Patriots activate rookie Caedan Wallace and demote C Ben Brown to out for Saturday’s game vs. Chargers

The Patriots made several roster moves ahead of Saturday’s matchup against the Chargers at Gillette Stadium, with some possible shakeups along the offensive line.

On Friday, New England activated rookie OT Caedan Wallace (ankle) from injured reserve while also elevating WR/returner Alex Erickson and LB Monty Rice from the practice squad for Week 17. The Patriots also placed CB Marcus Jones (hip) on injured reserve and downgraded starting C Ben Brown (concussion) out. Jones’ season now over while Brown is out opens the door for former first baseman Cole Strange to start at center this week.

Wallace’s activation is an important development as the Patriots try to learn about their roster in the final two weeks of the season. The rookie third-rounder was placed on injured reserve in early October after Wallace suffered a serious lower leg injury. Wallace returned to practice on Dec. 9, meaning the Pats had until Dec. 30 to activate him from injured reserve or his season would be over. With two games left, the hope is to get a small slice of Wallace at right tackle before 2024 ends.

When the Patriots selected the Penn State product with the 68th overall pick in the 2024 draft, the original plan was for Wallace to move to left tackle, with top OL Mike Onwenu penciled in at right tackle. The rookie made his first career start in Week 3 vs. Jets, but he understandably struggled at left tackle, allowing one sack, three total pressures and being called for three penalties. Ultimately, the Pats’ original plan for the offensive line didn’t materialize: Wallace got hurt, Onwenu was moved back inside to right guard, and backup LT Vederian Lowe and waiver claim Trey Jacobs (RT) stepped in when the team’s starting tackles.

Due to several factors, the Patriots’ offensive line has been a significant weakness for the offense, ranking last in both pass-blocking and run-blocking win rate through 16 weeks. That said, two big changes this week could upgrade the talent level of the group and serve as an audition for the future.

First, according to offensive line coach Scott Peters, Wallace has repeated at right tackle since returning to practice earlier this month. In college, Wallace made 40 career starts at right tackle for Penn State. As his draft positioning suggests, teams viewed Wallace as a potential starter on the right side because of his ability to create initial movement in the run game and stay square to rushers as a pass blocker. The 24-year-old improved significantly in his final collegiate season and made himself a top-100 draft pick.

Although nothing is official, Wallace could get playing time at right tackle vs. Chargers on Saturday. With all due respect to Jacobs, Wallace should get reps in the final two games so the team can assess whether Wallace can factor into their plans for 2025 and beyond. Plus, Jacobs opened the door for that shift by struggling in Buffalo (five pressures, two penalties, missed cut block on reverse pass/fumble).

The other expected change is that former first-rounder Cole Strange will start at center for the Patriots. With incumbent starter Ben Brown (concussion) ruled out, Strange told reporters he has been running with the starters in practice this week. Before his serious knee injury last December, Strange was playing his best football. Now, the Pats coaching staff sees Strange as a long-term fit in their system at center rather than guard. Although the expectation is that captain David Andrews will return in 2025, Andrews will be 33 years old after a serious shoulder injury ended his 2024 season after four games. Strange could also factor into the team’s future plans if he plays well at center in the next two games.

Ultimately, a two-game sample size for Strange and Wallace is too small to make any grand proclamations about their abilities to start on the offensive line going forward. Still, an evaluation of the returning offensive linemen adds a little more juice to Saturday’s game as we continue to look through a futures lens with this team. Patriots expected offensive start vs. Chargers are LT Vederian Lowe, LG Layden Robinson, C Cole Strange, RG Mike Onwenu and RT Trey Jacobs. But again, there’s a chance Wallace could get the nod at right tackle.

Finally, the Patriots’ practice squad additions will likely fill the same roles they did in Buffalo. For the second straight week, Erickson was elevated to fill in for injured returner Marcus Jones (out, hip) on punt return. Erickson also filled in on kickoff returns when RB JaMycal Hasty was inactive in Week 16, but Hasty is ready to go this week. As for Rice, the veteran linebacker played a three-phase special teams role in the loss to the Bills last week.

As for Los Angeles, the Chargers activated lead back JK Dobbins (knee) from injured reserve. Dobbins leads the Chargers in rushing attempts (158), rushing yards (766) and rushing touchdowns (8). Earlier this week, head coach Jerod Mayo said he expects LA to run the ball based on their run-oriented approach and New England’s struggles to stop the run. With their best running back back, it makes it even more likely that the Chargers will run, run, and run some more.

With two games left in their season, the Patriots hope to play spoiler against a Charger team fighting for a playoff spot in the AFC. If the Pats can put together another competitive performance against a playoff-caliber opponent, it will help build some momentum heading into a crucial offseason. But the other side of the coin is how winning down the stretch will affect the Patriots’ draft positioning. Currently, New England has the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 draft.

The Patriots host the Chargers with kickoff at 1:00 PM ET at Gillette Stadium on Saturday.