The Patriots have officially held a week's worth of training camp so far this summer, and although it is still early in the process, there are clear signs of who is falling behind and who is excelling, some of whom are surprising one way or the other.
The suspected standouts are doing just that, with a major focus on the offense now that wide receiver A.J. Brown is in the mix. Watching his chemistry with Drake Maye grow has made headlines over the past week, as has his work with those who haven't been as successful thus far.
The offensive line has dominated conversations as well, with Will Campbell making a noticeable improvement over his rookie season, Caleb Lomu has showcased his versatility, a major plus considering the Patriots used a first-round pick on him, and Dametrious Crownover has stolen the spotlight a few times, too.
Beyond them, Alijah Vera-Tucker has been a sight to see for all the right reasons, and with a solid right side of the group, it has created a big problem for those competing for a backup spot like third-year guard Caedan Wallace.
As one of only three total players still on the team from the 2024 draft class, Wallace already had a steep hill to climb to remain with the team. He earned a spot on last year's roster, yet only took the field in four games the whole season.
Going into 2026, he is competing against some solid players, and so far, he hasn't been all that impressive. That makes it easy to believe he's on the chopping block just one week into camp.
The Patriots have an offensive line problem that is hurting fringe players
Throughout the 2025 season, the offensive line dealt with more than their fair share of struggles, which unfortunately included injuries to a few players that inevitably impacted the group's performance, particularly in the postseason.
They had better backup options than in previous years, but they couldn't overcome the struggles they dealt with all season.
So going into this year, they have a much more talented group of linemen competing for positions on the depth chart, including Wallace. However, because of some new additions, most notably Lomu, players like Wallace are falling behind, and it might be too difficult to make the kind of impact needed to get a spot on this year's roster.
It's already not looking great for the third-year guard, as Mekhi Butler has replaced him with the second-team group in recent practices. That's pushed Wallace to the third team, so unless he manages to turn things around significantly, it's tough to envision he will be a Patriot for much longer.
The only thing that could keep him in Foxborough is if the coaching staff decides it would be better to have almost too many linemen on the team than to roster just enough to avoid the problems they faced last season.
That would certainly give Wallace another chance to secure a spot, given that he's a bit more experienced than some of his teammates, especially with the Patriots. But we won't know if that's the direction they'll go in for several weeks.
For the time being, it's not looking good for Wallace's future in New England, and he's in a tough position to change that fate. If he's not cut soon, he's presumably in the hot seat and would be one of the more unsurprising players on the roster bubble moving forward.
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