Mike Onwenu’s move to injured reserve was the expected next step for the Patriots, but it still carries real weight.
Two days after the veteran left New England’s win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on a cart, the team officially shut him down by placing him on IR Tuesday. That means Onwenu will miss at least four games, and with the injury being reported as a fractured right ankle, the absence is likely to stretch well beyond that. It could even end his season.
The Patriots also promoted punter Mitch Wishnowsky from the practice squad to the 53-man roster, another transaction that had been building for a while. Wishnowsky had spent the first two weeks on the practice squad and been standard-elevated for both games, but with only one elevation left, New England needed to make a roster decision. Bryce Baringer remains on IR and will be out for at least two more games, so the punter situation had to be addressed.
Onwenu’s exit from Sunday’s game in the late first quarter forced the Patriots to reshuffle the offensive line immediately, with veteran Greg Van Roten stepping in at right guard. His first game in the spot had good moments and rough ones, but Mike Vrabel made clear Monday that the plan is for him to keep working there for now.
“I think he had a few plays that he’d like to have back, so would everybody,” said Vrabel about Van Roten on Monday. “But I thought he had some positive plays.
To go through an entire game, there are going to be some good ones, some bad ones and some that we have to eliminate. I think that he stepped in there, was ready to go.
Then we’ll have to figure out who’s the next guy, and if it is Greg, make sure that he’s as ready to go to work with Morgan and Jared as possible.”
The ripple effect goes deeper than the starting five. With Van Roten moved into the lineup, the Patriots are down to Ben Brown as their only interior offensive line backup. First-round pick Caleb Lomu has shown some ability to play inside or outside, but Vrabel said he has been “trying to predominantly practice, be there, be ready to go playing tackle,” according to Vrabel.
Other options in the mix include tackle/guard hybrid Walter Rouse, who arrived in a trade before roster cutdowns, along with practice squad linemen Jake Kubas and Xavier Newman-Johnson.
Vrabel stopped short Monday of ruling Onwenu out for the rest of the season, but the injury now landing him on IR makes the outlook bleak. A return in 2026 would be a surprise, not the expectation.
The timing also raises a bigger question for New England, since Onwenu is in the final year of his contract after renegotiating it this offseason to trade total compensation for more favorable guarantees. He is still set to reach the open market in six months.
The injury list keeps growing, too. Onwenu becomes one of eight Patriots currently on injured reserve, not counting players such as running backs Jam Miller and Terrell Jennings, who were once on IR but later released with settlements.
Of the eight currently there, three - Myles Montgomery, Jeremiah Webb, Julian Hill - are done for the season unless they are also released with settlements later on. The other five could theoretically return before the year is out.
For some, including A.J. Brown, the outlook is much better than it is for Onwenu.
Tuesday’s moves also had a cap impact. According to Miguel Benzan (@patscap), the Patriots lost $955,555 by moving Onwenu to injured reserve, promoting Wishnowsky, and signing tight end Tanner Conner to the practice squad.
In Other News...
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Michael Onwenus broken right ankle has turned a familiar part of the Patriots offensive front into an immediate concern, and it comes at a time when his future in New England already felt uncertain. The right guard is in the final year of his contract, so the injury does more than just shuffle the lineup against Pittsburgh. It also puts the spotlight on a spot the Patriots may need to solve beyond this season, not just for the next game.
For Will Campbell, the opening is as important as it is abrupt. New England is looking to its top draft pick to help cover the void and show he can be a real piece of the line moving forward, which raises the pressure on him quickly. The Patriots need stability up front, and this is the kind of test that can speed up a young linemans development whether hes ready for it or not. [Read more 🡒]
Mike Vrabel Admitted One Patriots Mistake That Could Matter Later
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Patriots Still Have One Special Teams Question Hanging Over Them
Mitch Wishnowsky is back on the New England Patriots practice squad after serving as a standard elevation for the home opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers, a reminder that the teams special teams picture still has some sorting out to do. With Bryce Baringer on injured reserve, Wishnowsky has been the fill-in option and handled the job against Pittsburgh, punting four times while giving the Patriots a workable evening in the field-position battle.
Wishnowsky has now appeared in two games this season, and the move back to the practice squad leaves New England with a familiar question at a position that can quietly shape close games. The Patriots can keep cycling through options while Baringer remains unavailable, but the way they manage the punter spot in the coming weeks will say plenty about how stable they feel about the depth chart. [Read more 🡒]