When New England Patriots training camp opens at the end of the week, there’s going to be one position group that a lot of eyes are going to be on, and rightfully so. There’s probably not a bigger question mark on the team right now than the offensive line.
The possible outcomes for this group are wildly different, and, depending on who you ask, people either feel a lot better about last year, about the same, or, in some cases, even worse. In this week leading up to camp, I’m going to do a deep dive
into each position along the offensive line and let you know whether I think the Patriots improved, and what to expect from the position as a whole. Today is Day 4, so we’re looking at left guard. Let’s get into it.
Left guard deep dive
2025 starters: Jared Wilson, Ben Brown
Projected 2026 starter: Alijah Vera-Tucker
Last season, the Patriots got competent (for the most part, at least) play from Jared Wilson at right guard, but he was clearly playing out of position. With Wilson moving over to center following the trade that sent Garrett Bradbury to Chicago, there was a gaping hole at left guard. With a pick at the end of the first round, the Patriots could have chosen to fill it in the draft.
However, they decided to go the free agent route instead, bringing in former Jets first-round draft choice Alijah Vera-Tucker on a three-year, $42 million contract.
Vera-Tucker has proven himself to be a solid guard in the NFL, and just turned 27, which means he will be more than just a stopgap at the position. The only problem is that he has suffered multiple injuries throughout his career, and only playing in 43 games in his first five years in the league. If he cannot stay healthy, this will be a position where the Patriots would have to make another investment.
His health will be something that Patriots fans are going to want to keep an eye on this summer and into the season, because, as I mentioned in my right guard deep-dive, the Patriots have no proven depth behind him. Caedan Wallace has had another year in the system to improve, and Andrew Rupcich has some NFL experience, but no players behind AVT belong starting on a team that has Super Bowl aspirations.
Overall, signing Vera-Tucker should be an upgrade for the Patriots, not only this year, but into the future. His skill and athleticism make him a bonafide stud on the line, and, assuming he can stay on the field, New England might just have one of the best guard combos in the league between him and Mike Onwenu.
