The New England Patriots did a great job filling out their roster last season, and it's even more important this offseason to continue building for the future. New England added Alijah Vera-Tucker to the offensive line in free agency, but they could do the same via the NFL Draft.
They signed offensive tackle Morgan Moses to a three-year, $24 million deal last offseason, which panned out to be a great deal, but age isn't on his side. Moses is 35 years old, and there's a good chance that the Patriots add a tackle high in the draft to have someone waiting in the wings.
Patriots Could Add Morgan Moses’ Long-Term Replacement in NFL Draft
The Patriots could move on from Moses next offseason if they wanted and would save $9 million in the process per Spotrac. He would be 36 years old at that point, and the Patriots may have confidence that the younger option would be worth the roll of the dice and could free up money to be used elsewhere.
It's worth mentioning that Moses played well in 2025. On Pro Football Focus, he had a 74.0 overall grade (27th among 89 graded tackles), a 69.8 pass-blocking grade (43rd among 89 graded tackles), and a 77.1 run-blocking grade (17th among 89 graded tackles). He allowed one sack but gave up 29 pressures.
Although he was solid, they need a long-term answer. One name that has been connected to the Patriots is Arizona State OT Max Iheanachor. They brought him in for a top 30 visit and were at his Pro Day. During that workout, head coach Mike Vrabel was hands-on with Iheanachor and got on the field to run some reps with him.
While Vrabel has done this in the past with other players, it shouldn't be overlooked that he did it with a prospect they clearly have interest in. Iheanachor still has work to do, but he has the traits that are exciting.
The Athletic's Dane Brugler's takeaway on Iheanachor was, "Iheanachor is still learning how to refine his talent on a more consistent basis, but his traits (athletic build, balanced quickness, play strength) form an exciting foundation for a future starting right tackle. He is an ascending player, although he might require a “redshirt” year — and a patient coaching staff — as he continues to develop."
Even though he still has room to refine some skills, he has 31 starts at right tackle in his career. Iheanachor could very well be the 31st pick for New England. If they don't select him, Clemson's Blake Miller and Utah's Caleb Lomu are some other players they could consider, as they rank No. 25 and No. 26, respectively, on the consensus big board by the NFL mock draft database.
The Patriots have some tough decisions to make, but a week from now, the team will have new additions, and it could put Moses in an uncomfortable situation.
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