The Patriots are heading into the season opener against the Seattle Seahawks with a front five that comes with real upside - and just as many questions.
At the center of it all is Jared Wilson, who is making a switch after starting his entire rookie season at left guard. Now he’s moving to center, a spot that should feel more natural for him than the one he played in 2025.
Wilson earned second-team All-SEC honors as a senior at Georgia and was viewed as one of the top center prospects in the 2025 NFL Draft, so this move is hardly a random experiment. It’s also a big responsibility.
As the new starter in the middle, Wilson will have to do a lot more than block. He’ll be snapping cleanly, calling out blitzes, setting protections and staying in lockstep with Drake Maye.
That communication piece matters most of all, because there’s no room for a breakdown between the quarterback and the center. He’ll also need to be louder and more authoritative overall, which is a lot to ask of a second-year player.
Still, the Patriots are giving him support around him. Morgan Moses, Alijah Vera-Tucker and Michael Onwenu give Wilson three experienced veterans to work with. Josh McDaniels also has a history with undersized, high-IQ centers like Dan Koppen, Ryan Wendell and David Andrews, while offensive line coach Doug Marrone helped get Campbell and Wilson ready to start as rookies.
Wilson’s move also fits what his body type suggests. He’s more of a quick-twitch, on-the-move blocker than a mauling guard like Onwenu, and his athleticism and intelligence point toward center as the better long-term home. The comparison to David Andrews isn’t hard to see.
The rest of the line is just as loaded with questions. Will Campbell stays at left tackle for now, but his long-term future as Maye’s blindside protector is still under the microscope after late-season struggles. The Patriots clearly see him as their best option for 2026, especially with first-round rookie Caleb Lomu showing some concerning struggles of his own.
There’s also Vera-Tucker, who gives the Patriots a high-end option at left guard when healthy. The problem is obvious: his career with the New York Jets was slowed by durability issues, and banking on him to stay on the field is a risk.
On the right side, Onwenu is being counted on to deliver Pro Bowl-caliber play in his seventh season, and to do it from start to finish. Moses, meanwhile, is trying to keep Father Time at arm’s length and hold down right tackle, even with Lomu waiting as an insurance policy if needed.
That’s the shape of the Patriots’ protection plan: a line that looks strong on paper, but only if a lot of things go right. Campbell has to build on a hot start and answer questions from his rough finish.
Vera-Tucker has to stay upright. Wilson has to make the leap to center.
Onwenu has to remain elite. Moses has to keep going.
If it all clicks, the Patriots could have the kind of front that gives Maye real stability. If it doesn’t, the pressure will come fast.
In Other News...
Patriots Players Just Got A Frustrating Gillette Reality Check
Gillette Stadiums field is getting attention for all the wrong reasons as the Patriots head toward preseason. The current artificial turf has drawn plenty of complaints over the years, and the team now has to get the surface ready again before games begin, with the Colts coming in for the opener. For a roster that has long heard players push for natural grass, it is another reminder that the playing surface in Foxborough remains a point of frustration.
Robert Kraft, though, is not signaling any bigger change is coming. The Patriots are moving ahead with the immediate fix to satisfy league standards, but the broader turf-versus-grass debate still looks stuck in place, even as players continue to make their preference known. For now, the question is less about whether Gillette will be ready for the next game and more about whether the field situation ever gets addressed beyond the short term. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Just Got A Painful Reminder About Their WR1 Problem
The receiver market can change quickly in training camp, and Brian Thomas Jr. is a reminder of how hard it can be to land the kind of help a passing game desperately needs. The former first-round pick was viewed by some as a possible trade target for New England, which has been looking for more punch at the top of its receiver depth chart, but those talks always depended on Jacksonville being willing to move on from a player with obvious upside.
Instead, the early reports out of Jaguars camp have Thomas trending in the opposite direction, with signs that he looks sharper and more polished than he did a year ago. For the Patriots, it leaves the same basic challenge in place as they move through camp with A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs at the front of the group, while a receiver many believed could have been available now looks like he might be headed toward a real comeback season in Jacksonville. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Backup QB Just Forced His Way Into This Competition
A one-day joint practice with the Colts at Gillette Stadium gave the Patriots a useful mid-August look at where things stand, and it also offered a reminder that the backup quarterback competition may not be going quietly. Drake Maye and Tommy DeVito both turned in notable sessions as New England mixed in players returning from injury, including Christian Barmore and Charles Woods, while the practice field also reflected the usual late-summer churn of absences.
DeVito, in particular, made the day interesting by stacking together several scoring plays in team work, giving the Patriots another evaluation point behind Maye. The depth chart will keep shifting as camp moves on, and the larger picture around the roster remains unsettled with some absences still tied to injuries and contract issues, but practice against Indianapolis at least showed that the backup job is far from a formality. [Read more 🡒]