Six Guards Entered Mini-camp Competing For Three Roster Spots

[mgteich]

We had 3 open roster spots, 2-3 roster spots available, starting LG and 1-2 backup OG's.

LEFT GUARD - Strange, Sow, Schweizer
BACKUP RIGHT GUARD - Robinson, Robinson, Conley
==========
Are ANY on any team's 53-man roster?
===========
Wilson was expected to backup at center until he was ready to start
Wallace seemed to be a backup RT competing with Jacobs.
Brown seem was the emergency #3 center, hoping for the 10th OL rosters spot.

 

[signbabybrady]

Scary that after what went on last year that they could so brutally miss the mark again that they had to borrow from other positions to fill it out.

The saving grace will be if we can actually keep the starting 5 together it is definitely much improved. But we know how unlikely that is but we also don't need to lose someone as quickly as we lost Andrews last year. If we can get the 5 going and get some cohesion then when we need to plug in one guy it shouldn't lead to musical chairs like last year. Hopefully.

 

[VJCPatriot]

We had 3 open roster spots, 2-3 roster spots available, starting LG and 1-2 backup OG's.

LEFT GUARD - Strange, Sow, Schweizer
BACKUP RIGHT GUARD - Robinson, Robinson, Conley
==========
Are ANY on any team's 53-man roster?
===========
Wilson was expected to backup at center until he was ready to start
Wallace seemed to be a backup RT competing with Jacobs.
Brown seem was the emergency #3 center, hoping for the 10th OL rosters spot.

Strange is finally GONE! The last of BB's 1st round bust holdovers has at last been shown the door.

Vrabel gave him chances but he just was not good enough to beat out the competition.

 

[signbabybrady]

Strange is finally GONE! The last of BB's 1st round bust holdovers has at last been shown the door.

Vrabel gave him chances but he just was not good enough to beat out the competition.

Odd thing to celebrate. I wish the kid the best as he continues to try and fight his way back from a significant injury.

 

[jmt57]

I'm not sure what the point is here.
IOL was a very low priority in the minds of forum members as well as media throughout the offseason.

@Huckleberry1 and a few others raised alarm at Bradbury's weak pass protection skills, but that was it.

Tackle, specifically left tackle, was correctly named the number one concern from the day the 2024 season ended, through the day players reported to training camp.


I just did a quick search of forum threads, and IOL was extremely rarely mentioned in any rankings of areas of need this past offseason.

 

[Patriot Missile]

I see it more as a marathon rather than a sprint. Were able to get a quality LT and future center in 1 draft. I think we’ll be ok with Moses and Bryant who seemed to be a lucky hit at RT.

Going to into next years draft we have the good fortune of possibly going after 2 positions that aren’t premium targets so we should be able to get one of the top LG’s and another RT coming out, if it hasn’t been solved by then. 2026 is very strong at RT btw. And there is also FA as well.

 

[signbabybrady]

I'm not sure what the point is here.
IOL was a very low priority in the minds of forum members as well as media throughout the offseason.

@Huckleberry1 and a few others raised alarm at Bradbury's weak pass protection skills, but that was it.

Tackle, specifically left tackle, was correctly named the number one concern from the day the 2024 season ended, through the day players reported to training camp.


I just did a quick search of forum threads, and IOL was extremely rarely mentioned in any rankings of areas of need this past offseason.

To be fair on the surface we still had Strange. Young players in Robinson². We figured Sow still had a chance to do what he did as a rookie. And Schweitzer looked like someone who could be a key depth piece.

Also to be fair I think the front office needs to see things a lot better than we can on the surface. And to come up this short and so wrong about 4 or 5 players is very concerning evaluation and leaves us with equally concerning depth.

But with hindsight we as fans probably should have seen this coming too and been so blindsided.

For starters I know a lot people last year were talking about Strange's injury more and how severe it really is but because he started 2 or 3 meaningless games we didn't give it enough concern this off-season.

Why anyone thought Schweitzer was enough was foolish. At best he was depth but hard to blame anyone it's just a tough sport and guys aren't always going to have it left in them.

And lastly I think is a little less on us I mean who could expect not one of the other guys to be worth anything. And I'd almost accept that as a front office excuse too but that's the job.

The only credit the front office gets in any of this mess is seemingly picking a good player in Wilson. Everything else IOL has been a mess.

 

[stinkypete]

I'm not sure what the point is here.
IOL was a very low priority in the minds of forum members as well as media throughout the offseason.

