The New England Patriots’ offensive tackle position has been in the headlines since the Super Bowl, with the future of starters Will Campbell and Morgan Moses the subject of significant speculation. However, their immediate outlook is relatively clear: they are set to return as the left and right tackle, respectively.
What is less clear is who will back them up. Three of the Patriots’ depth tackles, after all, are headed for free agency: Vederian Lowe, Yasir Durant and the subject of our latest FA
preview, Thayer Munford Jr.
Hard facts
Name: Thayer Munford Jr.
Position: Offensive tackle/Tight end
Jersey number: 74
Opening day age: 26 (9/18/1999)
Measurements: 6’5 3/4”, 331 lbs, 35 1/8” arm length, 10 1/8” hand size, 5.39s 40-yard dash, 7.74s 3-cone drill, 4.77s short shuttle, 22” vertical jump, 8’8” broad jump, 22 bench press reps, 6.72 Relative Athletic Score
Experience
NFL teams: Las Vegas Raiders (2022-24), New England Patriots (2025; 2025-), Cleveland Browns (2025) | College: Ohio State (2017-21)
Splitting his his high school career between La Salle in Cincinnati and Washington in Massillon, OH, Munford Jr. was rated as a four-star prospect heading toward college. He created an active recruiting marked before eventually deciding to stay in his home state and join Ohio State.
As a Buckeye, he appeared in 58 games with 45 starts in five years and received several accolades. He was voted to four All-Big Ten teams (first-team 2020 and 2021; second-team 2019; honorable mention 2018) as well as a first-team All-American 2021. In addition, he served as a captain during his final season in Columbus.
Despite his performance and positional versatility — he saw extensive action at LT, LG and RT — he had to wait until the seventh round of the 2022 NFL Draft to hear his name called. The Raiders picked him up 238th overall, and kept him on their roster for the first three seasons of his career. During that time, he played 46 games with 18 starts.
In 2025, Munford Jr. left Las Vegas and subsequently spent time in New England, Cleveland and New England again. to bring his career total to 55 games with 21 starts.
2025 review
Stats: 9 games (3 starts) | 143 offensive snaps (10.5%), 43 special teams snaps (7.8%) | 1 quarterback pressure surrendered (1 hit)
Season recap: Munford Jr’s fourth season in the NFL was a whirlwind. He started out in Las Vegas but was released by the Raiders’ new regime ahead of roster cutdowns. He joined the Patriots’ practice squad two days later but after a month without any in-game appearances was poached by the Browns. After three weeks on Cleveland’s active roster, he was let to an signed to the team’s own practice squad.
In late November, the Patriots returned the favor by themselves signing Munford Jr. from the Cleveland practice squad to their 53-man roster. That move finally brought some stability as well as opportunities to return to the field: after his return to Foxborough, he appeared in nine games and played a combined 186 snaps between offense and the field goal/extra point protection unit.
While nominally listed as an offensive tackle, Munford Jr. ended up playing only 45 regular season and playoff snaps at that position (with all but one of those coming at right tackle). Most of the time, he lined up as a sixth offensive lineman/jumbo tight end meant to help the Patriots run the ball.
Munford Jr. was no game-changer by himself, but his performance was good enough to allow New England to improve its capabilities on the ground. That said, his usage was still uneven as best exemplified by the final two games of the year: he played a season-high 21 TE snaps in the AFC Championship Game followed by being inserted into the lineup only once in Super Bowl LX.
Free agency preview
Free agency status: Unrestricted free agent (UFA)
What is his contract history? Munford Jr. spent the first three seasons of his career on the rookie deal he initially signed when the Raiders selected him in the seventh round of the 2022 draft. Since then, however, he has bounced between teams and contracts. In total, his career earnings have been calculated at $3.3 million by Over the Cap, including the $366,667 he received from New England in 2025.
Which teams might be in the running? Tackle-needy teams such as the Browns, Giants or Bears very well might take a look at Munford Jr, but it seems unlikely any club brings him in with the sole intention of inserting him into the starting lineup. Realistically, he will be part of the backup market, which might open up more opportunities given the lesser price tag and teams’ general need to fill out their offseason rosters.
Why should he be expected back? The Patriots are set at the starter level at offensive tackle, with Will Campbell and Morgan Moses expected back as the top options on the left and right side, respectively. However, the depth chart behind them is filled with question marks. Munford Jr. would not be a definitive answer, but his experience in the system and ability to perform in multiple roles makes him an attractive re-sign candidate for the team.
Why should he be expected to leave? Munford Jr. played a fairly prominent role at times in 2025, but his contributions also do not make him an irreplaceable player. In fact, the volatility of his snap count already shows that he was more of a matchup piece than anything else — something the Patriots might feel they could get out of somebody younger and cheaper with a more attractive room for improvement (i.e. a potential draft pick).
What is his projected free agency outcome? Considering that we predicted fellow unrestricted free agent tackle Vederian Lowe to leave New England, we see Munford Jr. be retained. It should not take much to re-sign him, though, with a one-year, $3.5 million pact possibly enough to do the trick and allow the Patriots some stability at tackle alongside the aforementioned Campbell and Moses.
Now it’s your turn to play GM: What would you do with Thayer Munford Jr.? Bring him back as a depth option? Or let him go? Please head down to the comment section to share your plan.
