During the 2026 offseason, some of the Patriots' biggest roster changes came on the offensive line. They signed free agent guard Alijah Vera-Tucker to start on the left side, moving Jared Wilson to center after Garrett Bradbury held that role in 2025.
It was a natural move, since Wilson played center in college, and it made a lot of sense, prompting optimism about the improvement the group could make after a rough postseason and Super Bowl.
The rest of the group stayed the same, but questions remained about what Will Campbell would look like in Year 2 because his post-injury production wasn't up to par. Fortunately, through two games, he's looked massively improved as a pass blocker, making it a bit easier for Vera-Tucker to transition into the lineup.
However, everything hasn't been smooth across the line, especially now that Mike Onwenu has a broken ankle and is likely out for the rest of the season.
There are concerns about what's going on with Wilson, specifically, and those were echoed by Mike Vrabel after last week's win, which seemingly puts the second-year lineman in the spotlight, and maybe even the hot seat, against the Jaguars on Sunday.
He struggled against an underwhelming Steelers team, earning a 51.3 overall grade from PFF, which his head coach quickly noticed. Now he'll feel the pressure to turn things around in Week 3.
Mike Vrabel didn't hesitate in his blunt assessment of Jared Wilson's Week 2 performance
While speaking to reporters on Monday, Vrabel discussed the offensive line and what the group might look like with Onwenu sidelined.
Within that conversation, he couldn't leave out Wilson's struggles, and based on his assesment, it's clear that he will be under the microscope this week. What that means for him long-term is hard to say, but it makes you wonder if changes will be made if he continues to struggle.
"I think Jared, that wasn’t one of Jared's better games yesterday. There were some times where we have to hold up in the middle and pass rush, but I also know that sometimes, when we break those runs and he’s at the second level and getting guys covered up, that he’s at the point of those attacks as well. So, I think he can protect better. I know he can protect better. I’ve seen him protect better.
But they also had a lot of really good, nice blocks when we ran the football, broke through there and were able to get to the second level."
Because Wilson did much better in Week 1, his performance against the Steelers may have been a one-off. That happens to any player, no matter the position. So, overanalyzing how he looked might not be necessary.
That changes if what we saw last week continues against a weaker defense in Jacksonville this weekend, which is far from what the Patriots' offense needs right now with the problems they're already having and now with Onwenu out for the foreseeable future.
The first two games were tough: a Super Bowl rematch against arguably the league's best defensive line, followed by a defensive line led by accomplished pass rusher TJ Watt.
So, there are plenty of reasons to give Wilson some grace for an inconsistent performance.
Regardless, Vrabel has made it clear he will be watched closely, and hopefully, for any number of reasons, Wilson can bounce back and show he can be the future for this offense. The last thing they need right now is more issues on the offensive line, especially with a player who was a fine starter as a rookie last year.
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