@Huckleberry1 and a few others raised alarm at Bradbury's weak pass protection skills, but that was it.

Tackle, specifically left tackle, was correctly named the number one concern from the day the 2024 season ended, through the day players reported to training camp.


I just did a quick search of forum threads, and IOL was extremely rarely mentioned in any rankings of areas of need this past offseason.

This may be true, but we were wrong. The 2024 line was terrible at 4/5 positions, not just LT (and the 5th guy, Onwenu, hasn’t been particularly good since 2022).

I think what happened was that we were so thin at so many positions that IOL seemed a less urgent need at the time. Today we find ourselves in the “oh crap” zone of realizing we have an incomplete unit.

This thing wasn’t going to be built in an offseason.

 

[signbabybrady]

This may be true, but we were wrong. The 2024 line was terrible at 4/5 positions, not just LT (and the 5th guy, Onwenu, hasn’t been particularly good since 2022).

I think what happened was that we were so thin at so many positions that IOL seemed a less urgent need at the time. Today we find ourselves in the “oh crap” zone of realizing we have an incomplete unit.

This thing wasn’t going to be built in an offseason.

This all makes sense and even further I don't think it helped that we knew we were taking Campbell before free agency started.

 

[Family]

I'm not sure what the point is here.
IOL was a very low priority in the minds of forum members as well as media throughout the offseason.

@Huckleberry1 and a few others raised alarm at Bradbury's weak pass protection skills, but that was it.

Tackle, specifically left tackle, was correctly named the number one concern from the day the 2024 season ended, through the day players reported to training camp.


I just did a quick search of forum threads, and IOL was extremely rarely mentioned in any rankings of areas of need this past offseason.

To be fair on the surface we still had Strange. Young players in Robinson². We figured Sow still had a chance to do what he did as a rookie. And Schweitzer looked like someone who could be a key depth piece.

And lastly I think is a little less on us I mean who could expect not one of the other guys to be worth anything. And I'd almost accept that as a front office excuse too but that's the job.

The only credit the front office gets in any of this mess is seemingly picking a good player in Wilson. Everything else IOL has been a mess.

The front office passed on the only IOL who seems to have had value.

Jake Andrews

They messed this up as well.

 

[JoeSixPat]

I see it more as a marathon rather than a sprint. Were able to get a quality LT and future center in 1 draft. I think we’ll be ok with Moses and Bryant who seemed to be a lucky hit at RT.

Going to into next years draft we have the good fortune of possibly going after 2 positions that aren’t premium targets so we should be able to get one of the top LG’s and another RT coming out, if it hasn’t been solved by then. 2026 is very strong at RT btw. And there is also FA as well

OT is always a priority and needs to be for every draft - if not starters than depth when starters invariably go down

LT was the top priority this offseason - and while the Patriots likely offered the most money to LTs on the free agent market, it became clear that no one wanted to play here and the only option they had was the draft.

Hopefully LT is now addressed but Campbell would not be the first LT to have to move to LG and try to attract or draft another LT next year. So very much a work in progress given that they have yet to play alongside each other in a scrimmage let alone game at this point.

No doubt, they'll likely be better than last year - but let's keep in mind that September is effectively the preseason where games just happen to count in the new NFL

 

[mgteich]

Why anyone thought Schweitzer was enough was foolish. At best he was depth but hard to blame anyone it's just a tough sport and guys aren't always going to have it left in them.

I thought that Schweitzer was a possible depth piece, the 4th OG who could also backup at center.

 

[mgteich]

OT is always a priority and needs to be for every draft - if not starters than depth when starters invariably go down

LT was the top priority this offseason - and while the Patriots likely offered the most money to LTs on the free agent market, it became clear that no one wanted to play here and the only option they had was the draft.

Hopefully LT is now addressed but Campbell would not be the first LT to have to move to LG and try to attract or draft another LT next year. So very much a work in progress given that they have yet to play alongside each other in a scrimmage let alone game at this point.

No doubt, they'll likely be better than last year - but let's keep in mind that September is effectively the preseason where games just happen to count in the new NFL

Adding 3 players (2-3 starters) for the future has to be considered a major success whichever positions they play in the future.

Also, a developing Brown might continue to improve and be a solid backup.

 

[mgteich]

Personally, I would still try to sign or trade for a backup OG as out 10th OL even up to the trading deadline. Our LG's are a rookie center, and two very marginal players (a center and what we thought was a tackle.

