FOXBORO - The New England Patriots are turning back to a familiar face to help patch an offensive line that’s taken a beating in the preseason.
The team has agreed to a contract with free agent guard Jack Conley, according to a source. Conley, a former Boston College standout, first joined the Patriots as an undrafted free agent last summer and now returns after spending time with the organization in two separate stints as a rookie.
At 25, Conley brings both size and experience to a group that has been thinned out by injuries. He measures 6-foot-7 and 333 pounds, and that frame comes at a useful moment for New England after losing three offensive linemen in its last two preseason games.
The injury hits started in the preseason opener against the Indianapolis Colts, when backups Ben Brown and Andrew Rupcich went down. This weekend against the Eagles, the Patriots also lost backup offensive tackle Marcus Bryant.
That lack of depth is part of why Conley is back in the mix. Over the weekend, head coach Mike Vrabel was direct about the state of the roster and the need to protect the team’s best players.
"I do not think we have a very deep team," head coach Mike Vrabel said over the weekend about playing starters during the preseason, "so I think we have to make sure that we are preparing our football team and that we are doing everything that we can to keep our best players available."
Conley’s path to this point has already taken a few turns. He spent six years at Boston College, appearing in 60 games and earning All-ACC Honorable Mention after starting 12 games in his final graduate season. He originally signed with New England for training camp, was released during roster cutdowns, then returned to the practice squad for a brief 20-day stay in early September before being cut again at the end of the month.
During the preseason, he logged 76 total snaps. After that, his rookie year included stops with the Detroit Lions and Cleveland Browns, where he stayed on the practice squad for the rest of the season. Cleveland later released him earlier this month after he signed a futures deal to close 2025.
At Boston College, Conley lined up at right guard, left guard and right tackle, and he also took reps as an eligible tight end. That versatility could make him useful right away, especially with the Patriots set for their final preseason game against the Browns this week.
Conley will join an interior offensive line group that already includes Mike Onwenu, Alijah Vera-Tucker, Greg Van Roten, James Hudson, Mehki Butler, Jacob Rizy, Darrian Dalcourt, Joe Michalski and JonDarius Morgan. New England will need a corresponding move to clear a spot for him.
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