The Patriots made several roster moves ahead of Saturday's matchup vs. the Chargers at Gillette Stadium, with some possible shake-ups coming along the offensive line.
On Friday, New England activated rookie OT Caedan Wallace (ankle) from injured reserve while also elevating WR/returner Alex Erickson and LB Monty Rice from the practice squad for Week 17. The Patriots also placed CB Marcus Jones (hip) on injured reserve and downgraded starting C Ben Brown (concussion) to out. Jones's season is now over, while Brown being out opens the door for former first-rounder Cole Strange to start at center this week.
Wallace's activation is a key development as the Patriots attempt to learn about their roster in the season's final two weeks. The rookie third-rounder was placed on injured reserve in early October after Wallace sustained a severe lower leg injury. Wallace returned to practice on Dec. 9, meaning the Pats had until Dec. 30 to activate him from injured reserve, or his season would've been over. With two games remaining, the hope is to get a small sample of Wallace at right tackle before 2024 ends.
When the Patriots selected the Penn State product with the 68th overall pick in the 2024 draft, the initial plan was for Wallace to transition to left tackle, with top OL Mike Onwenu penciled in at right tackle. The rookie made his first-career start in Week 3 vs. the Jets, but he understandably struggled at left tackle, allowing a sack, three total pressures, and was called for three penalties. Ultimately, the Pats initial plan for the offensive line didn't come to fruition: Wallace got hurt, Onwenu was moved back inside to right guard, and backup LT Vederian Lowe and waiver claim Trey Jacobs (RT) settled in as the team's starting tackles.
Due to several factors, the Patriots offensive line has been a significant weakness for the offense, ranking last in both pass-blocking and run-blocking win rate through 16 weeks. That said, two major changes this week could upgrade the talent level of the group and serve as an audition for the future.
First, according to offensive line coach Scott Peters, Wallace has been repping at right tackle since returning to practice earlier this month. In college, Wallace made 40 career starts at right tackle for Penn State. As his draft positioning suggests, teams viewed Wallace as a potential starter on the right side due to his ability to create initial movement in the run game and stay square to rushers as a pass blocker. The 24-year-old improved significantly in his last collegiate season, making himself a top-100 draft pick.
Although nothing is official, Wallace could get playing time at right tackle vs. the Chargers on Saturday. With all due respect to Jacobs, Wallace should get reps in the final two games so the team can evaluate whether Wallace can factor into their plans for 2025 and beyond. Plus, Jacobs opened the door for that switch by struggling in Buffalo (five pressures, two penalties, missed cut block on backward pass/fumble).
The other expected change is that former first-rounder Cole Strange will start at center for the Patriots. With incumbent starter Ben Brown (concussion) ruled out, Strange told reporters he has been running with the starters during practice this week. Before his severe knee injury last December, Strange played his best football. Now, the Pats coaching staff views Strange as a long-term fit in their system at center rather than at guard. Although the expectation is that captain David Andrews will return in 2025, Andrews will be 33 years old coming off a major shoulder injury that ended his 2024 season after four games. Strange could also factor into the team's future plans if he plays well at center in the next two games.
Ultimately, a two-game sample size for Strange and Wallace is too small to make any grand proclamations about their abilities to start on the offensive line moving forward. Still, evaluating the Pats returning offensive linemen gives Saturday's game a little more juice as we continue to look through a future lens with this team. The Patriots projected starting offensive line vs. the Chargers is LT Vederian Lowe, LG Layden Robinson, C Cole Strange, RG Mike Onwenu, and RT Trey Jacobs. But, again, there's a chance that Wallace could get the nod at right tackle.
Lastly, the Patriots practice squad elevations will likely fill the same roles they did in Buffalo. Erickson was elevated for the second consecutive week to fill in for injured returner Marcus Jones (out, hip) on punt returns. Erickson also filled in on kickoff returns when RB JaMycal Hasty was inactive in Week 16, but Hasty is good to go this week. As for Rice, the veteran linebacker played a three-phase special teams role in the loss to the Bills last week.
As for Los Angeles, the Chargers activated lead-back J.K. Dobbins (knee) from injured reserve. Dobbins leads the Chargers in rush attempts (158), rushing yards (766), and rushing touchdowns (8). Earlier this week, head coach Jerod Mayo said he expects LA to run the ball based on their run-oriented approach and New England's struggles stopping the run. With their best running back returning, that makes it even more likely that the Chargers will run, run and run some more.
With two games remaining in their season, the Patriots are hoping to play spoiler against a Charger team that's contending for a playoff spot in the AFC. If the Pats can put together another competitive performance vs. a playoff-caliber opponent, it'll help build some momentum heading into a crucial offseason. However, the other side of the coin is how winning down the stretch will affect the Patriots draft positioning. Currently, New England holds the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 draft.
The Patriots host the Chargers with kickoff at 1 p.m. ET at Gillette Stadium on Saturday.
DISCLAIMER: The views and thoughts expressed in this article are those of the writer and don't necessarily reflect those of the organization. Read Full Disclaimer
