Ninkovich, the nine year veteran who was picked up off of the trash heap after failing to establish himself in Miami or New Orleans.

After bouncing around between the Saints and Dolphins, Ninkovich hooked up with the Patriots and became a magnet for the football. Ninkovich has a flare for the big play, with 33.5 career sacks, five interceptions, eight forced fumbles, and 13 fumble recoveries, Ninkovich is “Johnny on the Spot.” His toughness and durability are two qualities that his head coach Bill Belichick admires.

“Rob is a tough Croatian kid,” Belichick said, about his defensive stalwart. “He’s strong, he’s strong for his size. He’s durable, athletic, plays on his feet, runs well. He’s definitely able to take care of himself out there.”

Another defensive player rejected by multiple teams before landing with the Patriots and becoming a productive player, would be defensive tackle Chris Jones. Originally a late draft pick by the Houston Texans in 2013, Jones was cut by the Texans and then cut by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after a brief stint.

As a rookie released by two teams during his young career, Jones was scooped up by the Patriots and made the most of his opportunity by playing with a chip on his shoulder. Jones ended up playing in 13 games as a rookie, recording 54 tackles and six sacks, which ranked second most among rookies in sacks. This season Jones has started most of the year beside Vince Wilfork and had a critical field goal block in a tightly contested earlier this season against the Jets.

The Patriots reclamation projects don’t end there either. Running back Jonas Gray was a roster cut of the Dolphins before sitting on the Baltimore Ravens practice squad last season. Hooking up with the Pats this offseason, Gray didn’t make the original active roster.

Getting promoted from the Patriots practice squad to the active roster due to injuries, Gray has capitalized on his opportunities, rushing for 201 yards and four touchdowns on a prime time stage against the Indianapolis Colts a few weeks ago setting career records.

Running back LeGarrette Blount was originally brought over from Tampa Bay as a player with talent who could blossom with a change of scenery. That’s exactly what he did and parlayed that resurgence into a nice contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers during the offseason.

During a short lived stint with the Steelers, an off the field incident coupled with complaints over playing time led to his eventual release. Blount instantly found his way back onto the Patriots roster in time to run for 78 yards and two touchdowns his first week back with the team.

These four players present examples of the Patriots unearthing productive players off of the scrap heap. Lending credibility to the Patriots coaching staff’s ability for maximizing their player’s talent. One of the reasons the Patriots have been so good over the years, it’s because of their ability to utilize their individual players in roles they are capable of handling.

Their ability to formulate game plans that accentuate the strengths of their players and attack the weaknesses of their opponents is a thing of beauty. Their ability to make productive players out of individuals that weren’t deemed good enough on other teams is why they remain ahead of the curb.