Patriots' UDFA might have all the tools to have a breakout during training camp

The New England Patriots made a concerted effort to improve the offensive line this offseason, and at least on paper, it looks like it will pay major dividends.

The musical chairs began with Garrett Bradbury being traded to the Chicago Bears for a fifth-round pick, and the subsequent shifting of Jared Wilson, who started at left guard during his rookie season, to center.

Mike Vrabel reassured fans with public comments about Will Campbell's future at left tackle, but they did add Alijah Vera-Tucker to play left guard. His pressure rate allowed in 2024 would have been the lowest of any player at the position in the entire league in 2025.

New England rounded up their offensive line reset by trading up for Caleb Lomu in the first round and selecting Dametrious Crownover, who has an 86-inch wingspan, in the sixth round.

While New England's line should be far improved in 2026, ESPN's Mike Reiss pointed out another player who could play his way into the fold.

The state of the Patriots offensive line depth

Cracking into the Patriots' starting offensive line before the season begins will be nearly impossible for an outsider unless there's a major injury. Caleb Lomu, unsurprisingly, is the top backup at offensive tackle, while Ben Brown signed an extension to be the top interior backup.

Realistically, that leaves two to three backup roles on the offensive line to fill. At tackle, Crownover will compete with 2025 seventh-round selection Marcus Bryant and veteran James Hudson. The team also rosters Sebastian Gutierrez and International Pathway Player Lorenz Metz (Germany).

The interior shows a fairly significant drop-off after Brown, but Andrew Rupcich has received some early looks in camp. 2024 third-round pick Caedan Wallace moved inside last season, but he's on the same tier as UDFA JonDarius Morgan and Mekhi Butler in terms of odds to make the squad.

Undrafted rookie Jacob Rizy could force his way onto the 53-man roster

There's little doubt versatility will be a key characteristic for any of the Patriots' backups, and for that reason, UDFA Jacob Rizy could be the player the Patriots keep after roster cutdowns.

ESPN's Reiss mentioned Rizy as one of five candidates to have a Rob Ninkovich-level ascension this offseason. Rizy spent three seasons at Harvard before spending the last two at Florida State. Rizy started only two games this season, but that doesn't tell the full story.

Rizy played 66 snaps during his first season with the Crimson, all along the interior. In 2022, he'd go on to start ten games, all at right tackle. 2023 saw him swing over to left tackle before transferring to Tallahassee.

In 2024, Rizy played in six games and started in five for the Seminoles. Of his 311 snaps, 197 were at right guard, 64 at left guard, and 50 came at center. Of 396 offensive line snaps in 2025, 309 came at guard. His two starts came in Week 7 against Pitt at right tackle and Week 13 against NC State, when he started at left guard.

Rizy's versatility is a major asset. Early in camp, he's been playing as the team's third-string center, per Reiss. If Rizy can put together a strong camp, there's a path to making the 53-man roster and potentially even playing time along the interior over the next 18 months.

Vera-Tucker has played in only half of his career games, while Wilson has yet to play center in the NFL. Mike Onwenu is out of contract at the end of the year.

In 713 snaps at FSU, Rizy was penalized once, allowed two sacks, and posted a 3.7% pressure rate. In 2025, he had an 86.2 PFF pass block grade. His Relative Athletic Score (9.88/10.00) is second only to Lomu among all Patriots' rookies in 2026. He was the fifth-ranked athlete among all guards in the class.

It remains to be seen whether Rizy will play well enough to make the roster, but he will be a player to watch over the next few months given his versatility and athleticism.

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