The New England Patriots aren’t automatically handing one veteran the right guard job after losing Mike Onwenu.
Head coach Mike Vrabel said Greg Van Roten, Walter Rouse and Ben Brown are among the players who will work at guard this week, Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald reported on X on Sept. 23.
The declaration gives New England a three-way audition at a position Onwenu had stabilized. The Patriots placed their starting right guard on injured reserve on Sept. 22, two days after he injured his ankle during a 20-3 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Van Roten remains the logical front-runner. Yet Vrabel’s decision to spread practice repetitions tosses Brown and Rouse a chance to change the order before Sunday’s road game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Veteran Favorite Has Clear Edge
Van Roten took over when Onwenu exited after 15 offensive plays and handled the final 40 snaps. Brown dressed but appeared only on special teams, while Rouse was inactive.
That emergency assignment gave Van Roten an early advantage. The Patriots’ unofficial depth chart also lists him atop the right guard pecking order, with Rouse behind him.
Vrabel stopped short of endorsing Van Roten as the permanent answer after reviewing the Pittsburgh film.
“I think he had a few plays that he’d like to have back, so would everybody,” Vrabel said during his Sept. 21 news conference. “But I thought he had some positive plays.”
Experience strengthens the 36-year-old’s case. Van Roten has made 105 starts across 144 regular-season appearances, including 75 at right guard. He started all 17 games for the New York Giants last season, per the Patriots’ announcement of his August signing.
The stakes extend beyond filling Onwenu’s spot. Drake Maye has faced pressure on 43.5% of his dropbacks, the NFL’s fourth-highest rate through two games, via Pro Football Focus. He has taken six sacks and earned a 26.8 PFF grade under pressure.
Van Roten also must build chemistry with center Jared Wilson and right tackle Morgan Moses. Onwenu’s absence breaks up a starting five assembled to give Maye a steadier pocket.
Versatility Keeps Competition Open
Brown gives the Patriots their most proven internal alternative.
The 28-year-old has played all three interior positions and made 14 starts since arriving in New England during the 2024 season. He also signed a two-year, $5 million extension in December.
His opportunity comes after a knee injury disrupted his preseason and kept him out of the opener. Returning to the game-day roster in Week 2 cleared the first hurdle. This week’s practices can reveal whether Brown is ready for a heavier workload.
Rouse represents the more unconventional option.
The 6-foot-6, 314-pound lineman entered the league as a tackle and has appeared in eight games without a start, according to his official Patriots biography. New England acquired him from the Minnesota Vikings in a late-August pick swap after injuries weakened its tackle depth.
Moving Rouse inside would trade experience for size and potential. It also could preserve Brown as the primary backup behind Wilson and left guard Alijah Vera-Tucker.
Vrabel has options, though none can replace Onwenu’s continuity overnight.
Patriots’ Mike Vrabel Names 3 Contenders to Replace Mike Onwenu