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Patriots add Drake Maye protector from AFC East rival
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- Patriots add Drake Maye protector from AFC East rival
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If the Super Bowl was any indication, the New England Patriots badly need offensive line help. The 2025 season showed that New England was ready to contend, but that they were still a few pieces away from winning the chip. Their shoddy pass protection all but lost them the Super Bowl against the Seattle Seahawks , as Drake Maye was put in a blender all game long.
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Now, the Patriots are making moves to address their offensive line. New England is signing former New York Jets first-round pick Alijah Vera-Tucker to a new deal , according to Ian Rapoport. Vera-Tucker will fill a badly needed hole in the Patriots' interior offensive line.
Vera-Tucker missed the entirety of the 2025 season with a torn triceps that he suffered before Week 1. Injuries have been the theme of the Jets guard's career, missing most of the 2022 and 2023 seasons with various injuries. Why, then, are the Patriots taking a chance on the oft-injured Vera-Tucker?
Well, it's because when he's healthy, Vera-Tucker has proven to be one of the best offensive guards in the league. The Jets guard was healthy throughout the 2024 season, and he was a force to be reckoned with. PFF had him as the 11th-best offensive guard amongst all qualified players, rating highly both as a run blocker and a pass-protector. It's also worth noting that his elite 2024 season came after a torn Achilles, minimizing fears about his athleticism potentially being sapped by his injuries.
Vera-Tucker will likely slot in as the starting left guard alongside 2025 first-round pick Will Campbell . Jared Wilson , last year's starter at left guard, is expected to move to center following the Garrett Bradbury trade . Campbell and Wilson were the two players on the offensive line most under fire for their performance in the Super Bowl. Having a veteran tackle like Vera-Tucker should help the two develop into better pass-protectors.
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Aside from Vera-Tucker, the Patriots have had a relatively quiet offseason compared to their peers. They signed defensive end Dre'Mont Jones and fullback Reggie Gilliam to relatively cheap deals. New England will likely be more active as the days go by.
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