We are very, very thin at LG and cannot afford an injury.
========
We can hope that Brown will develop to be a solid backup.

We really know little about the future for Wallace. He had a couple of injuries during a rookie year while coaches tried to make him a LT. He has a possible future at RT, at RG, or as a swing OG, or as the #10 OL. Vrabel has decided that he has the best chance. Of course, the bar was rather low.

 

[signbabybrady]

I thought that Schweitzer was a possible depth piece, the 4th OG who could also backup at center.

I agree I don't think anyone overrated Schweitzer but somehow we thought he plus our other trash would be enough.

I think it's also important to note we did improve our IOL it just so happens they both were centers. And these guys also compound the issue with their own question marks since one is a rookie and the other is at a minimum just past his peak and possibly close to his expiration date. But if they both play 17 then we never have to see the scary depth and would be more than ok.

Our problems shouldn't really become a problem until injuries hit and that's pretty much the reality in the whole league. Still scary though and I admittedly have been one of the more panicked.

 

[n1997y]

Hopefully LT is now addressed but Campbell would not be the first LT to have to move to LG and try to attract or draft another LT next year.

we drafted another LT this year.

Marcus Bryant played more games at LT in college then he did at RT.

2026 is very strong at RT btw. And there is also FA as well.

I’m in fear that this time next year we will have drafted a top RT and everyone here will be miserable and posting about how terrible it is that we are going into the 2026 season with a line consisting of:
Bryant-Campbell-Wilson-Onwenu-the ghost of Moses/top rookie RT from a deep draft class.

After all the complaining right now about the supposed problem at IOL and suggestions that Wilson’s natural position should be center would we hear anything positive about those needs being filled? No. All we would hear is how it was a disaster to waste such a high draft pick on Campbell. Even if he plays well at LT this year.

Meanwhile on paper it seems we’ve got a much improved OL with Campbell-Wilson-Bradford-Onwenu-Moses and posters are wailing about how we are in dire straits because we don’t have the right guys in the right places and as good depth behind them as would be preferred.

I declare, some posters on here must think the best thing about silver is the dark cloud it lines.

Our problems shouldn't really become a problem until injuries hit and that's pretty much the reality in the whole league.

^^^THIS^^^

 

[mgteich]

Our problems shouldn't really become a problem until injuries hit and that's pretty much the reality in the whole league. Still scary though and I admittedly have been one of the more panicked.

Teams at least try to be able to prepare well for one injury at a position. Unless one has a LOT of faith in Wallace as a guard, we are not prepared for an in injury to Wilson or even prepared if this star rookie isn't quite ready to be a starter.

To be blunt, I would think that we would be stronger with Practice Team quality Strange as a backup LG. I would even think that we would be better off signing one of the free agent veteran OG's as a backup. Yes, this would cost a roster spot and cap money. It would also be totally wasted value if there were no injuries. However, HOPING for no injuries at OG doesn't seem to be a reasonable plan. And. yes, if we had 2 dependable backup OG's on the Practice Squad that we could bring up at any time, we would be in much better shape.

 

[BennyBledsoe]

There's only so much you can do in one offseason to clear the garbage. Remember our offensive line in 2000? The immortal Sale Isaia? Derrick Fletcher? Greg Robinson-Randall? A broken down Armstrong and Lane? Damien Woody?

It takes TIME.

 

[mgteich]

There's only so much you can do in one offseason to clear the garbage. Remember our offensive line in 2000? The immortal Sale Isaia? Derrick Fletcher? Greg Robinson-Randall? A broken down Armstrong and Lane? Damien Woody?

It takes TIME.

How much time does it take to sign a veteran OG as insurance against injury at that position? I suspect that the staff is fully capable of accomplishing this task in a day if the team were to so choose. It isn't totally about time.

How much time would it take to claim an OG off another's team should the team choose to do so? It isn't totally about time.

 

[TheRainMaker]

There's only so much you can do in one offseason to clear the garbage. Remember our offensive line in 2000? The immortal Sale Isaia? Derrick Fletcher? Greg Robinson-Randall? A broken down Armstrong and Lane? Damien Woody?

It takes TIME.

Yeah that guy was random and had no business starting on the OL. I just noticed he died in 2022 of a heart attack. RIP.

Woody was a disappointment. He was mediocre C who couldn't snap out of the shotgun. He made their offense extremely limited.

I forget that Armstrong played that season.

Very weird lineup in 2000.