The New England Patriots worked diligently this offseason to address key areas of weakness through free agency, the NFL Draft, and trades. And while the returns from early summer and preseason action have been promising in most spots, the interior offensive line has persisted as a position group that could use additional reinforcements.
The starting roles along the interior are set heading into the 2026 regular season. Free agent addition Alijah Vera-Tucker will assume the left guard spot, joined by Jared Wilson at center and Mike Onwenu at right guard. But that’s where certainty ends, and questions begin.
Vera-Tucker has missed three of a possible five career seasons to due prolonged injuries, and Wilson was held out of four games in his rookie season last fall. Insurance behind those players has been hard to come by, and developments this past week have left the team even thinner than when they began training camp.
Returning contributors Ben Brown — the Patriots’ super-sub at center and guard in 2025 — and Andrew Rupcich were both injured in Thursday night’s preseason-opening stalemate against the Indianapolis Colts. Brown left in the first quarter with an injury and did not return to action, while Rupcich exited early, returned late, and was forced off the field again in the fourth quarter.
On Saturday, head coach Mike Vrabel confirmed that Brown will miss extended time through the preseason as he works his way back from the apparent lower-leg injury. Rupcich, on the other hand, was added to the injured reserve list and his 2026 season is now over before it had the chance to get started.
To make matters even more dire, 2024 third-round pick guard Caeden Wallace was traded on Monday, August 10, along with a 2029 seventh-round pick, to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for a 2028 sixth-round pick. His movement out of Foxboro was likely a show of confidence in Brown and Rupcich, but now puts New England back at square-one as the regular season draws near.
The Patriots Saturday announced the signing of two first-year undrafted free agents, Darrian Dalcourt and Joe Michalski, to bolster depth along the interior of the offensive line, but it’s more likely than not that more roster movement will be coming to the position group at-or-before cutdown day. Last week, New England hosted veteran guard Greg Van Roten (36) — formerly of the New York Giants — on a visit, but no signing has yet to materialize.
The addition of a veteran guard will be needed to ensure stability behind a group of starters with a history of missing time. While rookie first-round pick tackle Caleb Lomu and free agent addition James Hudson III have both shown the flexibility to move inside, that won’t be plan-A for the team entering the regular season. Hudson played both right guard and left tackle in the preseason opener, but his up-and-down performance included an egregious illegal man downfield penalty that negated an explosive gain to undrafted free agent wide receiver Cameron Dorner in the second quarter.
Look for the Patriots to be active on the waiver wire and trade market as the preseason progresses. Like their offloading of Wallace, swapping late-round picks to secure a more dependable substitute/spot-starter would be an effective way to upgrade depth in the short-term.
A key position of need this offseason has gotten progressively thinner through the early portion of 2026, and will almost certainly be addressed with a more significant addition before the regular season kicks off on September 9 in Seattle against the Seahawks.
Who would you like to see New England add to the roster to address their need along the interior of the offensive line? Drop your thoughts in the comments below and join the conversation on Patriots Roundtable.
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