FOXBORO, Mass. — Caedan Wallace’s debut as the New England Patriots‘ top left tackle might arrive sooner than expected.
And his performance could have long-term ramifications for the roster, not just the offensive line.
Wallace saw three overtime snaps at left tackle after Vederian Lowe suffered a knee injury late in Sunday’s home loss to the Seattle Seahawks. Wallace, who primarily played right tackle in college, played both tackle spots during training camp but opened the regular season as the No. 2 right tackle behind Mike Onwenu.
Due to circumstances beyond his control, the rookie could be forced to start at left tackle when the Patriots visit the New York Jets on Thursday night.
Could Caedan Wallace Start at Left Tackle Against the Jets?
The Patriots became alarmingly thin at left tackle seemingly overnight.
On Saturday, Chukwuma Okorafor was placed on the exempt/left-squad list and reportedly is considering retiring. The 27-year-old was signed to be New England’s top left tackle but struggled in training camp and was benched after just 12 snaps in the season opener.
Jerod Mayo wouldn't offer any further updates on Chukwuma Okorafor, but confirmed he "left the building" and is away from the team right now.
"He's doing some thinking." pic.twitter.com/8NRA8Fz8jD
— Dakota Randall (@DakRandall) September 16, 2024
Lowe, who likely would’ve started the opener if not for a late-summer oblique injury, started against the Seahawks and was inconsistent before suffering a knee injury. He remained on the sideline for overtime — an encouraging sign — but declined to speak to reporters after the loss. His status will be monitored ahead of Thursday’s kickoff.
Nevertheless, with the Patriots facing a short week, there’s a real chance that Wallace gets his first NFL start. And the Penn State product is eager for the opportunity.
“Super prepared,” Wallace told Pro Football Network on Sunday when asked about possibly starting. “It’s what I’ve been doing since I got here. So, I’m excited. Ready to get after it.”
Despite many evaluators pegging Wallace as a right tackle, Patriots decision-makers have insisted he’s capable of moving to left tackle. Wallace still is a work in progress on the left side but believes he’s made progress since arriving in New England.
“I’ve improved on my mental stuff — pre-snap, during the snap, different reads I have to do,” Wallace said. “Getting better and faster at those. Things I want to improve on: honestly, everything. I come out every day, pick something new to work on. Just continue to work with my hands, feet placement. Things like that.”
Some tackles say that switching tackle spots isn’t a big deal, that it’s nothing more than playing on a different side. But how does Wallace feel?
“It really depends on the day you ask me,” Wallace said. “It’s all just flipping things mentally. And, when you say that out loud, it sounds easy, like, ‘Oh, I Just flip this in my head; instead of doing it with my right foot, I’ll use my left foot.’ And it’s just not that simple.
“You can build muscle memory on one side. So, it just depends on the day for me, honestly. Some days, everything’s coming natural. Some days, I have to remind myself that I have to lock in on my hips, or my ankles, or my hands.”
Potentially making the move more difficult is the strike-based system implemented by first-year offensive line coach Scott Peters, who’s highly technical and precise with his coaching methods. But Wallace believes Peters’ system makes switching tackle spots a more straightforward endeavor.
“I think having Coach Peters and his gameplan, it gives you something to work toward,” Wallace said. “You’re not just going out there and doing whatever you want. He’s telling you exactly what to do. So, it really helps.”
Nothing is certain for Thursday night.
Lowe could play. Okorafor could reverse course and rejoin the Patriots. New England also has newcomer Demontrey Jacobs (inactive the first two weeks) available to play tackle.
But Wallace appears to be the next man up. And his development at left tackle is huge for the future of the offensive roster, particularly the search for a top receiver.
Why Rookie Linemen Are Key to Patriots’ Quest for No. 1 Receiver
Many assume the Patriots will target a left tackle in Round 1 of the 2025 NFL Draft.
Well, not so fast.
Sure, that still could happen, and New England would be able to choose from multiple elite tackle prospects if it finishes with a top pick. But everything could change if Wallace emerges as a viable left tackle and fellow rookie Layden Robinson continues establishing himself as the right guard of the future.
Let’s start with Robinson.
The fourth-round pick started the first two games and, though he made some mistakes, showed major promise. And that’s a big deal.
The Patriots still are waiting for Sidy Sow to return from his preseason ankle injury. If Robinson weren’t playable, New England would have holes at both guard spots, likely forcing Onwenu to play either position.
But Robinson has been a revelation. And, assuming the Patriots lock down left guard with Sow, Michael Jordan, or Cole Strange, they appear set on the interior with David Andrews at center. Unless someone suffers an injury or becomes a liability, there won’t be any need to take Onwenu off right tackle.
That brings us back to Wallace.
There still is a chance that Onwenu will eventually return to right guard and Wallace will take over as New England’s franchise right guard. But the door now is open for Wallace to take over as the top left tackle.
If — and it’s a big “if” — Wallace plays well, it could completely change the outlook of next offseason.
For the sake of argument, consider a world in which the Patriots late in the season have a reliable O-line grouping of Wallace, Sow, Andrews, Robinson, and Onwenu. Yeah, we’re projecting a lot, but it’s not an unrealistic scenario.
Why, then, would de facto general manager Eliot Wolf target a left tackle in Round 1? He probably wouldn’t.
Such a development hypothetically would free up the Patriots to target a No. 1 receiver. And if you gave truth serum to members of New England’s front office, they might tell you that’s their preferred plan.
We know the Patriots want a true top receiver. They were willing to overpay for Calvin Ridley (who’s more of a No. 2) and they want all out in trying to trade for Brandon Aiyuk. They pursued both receivers despite knowing their offense might not be ready for an elite receiver with a massive contract.
Why? Because Wolf knows there’s no guarantee a high-end receiver will be available next offseason.
Such players rarely become available in trades, which is why Wolf pushed so hard for Aiyuk. And next year’s free agent class isn’t great, with most of the top receivers either aging or carrying long injury histories — or both.
Here are some of the top wideouts set to hit the open market next spring, plus their current ages:
- Stefon Diggs (30)
- Tee Higgins (25)
- Keenan Allen (32)
- Amari Cooper (30)
- Chris Godwin (28)
- Brandin Cooks (30)
- Diontae Johnson (38)
- DeAndre Hopkins (32)
- Mike Williams (30)
- Robert Woods (32)
All of those players carry significant question marks, including Higgins, who’s been banged up a lot and might not be a true No. 1 option. At the very least, the Patriots would have to think long and hard about giving any of them big contracts.
The focus instead could turn toward the draft, with the Patriots potentially targeting top prospects Luther Burden III, Travis Hunter, or Tetairoa McMillan, among others. New England also will have ammunition to trade up if necessary.
Are we getting ahead of ourselves? Absolutely.
The Patriots had one of the worst pass-blocking offensive lines in the first two weeks. They’re arguably closer to needing a total reset on the O-line than they are feeling comfortable with a five-man lineup.
But the bones of a good line are there. And if Wallace takes the left tackle job and runs with it, the Patriots could check off a major offseason box.