Patriots To Evaluate Several RG Options

New England will turn to internal options to fill the RG spot. Left guard starter Alijah Vera-Tucker has plenty of experience on the right side, but the free agent addition is in line to stay in place rather than making an in-season switch. Greg Van Roten, Ben Brown and Walter Rouse are in contention to land a first-team spot, as detailed by Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald.

“We will get him working there with [right tackle] Morgan [Moses],” head coach Mike Vrabel said when speaking about Van Roten. “I think Walter will get some opportunities to go there and practice. Walter Rouse is a player we got from Minnesota who has been working really hard, and we will see how he does. Ben Brown is back and working. So, we’ll get a bunch of guys in there the next couple days and try to make a decision.”

Van Roten took over from Onwenu during the Patriots’ win over the Steelers. It would certainly not come as a surprise if the 36-year-old were to remain atop the right guard depth chart moving forward. Van Roten has made 150 combined regular and postseason appearances in the NFL, including 105 starts. Brown and Rouse have far less expereince.

Even so, right guard would be a familiar case in Brown’s case based on his experience in college. The Ole Miss product has also seen time at center and left guard to date during his Patriots tenure. Brown totaled 14 starts between the 2024 and ’25 campaigns, and another run as a first-team option could be in store shortly.

Rouse’s (limited) regular-season action has exclusively been seen at tackle, although he began playing on the interior with the Vikings this summer. The 2024 sixth-rounder is the largest of the candidates for the right guard gig, but his lack of experience would no doubt make it a surprise if he were to get the first opportunity to fill in for Onwenu. Other options could also be in play.

As Kyed notes, first-round rookie Caleb Lomu could be a candidate for right guard duties. Drafted as a tackle, the Utah product’s path to immediate playing time would include moving inside with Moses and Will Campbell handling tackle duties. Vrabel has not closed the door to trying Lomu at the RG spot, so it will be interesting to see if he receives an opportunity on that front in 2026.