The Patriots’ offensive line took another hit coming out of Sunday’s 45-27 loss to the Green Bay Packers, and the latest news on Ben Brown doesn’t point to a quick fix.
Mike Vrabel said Monday that Brown, the team’s starting left guard, is unlikely to be available for Week 10 against the Detroit Lions. Brown exited Sunday’s game with a knee injury after New England had already been forced to shuffle its line because of earlier injuries.
“(He) probably won’t make it this week,” Vrabel said.
Brown’s departure sent Walter Rouse into the lineup, but the Patriots never found much comfort up front. Drake Maye was sacked four times and spent much of the night under pressure as the line struggled to hold up.
It’s been a rough stretch for Brown personally, too. He entered the summer as one of the team’s top backup options, then suffered a preseason injury that cost him time at the start of the season. After returning, he earned a starting role before another injury against the New York Jets knocked him out again.
He missed the Patriots’ Thursday night loss to the Chicago Bears in Week 7, then returned for the next two games.
The bigger picture for New England’s line has been ugly all year. Mike Onwenu, Alijah Vera-Tucker and Greg Van Roten are already on injured reserve, leaving Brown, Rouse and Matt Pryor to carry heavier responsibilities. Even so, the Patriots are 5-4 and still in the AFC playoff picture.
“We’re five and four. I think there’s going to be a lot of contending teams that are five and four,” Vrabel said.
“I think that’s the nature of the National Football League. We got to draw a line here.
Now we got to think that we’re zero and zero, and we got to start putting ourselves in position to play meaningful games in January or in the middle of January.”
Brown’s expected absence could open the door for Van Roten, whose 21-day window to return from injured reserve started last week. It may also push the Patriots to look for more help inside before Tuesday’s NFL trade deadline.
“That’s something that we’ll look at,” Vrabel said. “He’s eligible and has been working hard to get back, so we’ll take a look at that and see where he is tomorrow or Wednesday when we practice.”
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The roster picture is not fully settled yet, though, and the Patriots will have to manage at least one notable absence along the way. Center Ben Brown will not make the trip, leaving New England to adjust its preparation as it heads overseas with a few important questions still hanging over the week. [Read more 🡒]
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For a team trying to stay in the playoff race, moving Barmore would mean choosing salary cap relief over a player who still fits a premium position. Keeping him would preserve depth and talent up front, but it would also leave the Patriots to sort through a contract situation that could affect how aggressively they operate before the deadline. The tension is clear, even if the answer is not. [Read more 🡒]