In light of all the injuries and uncertainty around their offensive line, the Patriots swung trades for ex-Browns offensive tackle Tyrone Wheatley Jr. and former Vikings offensive tackle Vederian Lowe on Sunday.
Wheatley, 26, has played both offensive tackle spots, while Lowe has spent most of the last year-plus at left tackle. Both players are career backups who stand at 6-foot-6 and 320 pounds. Wheatley, a converted college tight end, has accrued zero game experience since entering the league in 2021. Lowe, a 2022 sixth-round pick, appeared in four games last year as a rookie.
Speaking with reporters on a conference call Monday morning, Pats coach Bill Belichick acknowledged the team felt it needed depth at the position.
“(Lowe)’s a player that we felt like could compete on the offensive line and give us some depth there and see how it goes,” Belichick said. “Young player, he’s played a lot of tackle in his career at Illinois and at Minnesota. He may have some position flexibility, I don’t know, I’ll have to work with him and see.
The Pats traded second-year running back Pierre Strong for Wheatley and sent a sixth-round pick to Minnesota in exchange for Lowe. Asked if either offensive tackle could be expected to contribute right away, Belichick said Monday on a conference call: “I don’t know. We’ll have to work with them and see how it goes.”
As for the Patriots’ projected starters, guards Cole Strange and Mike Onwenu continue to recover from a left leg injury and offseason ankle surgery, respectively. Onwenu made his practice debut last week in a limited capacity, while Strange has been out since July 31. Will either be able to start in the season opener on Sept. 10?
“We’ll see,” Pats coach Bill Belichick said Monday. “(We’ll) take it day by day.”
Projected starting right tackle Riley Reiff suffered his own leg injury in last Friday’s preseason finale at Tennessee. Reiff walked off the field and out of the medical tent under his own power, but was not spotted at the team’s most recent practice Sunday. It’s unclear how much time, if any, Reiff might miss, while fourth-round rookie, and career college guard, Sidy Sow takes first-team reps in his place.