The Patriots, after two pretty solid preseason performances against good NFC teams this summer, seem to have answered some questions as the 2025 opener gets closer. We know the running game could be a strength, and that there is surprising depth in the receivers room. The defense appears stout up front and, when healthy, the defensive backs should have a big impact.
What we still don’t know, though, is how things will shake out with the one unit that was easily the worst on the team in the last three years, and could be the worst again this year: the offensive line.
What’s more, coach Mike Vrabel still does not know how the line will stack up.
The Patriots shook things up again on Saturday in Minnesota, moving promising rookie Jared Wilson out of the top-line starters at the troublesome left guard spot and putting Ben Brown into that spot. At this point, the only known is Mike Onwenu at right guard–question marks pock all four spots on the line around him.
Patriots Finding a Place for Jared Wilson
Vrabel was asked about the line immediately after Saturday’s game, especially the role of Wilson, who played guard and center with the backups after starting the opener.
“Just trying to get everybody the spots that they may end up in and still have the competition at that left guard and making sure that he’s where he needs to be,” Vrabel said of Wilson.
“I give him credit – wasn’t able to practice on Thursday, worked hard to get back, worked him out before the game. We all decided he’d be able to play, and he played, and probably had some good snaps and probably was going to have some snaps that we’ll need to improve on. So that’s the plan is just trying to get him all the work he may need and continue to compete.”
Patriots Should Have More Depth
The Patriots do have some knowns going into the season, like the fact that No. 4 overall pick Will Campbell will start at left tackle and veteran Morgan Moses will start at right tackle. But Campbell has shown some rookie hiccups in camp, and Moses, at age 34, has been handled with kid gloves all summer. He’s missed three games each of the past two seasons.
The good news for the Patriots is that they could have better depth on the line than in the past. Rookie seventh-round pick Marcus Bryant has earned a spot as a swing tackle, and could allow the team to let Vederian Lowe go. Garrett Bradbury has had struggles at center, and there’s a chance Wilson could wind up in that spot this season.
Mike Vrabel: ‘There’s Not a Timeline’
Vrabel was asked when he would like to have the team’s line set in stone. He revealed that he has no timeline on that, and that, over the course of a season, you rarely get to set any unit in stone. But he admitted the pecking order on the line is still not clear.
“I think just when it’s clear, you know, when it’s clear. There’s not a timeline, but I think that when it becomes clear, and it didn’t before, and I don’t think it has yet now,” Vrabel said.
“So, we’ll still keep working, trying to get the best group in there, and get guys that are versatile and can help us behind them, because very rarely are you going to play the same five throughout a 17-game season and hopefully whatever comes after that is just trying to get a good, solid group of offensive lineman, establish the first unit, but then also have some really good pieces behind them.”
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