Pro Football Rumors
The Patriots put some work in this offseason to improve their offensive line depth, but the front office may not be done. According to ESPN’s Mike Reiss, depth at offensive guard is atop the organization’s “needs” list.
The Patriots offensive line held up well during the 2025 regular season, but it started showing significant cracks in the postseason. This culminated in QB Drake Maye setting a new NFL record by taking 21 sacks. LT Will Campbell‘s knee injury certainly played a role in the unit’s demise, and while the organization is still expecting big things from the former fourth-overall pick, they never intended to return the same grouping in 2026.
The front office first moved on from center Garrett Bradbury, which meant 2025 third-round pick Jared Wilson (who spent much of his rookie campaign playing guard) could return to his natural position. To fill their newfound hole at guard, the team added the oft-injured Alijah Vera-Tucker to play opposite Mike Onwenu. Then in the draft, the Patriots used their first-round pick on Caleb Lomu, and the rookie is expected to initially serve as insurance behind Campbell and veteran Morgan Moses.
While the Patriots have some high-quality depth at offensive tackle, the guard position may be a different story. Ben Brown is still around after making 27 appearances for New England over the past two years, and he’s shown an ability to play both center and guard during his Patriots tenure. The team is also still rostering Caedan Wallace, although the former third-round pick has been limited to only 10 appearances across two professional seasons.
While Brown represents some solid depth at the position, the Patriots may still be hoping for more bodies. After all, Vera-Tucker has dealt with injuries throughout his professional career, missing 42 games in five years. That includes a torn triceps injury that forced the lineman to miss the entire 2025 campaign. Assuming the free agent acquisition will not stay healthy for the entire 2026 campaign, the team may be seeking some additional guard depth behind Brown for when the inevitable injury strikes.
