The New England Patriots have used the offseason thus far to make some changes to their roster after advancing to the Super Bowl last season. They made additions to the offensive side of the ball, featuring Romeo Doubs and Alijah Vera-Tucker.
While Doubs gives Drake Maye another pass catcher, the addition of Vera-Tucker benefits OL Jared Wilson tremendously in 2026 and beyond. Patriots Executive Vice President of Player Personnel Eliot Wolf revealed that Wilson will move over to center, with Vera-Tucker slated to fill in at left guard. And that's a big positive for him, as center is his natural position.
Jared Wilson’s Offseason Stock Is up Entering April
Last season, the Patriots signed Garrett Bradbury, which moved Wilson over to left guard. The position change wasn't easy for Wilson. Sophie Weller of Patriots Wire interviewed Wilson in February, where he opened up about the struggles in his rookie season.
"It was very difficult. Nothing in the NFL is easy. It was very difficult. I think Coach (Doug) Marone, Coach (Jason Houghtaling), Coach (Robert Kugler), Coach Vrabes, I just thank those guys for buying into me and trusting me, and just teaching me day in and day out, helping me be the best person and player that I can be to ultimately get to this point. But there's still a lot of improvement that I can make."Jared Wilson
And when taking a look at the advanced numbers, you could see that Wilson had his fair share of troubles. On Pro Football Focus, Wilson had a 49.9 overall grade (72nd among 81 graded guards), a 42.8 run-blocking grade (75th among 81 graded guards), and a 62.2 pass-blocking grade (43rd among 81 graded guards). He gave up 28 pressures, four sacks, and seven QB hits.
It's clear that jumping from college to the NFL was one hurdle, but having to play a new position is something that gave Wilson a ton of problems. But with him moving back to center, he should be a better player for New England. During his time with the Georgia Bulldogs, he played center and really took off in 2024 with increased playing time.
Over 810 offensive snaps in 2024, he had a 79.6 overall grade, 76.0 run-blocking grade, and an 84.9 pass-blocking grade. He gave up six pressures, five hurries, and zero sacks in that campaign. Based on these numbers, it's very clear that he's comfortable at that position, and New England knows that.
When healthy, Vera-Tucker has All-Pro potential and will be on the left of Wilson. As for Mike Onwenu, he's a very stable and consistent offensive lineman for New England. Having two guys on either side of Wilson should allow him to settle in and also play better, especially since these guys are veterans who have found success in the NFL.
Moving back to a position that he's used to will also allow him to play more freely and increase his production. The Vera-Tucker signing played a major part in this change for Wilson. New England seems happy with its decision as it will benefit Wilson next season.