The New England Patriots will be without their starting right guard, Mike Onwenu, for Sunday's Week 3 game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Onwenu was placed on injured reserve after suffering a gruesome ankle injury and being carted off the field in last week's game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Patriots haven't completely shut down the possibility of him returning for the season, but given the severity of the injury, it's hard to envision that happening anytime soon, if at all.
Patriots coach Mike Vrabel revealed on Friday that veteran offensive lineman Greg Van Roten will start at right guard against the Jaguars. The other reserve options on the roster include veterans Ben Brown and Walter Rouse.
The Patriots should consider Van Roten
being on their roster as a luxury considering he has appeared in 146 games and has 105 starts under his belt. He's a highly experienced player with the ability to step right into the fire and contribute immediately.
But what will the drop-off look like?
Onwenu was arguably the Patriots' best offensive lineman, and Van Roten is a 36-year-old journeyman playing on his ninth NFL team. All eyes will be at right guard to see if the offensive line misses a beat with the aging veteran in the trenches.
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This article originally appeared on Patriots Wire: Is Patriots OL Mike Onwenu playing today?
