The Patriots are digging deep into the offensive line pool again, and this latest visit may say as much about their health situation as it does about their roster plans.
According to NFL insider Aaron Wilson, New England brought in veteran guard Jamaree Salyer for a visit as the team keeps searching for answers up front. With four offensive guards already on the injury list - Mike Onwenu (ankle), Greg Van Roten (knee), Alijah Vera-Tucker (hamstring), and Ben Brown (knee) - the Patriots have been forced to keep patching together the unit any way they can.
Salyer could fit that need. He was a sixth-round pick by the Los Angeles Chargers in 2022, spent the summer with the Miami Dolphins, and has been a free agent since being released in August. He also brings some useful flexibility, which matters a lot when the depth chart is this battered.
A Georgia product, Salyer was teammates with current Patriots center Jared Wlson in college. In the NFL, he has appeared in 67 games with the Chargers and made 43 starts. He has lined up at multiple spots, including left tackle and right guard, giving him a versatility the Patriots could use in a pinch.
His 2024 season in Los Angeles also showed why he remains a name to watch. Salyer posted a 69.0 pass blocking grade and a 61.5 run blocking grade from Pro Football Focus, while playing 449 snaps. He allowed 19 pressures and four sacks.
The Dolphins brought him in during the offseason, but a knee injury sent him to injured reserve. Miami later released him from IR with an injury settlement.
New England already added familiar faces Andrew Rupcich and Jacob Rizy to the practice squad, and there are other depth bodies around the building in Xavier Newman-Johnson, Jake Kubas, and Lorenz Metz. But none of those options feel like the kind of plug-and-play fix the Patriots may need if things get worse.
That’s where Salyer becomes interesting. He played against New England in last season’s AFC Wild Card game, and his experience gives him a stronger case than most of the in-house emergency options.
The Patriots have already ruled out Vera-Tucker and Brown for tonight’s primetime game against the Chicago Bears, and offensive tackle Marcus Bryant (ankle) still hasn’t been activated from IR. Right now, Walter Rouse is slated to start at left guard and Matt Pryor at right guard - two players who weren’t on the roster three months ago.
If either one of them gets knocked out, New England will need another plan fast.
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Drake Maye is not sounding alarmed, though, and the quarterbacks confidence in Brown adds an important layer as New England turns its focus to the Bears. For the Patriots, the bigger question is whether Browns timing and comfort can sharpen quickly enough to make his return feel more like a turning point than a temporary detour. [Read more 🡒]