Patriots Release Backup OL in Surprising Roster Decision

Aug 13, 2026; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots center Ben Brown (77) looks on before a game against the Indianapolis Colts at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Patriots Release Backup OL in Surprising Roster Decision

Originally posted on New England Patriots on SI
By Ethan Hurwitz | Last updated Aug 31, 2026 5:22 PM ET

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The New England Patriots hadn't really made many surprising decisions when it came to their roster, but they made one on Monday.

According to the NFL transaction wire, the team released backup center/guard Ben Brown, who had been dealing with a lower-body injury since the first preseason game against the Philadelphia Eagles. Brown, along with linebacker K.J. Britt, were released to make room on the active roster for newly-claimed tight end Cameron Latu and linebacker Darius Muasau.

Brown, who signed with the Patriots originally in 2024, has become one of the more reliable offensive linemen on the team. He's gotten starting snaps at both center and guard, and signed a two-year contract extension last season.

Last year, Brown started four games in reserve for the Patriots. One year prior, he started 10 games and was the primary center after longtime captain David Andrews went down with a season-ending injury.

Brown has suited up in 31 total games with the team since being signed off of the Las Vegas Raiders' practice squad.

Going into 2026, Brown and Andrew Rupcich were both repping on the second-string offensive line at both center and guard. It appeared at the time that both players would stick around on the 53-man roster as the top interior backups. But both players got hurt in the preseason opener, and Brown — despite not being placed on IR (like Rupcich was) — was set to miss significant time in the summer.

"Ben's going to be a few weeks," head coach Mike Vrabel said on Aug. 15. "It will probably be extensive throughout the rest of the preseason for sure."

IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Added Context, Plus Changes To OL:

While this move comes as shocking, ESPN's Mike Reiss added some context to help explain the move. Because Brown is a vested veteran, he's not subject to waivers and thus, can sign back to the Patriots practice squad if need be.

"The expectation is thsat he is re-signed in New England in the coming days," Reiss wrote. "This is logistical."

In the meantime, it appears that Greg Van Roten — who the team signed a few weeks back — has jumped into the second-string center role. Primarily a guard during his NFL tenure, Van Roten has experience at guard as well. The Patriots also re-signed undrafted rookie center Jacob Rizy and third-year guard Jake Kubas to the practice squad.

The Patriots have reworked their offensive line depth all weekend. During roster cuts, they moved on from Rizy, Darrian Dalcourt, Joe Michalski, Mehki Butler, JonDarius Morgan, James Hudson, Jack Conley and Lorenz Metz. They've since re-signed Metz to the practice squad, and traded a future seventh-round pick to the Minnesota Vikings for backup tackle Walter Rouse.

They've also placed tackle Marcus Bryant on IR, ruling him out for the first four games of the season.

Should Brown get healthy and return to the lineup at some point, he'll likely slot back in as the top backup center.

This article first appeared on New England Patriots on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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