The Patriots wasted no time trying to patch up their battered offensive line.
Less than 24 hours after three linemen went down against the New York Jets, Mike Vrabel said New England is bringing back Andrew Rupcich and Jacob Rizy to the practice squad on Monday. The catch: there’s only one open spot right now, so another move will have to follow.
“We’ll add Andrew Rupcich and Rizy,” Vrabel explained during a press conference at Gillette Stadium. “Guys that have been here previously to help us here as we move forward. I would say that we have to stay pretty fluid.”
Both players were already familiar faces from training camp and preseason. Rupcich, 27, first landed with the Patriots in September 2025 and spent the rest of that season on the practice squad. He later stayed with the team on a futures contract after the Super Bowl and appeared in one preseason game, but a strained MCL landed him on injured reserve before he was released in late August with a settlement.
Rizy’s path was different, but it also brought him back to New England. The 24-year-old rookie free agent joined the Patriots earlier this year after playing college ball at Harvard and Florida State. He appeared in all three preseason games at center and eventually got added to the practice squad, only to be waived in mid-September.
The need for reinforcements showed up fast on Sunday. New England opened against the Jets with Will Campbell and Morgan Moses at tackle, plus Alijah Vera-Tucker, Jared Wilson and Ben Brown inside. By the end of the 26-19 win, only Campbell and Wilson were still standing from that group.
Campbell, who had been dealing with a knee issue and was limited in practice during the week, and Wilson were the only starters up front to finish the game. Moses exited in the second half with an ankle injury, Vera-Tucker left later with a hamstring injury, and Brown was knocked out in the third quarter after hurting his knee.
The Patriots turned to Caleb Lomu at right tackle, while Walter Rouse and Matt Pryor filled in at guard.
“Proud of the way the guys that were in there finished the game,” said Vrabel. “Critical drive, and one that they showed up in good fashion and we were able to run the football, take the time down, take the clock down, and end the drive with some points.”
In Other News...
Patriots Turned A Messy Jets Game On A Few Huge Moments
The Patriots survived a messy one against the Jets by leaning on the kinds of plays that usually decide tight division games: defensive stops, successful fourth-down calls and a pair of scoring drives when the margin for error was thin. Drake Maye helped steer the offense, and New England kept finding just enough answers to stay in front in a game that never really settled into a rhythm.
What stood out most was how the Patriots handled the critical moments near the goal line, where the Jets never managed to cash in. New England also got a crucial final drive to close it out, but the win carried some lingering questions because a key playmaker was shaken up after a long touchdown catch, leaving one more layer of uncertainty hanging over an otherwise needed result. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Need A.J. Brown To Answer One Big Offensive Concern
After getting past the Jets in a 26-19 Week 6 win, the Patriots are back to dealing with the bigger question that has hovered over their offense for most of the month: how much better does it look when A.J. Brown is available? Brown missed four games with an ankle injury, and his absence has left New England searching for more consistency and a clearer passing rhythm as it heads into a Thursday night trip to Chicago.
Draye Maye was candid about what Brown means to the offense, which is why his status looms so large for Week 7. Brown said he is absolutely good to play against the Bears, giving the Patriots a potential boost at exactly the right time, but the real test is whether his return can address the concern that has lingered since he went down. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Win Streak Comes With A Warning Fans Can't Ignore
The Patriots picked up their third straight win Sunday, beating the Jets 26-19, but the mood afterward was hardly celebratory. Mike Vrabel made it clear the result mattered more than the performance, pointing to a team that came away with a victory while still leaving plenty to fix on both sides of the ball.
Christian Gonzalez echoed that balance, acknowledging the defense had its issues even in a winning effort. The cornerback also stressed the value of simply getting the stop when it counted, a reminder that New Englands latest run has given the team momentum without fully quieting the questions about how sustainable it all is. [Read more 🡒]