The New England Patriots, for the third time in the last four seasons, will take their act abroad again this fall. In Week 10, they will take on the Detroit Lions in Munich, Germany.
For the team, it will be a return to the international market. For offensive tackle Lorenz Metz, it will be a return home.
Hard facts
Name: Lorenz Metz
Position: Offensive tackle
Jersey number: 72
Opening day age: 29 (3/7/1997)
Measurements: 6’9”, 320 lbs, 10 5/8” hand size, 34 1/4” arm length, 84” wingspan, 5.30s 40-yard dash, 7.63s
3-cone drill, 4.82s short shuttle, 25 1/2” vertical jump, 8’7” broad jump, 26 bench press reps, 7.65 Relative Athletic Score
Experience
NFL: Chicago Bears (2023), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2024-25), New England Patriots (2025-) | College: Cincinnati (2018-22)
Born in the German city of Neuötting, 50 miles east of Munich, Metz’s football career started when he was already 18 years old. Before making the move to the United States, he played at the amateur level with the Kirchdorf Wildcats as a defensive tackle: in his lone season with the Wildcats, he appeared in 12 games and registered 48 tackles and a sack.
In 2018, Metz moved to the United States to play college football at Cincinnati. He switched from defensive lineman to offensive tackle upon arriving, and over the next five seasons saw action in 39 games with 26 starts.
A one-time first-team All-AAC selection (2021), Metz went unselected in the 2023 NFL Draft. He was initially picked up by the Bears as a free agent, but was released early in training camp and not picked up by another team until the following April. He later spent time in Tampa and New England as a roster exempt international practice squad player.
His only on-field experience in the NFL has come in preseason.
Scouting report
Strengths: The tallest player on the Patriots’ current roster, Metz offers NFL-caliber length and an overall frame that is rare even for pro-level offensive tackles. He uses his size to his advantage as both a pass protector and a run blocker, covering plenty of ground without much of an athletic effort needed. He mirrors decently well and plays with the appropriate demeanor needed to succeed in the run game; he also has solid upper-body strength and a strong punch. In addition, he provides some versatile experience having played both tackle spots and right guard during his college career.
Weaknesses: While his size is rare, Metz’s athleticism is not. He lacks foot speed and range as a blocker, while his lateral agility is uninspiring; he relies on his length to win but does not complement it with any movement skills worth noting. As a result, his use as a pull or zone blocker seems fairly limited. He also falls victim to his height on occasion and struggles to maintain leverage or play with a consistent pad level. His grip strength and ability to sustain blocks are also underwhelming.
2025 review
Stats: N/A
Season recap: After spending the 2024 season as an exempt member of the Buccaneers’ practice squad, Metz was given another chance by the team in the form of a futures contract for 2025. Keeping his international status and therefore not counting against the 90-man roster limit, he did participate in offseason workouts and training camp as a reserve offensive tackle.
As such, his opportunities were unsurprisingly limited. Serving as Tampa’s third-string left tackle, Metz saw action in all three preseason games but was on the field for only 21 offensive snaps, all of them in the finale against Buffalo. He also played four more on special teams.
The writing had been on the wall when he was waived ahead of roster cutdowns. However, the Buccaneers were still not ready to quit on him and again re-signed him to their practice squad as an exempt 17th player. He spent the remainder of the 2025 season there without seeing any game action — a consequence of his international status — and saw his contract expire in January.
This allowed Metz to look for another team, and he found it in the Patriots. On January 13, in between New England’s wild card and divisional playoff games, he was added to the practice squad. He once again signed as a qualifying international player, meaning that he did not take up one of the 16 available spots on the Patriots’ developmental roster.
After the Super Bowl, Metz was retained by the runner-ups in the form of another futures deal.
2026 preview
Position: Left tackle | Ability: Camp body/Practice squad candidate | Contract: Signed through 2026 (2027 ERFA)/International roster exemption
What will be his role? Metz has been an offensive tackle throughout his NFL career, and 2026 will be no different. Ideally, he will provide some value on both the left and the right side, but his in-game experience has come exclusively on the left so far. Either way, he projects as a depth option only.
What is his growth potential? While he did pick up the sport late and only has a handful of seasons under his belt, there is only so much growth potential in Metz. At 29, after all, he is likely maxed-out physically and athletically, and should also not be expected to make significant technical gains.
Does he have positional versatility? All 67 of Metz’s NFL preseason snaps so far have come at the left side, but he does have some experience playing elsewhere from his time in college. In fact, he only played 188 left tackle snaps at Cincinnati, compared to 713 at right tackle and 829 at right guard. So far in the NFL, however, his versatility has been more theoretical than anything.
What is his salary cap situation? As noted above, the Patriots re-signed Metz via a futures deal in February. That contract consists entirely of his $885,000 base salary, which simultaneously functions as his cap number. None of it being guaranteed means that he currently does not count against New England’s books under the NFL’s Top 51 rule.
How safe is his roster spot? Metz making New England’s 53-man roster seems highly unlikely at this point, but he nonetheless might have a decent shot at sticking around. After all, his international status would allow him to again serve as an exempt 17th practice squad player who would not be allowed to play in any games but still participate in practice. Add the fact that the Patriots are playing in his home country this season, and the team might be motivated to bring him back after what seems like an inevitable release ahead of cutdown day.
Summary: Even though his overall value to the Patriots is limited, the circumstances work in Metz’s favor. While that would mean he’d remain a rather anonymous part of the team, it would allow his NFL career to continue for another season.
What do you think about Lorenz Metz heading into the 2026 season? Does he have a realistic shot at making the regular roster or practice squad? Or will he remain an exempt international player throughout the year? Please head down to the comment section to share your thoughts.
