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Patriots host former Chargers starter on a visit amid O-line concerns
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- Patriots host former Chargers starter on a visit amid O-line concerns
The New England Patriots offensive line has taken its hits this season, and on Thursday against the Chicago Bears will reach deep into the depths of its roster to pull out Walter Rouse and Matt Pryor as the starting guard duo . Even with them having shown some promise last week versus the Jets, depth at the position is an issue.
The Patriots consequently remain diligent, and as part of that process took a close look at a veteran guard: Jamaree Salyer, who spent the first four years of his career with the Los Angeles Chargers, was in town on Tuesday to visit with the Patriots.
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Salyer, 26, originally entered the NFL in 2022 out of the University of Georgia. A one-time teammate of current Patriots center Jared Wilson, he was selected in the sixth round of the draft by the Chargers, for whom he played 67 combined regular season and playoff games with 43 starts. He joined the Dolphins this offseason but was placed on injured reserve and subsequently released in August.
While primarily serving as a backup the last two seasons, the 6-foot-4, 325-pounder does bring considerable experience and versatility to the table. The Patriots showing interest is therefore no surprise.
New England lost starting right guard Mike Onwenu to an ankle injury in Week 2, followed by his replacement Greg Van Roten going down the next week. Third-string guard Ben Brown suffered a knee injury on Sunday against the Jets, while left-side starter Alijah Vera-Tucker also exited that contest due to a hamstring injury. Onwenu and Van Roten are currently on injured reserve, while Brown and Vera-Tucker have been declared inactive for Thursday's game in Chicago.
The Patriots' Week 7 contest against the Bears will kick off at 8:15 p.m. ET on Thursday night.
