This is where the Patriots stand heading into their final week of training camp.
Most of their 53-man roster — which should now include undrafted rookie darling Efton Chism III — is settled. Their starting defense hasn’t budged. Same goes for their top players at quarterback, running back, wide receiver and tight end.
The Pats have three joint practices and two preseason games down, with one big question to go.
What’s to be done about their offensive line?
But enough about Will Campbell getting abused in pass protection over the joint practices in Minnesota. Campbell is the Patriots’ starting left tackle, will be the Patriots’ starting left tackle and 21-year-old linemen struggle. That’s what NFL history tells us about rookie offensive tackles, and what we should expect from Campbell moving forward. The only unknown is the degree to which Campbell does struggle.
Now, how about the lineman next to him?
Third-round rookie guard Jared Wilson got demoted in Saturday’s preseason 20-12 win over the Vikings for journeyman Ben Brown. In July, Brown opened training camp as a third-stringer. He has never started at guard in his NFL career.
Brown first replaced Wilson at Thursday’s joint session, when the coaches figured it was best to give the rookie a breather considering an overwhelming Wednesday practice and a new minor injury. In his return to the field, Wilson allowed an instant pressure Saturday. He also took snaps at center for the first time in weeks.
What does it all mean?
This is what coach Mike Vrabel told reporters in Minnesota about Wilson post-game: “Just trying to get everyone in the spots they may end up in, and still have a competition at that left guard (position). Making sure that he’s where he needs to be. I give him credit. He wasn’t able to practice Thursday, worked hard to get back. (We) worked him out before the game. We all decided that he would be able to play.”
Well then.
It’s clear the Patriots do not know who their five starting offensive linemen are, and that’s mostly due to the left guard position. Vrabel said his coaching staff doesn’t even have a timeline for identifying a starting lineup.
“We’ll still keep working and try to get the best group in there, and get guys who are versatile and can help us behind them. Very rarely are you going to play the best five in a (whole) 17-game season,” Vrabel told reporters in Minnesota. “Hopefully whatever comes after that is just trying to get a good group of solid offensive linemen, establish the first unit, and then also have some really good pieces behind them.”
Speaking of depth, at least the Patriots have options. A year ago, Eliot Wolf made panic plucks off the waiver wire to plug roster holes, one of which is still here: swing tackle Demontrey Jacobs.
Jacobs allowed multiple pressures in Saturday’s game, including a QB hit in the second half. He has gone from rotating with starting right tackle Morgan Moses early in training camp to now running with the third team. In his place, the Patriots have elevated seventh-round rookie Marcus Bryant and re-introduced Vederian Lowe, who’s now healthy again.
Lowe should be a break-in-case-of-emergency option. Bryant may prove to be a savvy pick. For now, that’s TBD.
Inside, former first-round pick Cole Strange continues to bounce around from backup left guard, his primary position, to center and right guard. One-time starter Sidy Sow has yet to elbow Strange out of the competition as a lineman with more experience playing both guard spots. And then there’s 2024 third-round pick Caedan Wallace who’s successfully undergone a position change, but yet to take many snaps outside of left guard.
Ideally, the Patriots wouldn’t need to call on a backup right guard to replace Mike Onwenu, their best offensive lineman by a wide margin throughout training camp. But a call-up at right tackle feels all but inevitable.
Moses is 34. The team is already managing his workload. He’s missed three games each of the past two seasons. If and when Moses sits for a Sunday or two, the Patriots should be taking on water at both offensive tackle spots whenever Drake Maye drops back to pass.
And we’ve yet to mention center Garrett Bradbury, one of the worst pass-blocking players at his position a year ago. But let’s give him a break.
All of which is to say that the Patriots have plenty of work to do. And of all that work, developing reliable offensive linemen and a passing plan that works around this O-line are their most important jobs.
Vrabel and his staff have laid a solid summer foundation over the last three-plus weeks. But the next three might be just as important.
