The New England Patriots have started looking outside their roster for offensive line help after one of their returning linemen missed practice.
ESPN's Mike Reiss reported on Aug. 3 that the Patriots brought in Jared Penning for a free-agent visit.
Reiss connected the visit to the absence of Caedan Wallace , who was not spotted during New England 's eighth training camp practice.
The Patriots have not disclosed why Wallace was unavailable.
The 6-foot-5, 319-pound guard spent his rookie season with the Baltimore Ravens and remained with the organization until late July.
Although New England has built a deeper offensive line than it carried into last season, one absence can quickly alter the number of bodies available for team periods and preseason preparation.
Penning entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2025 and spent the season on Baltimore's practice squad.
The Ravens brought him back on a reserve/future contract in January before waiving him on July 25 while adding veteran depth elsewhere on the roster.
He didn't appear in a regular-season game for Baltimore, but he received a full year inside an NFL strength program and meeting room.
Penning also arrived in the league with an accomplished Football Championship Subdivision stretch. He earned first-team All-Missouri Valley Football Conference honors at Northern Iowa in 2023 before landing on the second team following the 2024 season .
Northern Iowa's official biography lists extensive experience at offensive guard, including 11 starts during the 2021 fall season.
His frame and background make him a logical candidate for an interior depth role, where the Patriots have continued rotating players behind their projected starters.
A contract would place Penning into a crowded competition rather than guarantee him a roster spot.
His visit still gives New England another option as the team approaches its preseason opener and begins determining which reserve linemen can handle multiple assignments.
Wallace was among the players absent from Monday's session, according to the Patriots' official training camp observations .
His position in the offensive line competition already appeared uncertain before the missed practice.
A Patriots.com trench report placed Wallace at left guard with the third offensive unit and suggested Mehki Butler may have moved ahead of him.
Wallace, a third-round pick in 2024, has appeared in 10 regular-season games over two years.
He made two starts as a rookie but played only four games in 2025, primarily on field-goal and extra-point units.
His lone offensive action last season came at left guard late in a December victory over the New York Jets .
That limited role has made this summer important for Wallace's future.
Missing time while competing with younger and more versatile linemen can create an opening, even when the absence proves brief.
Penning's visit gives the Patriots insurance while Wallace's status remains unclear.
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