Patriots Offensive Line Could See Shakeup Amid Vederian Lowe Injury

The New England Patriots may have some additional issues to iron out on the front lines.

Aug 03, 2024; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots offensive tackle Vederian Lowe (59) waits to do a drill during training camp at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports / Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports

The questions continue to swirl around the New England Patriots and their offensive line as they draw closer to the start of the fresh NFL season, and it looks like the chatter may only continue with the latest status update from team practice.

During the Patriots' Wednesday training camp practice in their preparation to play the Washington Commanders come Sunday night, New England saw their offensive tackle and pending starter Vederian Lowe suffer a back/side injury that effectively took him off of the field for the rest of the day.

Vederian Lowe and Shaun Wade both left practice early. Lowe looked like he was dealing with a torso injury. Didn’t see what happened to Wade but he walked off.

— Alex Barth (@RealAlexBarth) August 21, 2024

While the extent or the timeliness of Lowe's injury is unknown at this point, losing out on your proposed starting left tackle in just under three weeks before the season is far from what you'd like to see. Especially while the Patriots navigate through some expected turnover on the offensive line, the topic now leans on who could be the one to step up as another candidate to start as a blindside protector.

On Wednesday, it was Patriots' third-round rookie Caedan Wallace who was the one to elevate in Lowe's absence, as he reportedly took a majority of the snaps at LT after the injury went down. It could be a sign of what's to come if Lowe were to miss an extended period, but New England also has a couple of options on the table.

Offseason addition Chukwuma Okorafor is another name to watch to fill Lowe's shoes, as well as Calvin Anderson, as they've both had some time as a starter on New England's offensive line through training camp-- albeit with the majority being at right tackle.

If the Patriots wanted a higher-upside candidate to enter the fold, Wallace could be the man for the job, but with little experience as a left tackle as opposed to the right side during his time with Penn State, it may add some further difficulty on New England's rookie to jump from a college-level tackle to the pros.

There's also the added dilemma surrounding where the Patriots' top contributor on the line, Mike Onwenu, will line up for his 2024 campaign, as the verdict remains out between his role as a right guard or a right tackle. New England may see his skillset better utilized in his natural guard spot, but if things get too hectic at the tackle spot, this coaching staff may be forced to shift him over to help mitigate some of the damage.

Regardless, the offensive line of the Patriots will be a key storyline for how this offense fares through the season. As third-overall pick Drake Maye eyes a chance to start at some point in his first year, getting his protection right will be crucial for his development and further success in the NFL. Even if Jacoby Brissett ends up as the week one starter, it's going to be tough getting the ball in the endzone if New England's front lines get beat up off the edge.

The Patriots' offensive line will also be far from a simple task at the start of next season, as some elite defensive fronts like the New York Jets and San Francisco 49ers loom in the first five weeks of the year. If New England wants to get things off on the right foot, this five-man unit has to be formidable enough to provide some extra time for whoever ends up as the starting signal caller.

Keep an eye on Lowe's injury status as we near the Patriots' final preseason game vs. the Commanders this Sunday, with the chance for a few other left tackle contenders to make an impact and gain some traction to become a starter in due time.

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