Patriots 2026 OL Preview: Starting Five Seems Set In Stone
The ending of last season has got to leave a bad taste in the mouth of the New England Patriots. Despite a thrilling run to the Super Bowl, Drake Maye was on the ground for most of the postseason. He was sacked an NFL-record 21 times during the team's four games, including six in the Super Bowl loss to the Seattle Seahawks.
That can't happen again. You have to protect your franchise quarterback at all costs.
That's why the Patriots went out and revamped their offensive line this offseason. They didn't do a complete re-haul from what it was last year, but added some pieces to plug up some holes across the board.
As we head through the late spring/early summer practice portion of the year, we'll be taking a look at each of the position groups on the Patriots ahead of the 2026 training camp slate. Today, we have the offensive line -- a group that could truly make or break this team.
Current Depth Chart:
Center:
- Jared Wilson (#55) - Second Season, Second With Patriots
- Ben Brown (#77) - Fifth Season, Third With Patriots
- Jacob Rizy (#64) - First Season, First With Patriots
Guard:
- Mike Onwenu (#71) - Seventh Season, Seventh With Patriots
- Alijah Vera-Tucker (#75) - Sixth Season, First With Patriots
- Andrew Rupcich (#67) - Fifth Season, Second With Patriots
- Caedan Wallace (#70) - Third Season, Third With Patriots
- Mehki Butler (#63) - Second Season, Second With Patriots
- JonDarius Morgan (#69) - First Season, First With Patriots
Tackle:
- Morgan Moses (#76) - 13th Season, Second With Patriots
- Will Campbell (#66) - Second Season, Second With Patriots
- Caleb Lomu (#74) - First Season, First With Patriots
- Dametrious Crownover (#68) - First Season, First With Patriots
- James Hudson (#51) - Sixth Season, First With Patriots
- Marcus Bryant (#52) - Second Season, Second With Patriots
- Sebastian Gutierrez (#61) - Fifth Season, Third With Patriots
- Lorenz Metz (#72) - Fourth Season, Second With Patriots
Right now, the Patriots have 17 offensive linemen on the roster. The starting unit of Campbell (left tackle), Vera-Tucker (left guard), Wilson (center), Onwenu (right guard) and Moses (right tackle) should be the unit that is rolled out each week, but they also got some options as backups. Lomu and Brown appear to be the top replacements during mandatory minicamp at all three positions, and Crownover offers interesting possibilities as a swing tackle in his rookie season.
2025 Season In Review:
The Patriots went out and drafted Campbell with the fourth overall pick to be the left tackle of the future. He was slotted into the starting lineup from day one and played good, not great. It was a trying year for the LSU rookie who was later placed on IR with an MCL injury. When he came back, he just wasn't the same player in the playoffs.
A lot of the Patriots starters just weren't the same once the postseason rolled around. Wilson took a step back at left guard and center Garrett Bradbury was an alright player during his one season in New England (he was traded to the Chicago Bears this past offseason). While Moses and Onwenu were sturdy on the right side, it felt like a dreadful end for what was, in all ways, a turnaround season for the offensive line.
They got impressive play from backup tackles Vederian Lowe and Thayer Munford Jr. (both of who are gone for 2026) and guard Ben Brown. Those spots are likely going to be replaced by Lomu and Crownover, two players who shined at Utah and Texas A&M, respectively. The need for adding depth was paramount for the Patriots, who also went out and signed veteran Hudson to a one-year deal after he played for the Giants in 2025.
Overall, last season helped set the benchmark for what the unit up front should look like. Was it perfect? Far from it. But the team was able to look at the group and finally determine who they want at all five positions instead of what happened during Jerod Mayo's tenure, which felt like a constant changing of the guard (literally).
Strengths:
On paper, the Patriots just got a lot better on the field. Four of the five starters from a season ago remain, and they upgraded the unit by sliding Wilson to center and signing Vera-Tucker. The chemistry of the group got better as the season went along last year, and should remain a major part of the line's success.
In 2024, the Patriots rolled out 11 different offensive line combinations during the season. Last year, they had just four. That should carry over into the second season with offensive line coach Doug Marrone, who brings a world of experience to the room.
Adding Vera-Tucker in free agency and moving Wilson to the position he played in college can help with one thing they needed to get better at: overall play strength. Last year, the Patriots were good, not great against some of the league's top defensive fronts. Teams like the Chargers and Texans had their way up front, leading to plenty of breakdowns.
That should be out the window now, as Vera-Tucker brings ability in the run game to open up holes for the backfield. Onwenu remains on the line for his seventh-straight season and hasn't had any issues with playing against premier opponents.
Weaknesses:
It's hard right now to truly judge what a weakness could be for this group. You'd like to think that Campbell/Wilson only get better from their rookie seasons, and that the depth of the room holds up. But the injury bug is always something to monitor. Both Campbell and Wilson missed time at the end of the season with lower-body injuries, while Vera-Tucker missed the entire season with a torn triceps he suffered in practice.
The health of this room is at the upmost importance, and it has been something that can derail a season. Despite getting good value out of Lowe in reserve, the injury to Campbell really lessen the overall bite at left tackle. Vera-Tucker has been a question mark nearly every year since getting drafted. At right tackle, Moses is getting up there in age and may not be the same player he once was a decade ago.
Overall, the starting unit and the top backups have all the talent in the world to keep their quarterback upright. It's the ability to stay healthy and to make a meaningful contribution on the field is what leads to some concerns. If Vera-Tucker gets banged up, or a tackle on either side goes down, the Patriots offense may not be as crisp as it looks right now.
2026 Outlook:
It's hard to imagine Lomu cracking the starting lineup this season, barring injury. The starting five unit is set in place for this season, with Lomu, Brown and Crownover being the top backups across the board. The goal is to cut back on the sacks allowed and potentially mold your first rounder into the right tackle of the future.
For now, the offensive line remains one of the deepest rooms on the roster with plenty of room to grow. Campbell should return back to form as an above average pass protector for Maye's blindside, while the rest of the unit helps pave some running lanes to keep the Patriots' offense churning.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/patriots/onsi as Patriots 2026 OL Preview: Starting Five Seems Set In Stone.
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This story was originally published June 22, 2026 at 1:58 PM.