Patriots Place OL Hines, Stueber on NFI List

New England Patriots rookie offensive linemen Chasen Hines and Andrew Stueber have been placed on the active/non-football injury (NFI) list.

FOXBORO — New England Patriots rookie offensive linemen Chasen Hines and Andrew Stueber will apparently be waiting a bit longer to make their on-field debut.

With New England’s rookie class reporting to training camp on Tuesday, both Hines and Stueber have been placed on the active/non-football injury (NFI) list.

In order to be placed on the NFI list, a rookie must have suffered the injury in their previous collegiate season. Though players placed on NFI are not eligible to practice, they will continue to count against the 90-man roster. As such, they may be activated at any point before the start of the regular season. Should players remain on NFI after the team makes its roster cuts, they will no longer count against the roster, but cannot be activated for at least six weeks.

Neither Hines, nor Stueber practiced with the team during OTAs or minicamp.

Hines was selected by the Patriots with the 210th pick on day three of the 2022 NFL Draft. He arrived at LSU as a defensive lineman before transitioning to the offensive line in 2018. Listed at 6-3, 327 pounds, Hines has the size and strength to be an irresistible force against defenders in the run game. He features a stout anchor and sturdy base in pass protection. He also offers the positional versatility that the Pats covet in their offensive linemen.

While Hines already sounds like an ideal fit with the Patriots, he does enter the NFL with some question marks. In order to succeed at the pro level, the former LSU Tigers will need to improve on holding his frame upon contact, to prevent stalemates in his battles with the opposition. When pass rushers are allowed to reach his edges, he has struggled to recover. This could be of particular concern to quarterback Mac Jones, who had a tendency to struggle when adjusting to strategically placed blitzes from the second and third level of the opponent’s defense.

Stueber has the distinction of being the Patriots’ final choice in the 2022 NFL Draft. The 6-6, 325-pound former Michigan Wolverine appeared in 34 games with 22 starts. He started 20 games at right tackle and two at right guard. Much like Hines, Stueber projects as a potential reserve swing offensive lineman for the Pats in the upcoming season.

The 22-year-old native of Darien, Connecticut chose to attend Michigan in 2016, after being ranked as a four-star prospect by ESPN and fourth on the list of the top players in the state of Connecticut. In his final year as a Wolverine in 2021, he helped lead the offensive line with the fewest sacks allowed (10) and third-fewest tackles for loss (27) nationally and is a semifinalist for the Joe Moore Award. Following the season he was named first-team All-Big Ten by the media and was named a second-team All-American by the American Football Coaches Association.

While no further information on his injury has been provided by him or the team, Stueber does have an injury history. As a junior at Michigan in 2019, he suffered a torn ACL in training camp and missed the entire season. However, he returned to the field in 2020 and started all six games in the pandemic-shortened campaign; two at right guard and four at right tackle to earn his second varsity letter.

The Patriots currently employ a robust depth chart at the position. Isaish Wynn [left tackle], David Andrews [center] and Trent Brown [right tackle] are poised to join Michael Onwenu [right guard] and first-round rookie Cole Strange [left guard] are poised to be New England’s starting rotation. Both Hines and Stueber hope to join a stout collection of reserves including veterans Justin Herron, Yasir Durant, Yodny Cajuste, James Ferentz and Will Sherman. CFL-standout Drew Desjarlais, Arlington Hambright, Darryl Williams and undrafted free agent Kody Russey are also expected to compete for a roster spot.

New England’s veterans are required to report to training camp by July 26. The Patriots first practice is scheduled for July 27 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts.