New England Patriots

New England's depth at offensive tackle and running back will be worth watching over the next few weeks.

New England Patriots first round draft pick tackle Caleb Lomu (74), second from right, during Patriots rookie minicamp.
The Patriots' depth across the offensive line will be worth following this spring and summer. Barry Chin/The Boston Globe

The Patriots’ offseason is about to ramp up over the next few weeks, with New England starting up organized team activities (OTAs) on Wednesday in the practice fields behind the team’s New Balance Athletics Center facility. ​

While the true roster battles likely won’t begin in earnest until late July, when training camp commences in Foxborough, OTAs offer our first glimpse at a team’s potential depth chart — and the new faces or ascending players who could challenge for key spots on an NFL roster.

Here are a few potential roster battles that we’re keeping tabs on over the next couple of weeks:

Offensive line

At initial glance, it seems as though New England’s starting five-man unit at the line of scrimmage is set between left tackle Will Campbell, left guard Alijah Vera-Tucker, center Jared Wilson, right guard Mike Onwenu, and right tackle Morgan Moses.

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But, how does the depth chart sort out behind them, especially given some of the valid concerns over Campbell’s postseason struggles and Moses’ age (35)?

While Ben Brown figures to be the next man up on the interior, it’ll be worth monitoring where 2026 first-round pick Caleb Lomu earns his reps over the next few weeks. During rookie mini-camp, Lomu lined up at left tackle, where he played most of his collegiate career at Utah. ​

Could the promising offensive lineman be a future replacement at right tackle for Moses — or a contingency plan at left tackle if Campbell continues to labor while protecting Drake Maye’s blind side?

Running back

Mike Vrabel’s team already has two promising running backs to turn to in Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson.

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But, after the Patriots cut Antonio Gibson just weeks after Super Bowl LX, it remains to be seen who will step up and carve out a regular role as New England’s third running back moving forward.

While Terrell Jennings remains on the roster, he’s expected to be challenged by several promising youngsters.

Jam Miller — a 2026 seventh-round pick out of Alabama — will be a name to watch, while Lan Larison could be due for a bounce back after spending his rookie year on injured reserve with a broken foot.

An undrafted signee out of UC Davis last year, Larison recorded 1,465 total rushing yards and 17 rushing touchdowns to go along with 62 catches for 874 receiving yards and six touchdowns during his senior year with the Aggies.

​But, New England also placed a premium on Myles Montgomery out of UCF this year, signing the undrafted running back to a hefty deal worth more than $250,000 in guaranteed money this spring to add him to the roster.

Linebacker

There’s a lot to like about New England’s upside on the defensive side of the ball, especially when it comes to building off of last year’s dominant showing during the postseason.

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But, New England’s linebacker corps is looking pretty thin beyond projected starters in Robert Spillane and Christian Elliss. New England didn’t re-sign Jack Gibbens, cut Jahlani Tavai, and traded Marte Mapu to Houston earlier this offseason — prompting the club to find depth elsewhere.

Look for free-agent signee K.J. Britt or 2026 sixth-round pick Namdi Obiazor out of TCU to try to earn a regular spot on New England’s linebacker corps this summer.​

Wide receiver

This group might have a bit more clarity over the next week — at least if the long-rumored trade between the Patriots and Eagles comes to fruition after June 1 and A.J. Brown joins this roster.

​But, regardless of whether or not Brown is snagging passes from Maye next week, the hierarchy of New England’s receiver corps is still not set in stone.

After (potentially) Brown and free-agent pickup Romeo Doubs, it remains to be seen how the rest of New England’s pass-catching group shakes out — with Kayshon Boutte, Mack Hollins, DeMario Douglas, Kyle Williams, and Efton Chism also in the mix.

Boutte, in particular, is a player worth following, especially with the deep-threat wideout not spotted in Foxborough during voluntary workouts earlier this month.

Boutte — who has been linked to several trade rumors this offseason — could be parlayed into a draft pick or might even be an asset dealt to Philly as part of a blockbuster trade for Brown.

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Conor Ryan is a staff writer covering the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox for Boston.com, a role he has held since 2023.

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