If it wasn’t clear during the regular season, the playoffs proved that the New England Patriots' biggest weakness is their offensive line. Although the offensive line improved from the 2024 campaign, they weren’t significantly better this past season. The Patriots finished the regular season tied 23rd in sacks allowed, giving up 48 while also adding 21 more across four playoff games.
With the offseason underway, addressing the offensive line should be the team’s top priority. Head coach Mike Vrabel and Executive Vice President of Player Personnel Eliot Wolf signaled that intent earlier this week. According to NFL Insider Jordan Schultz, the Patriots hosted offensive tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. for a visit.
The meeting suggests that the Patriots may be exploring changes at tackle, which could put veteran tackle Morgan Moses’ future into question.
Patriots Could Move on From Moses
While the Patriots’ offensive line struggled at times throughout the season, it wasn’t because of Moses. Granted, Moses wasn’t one of the premier right tackles last season, but he did, however, provide stability. In 1,032 snaps, Moses allowed just one sack and 23 pressures, which was good enough to earn him a 74 overall grade per Pro Football Focus.
Despite having a solid season and not missing a single game, Moses did have his down moments. Although he was a quality run and pass blocker throughout the season, Moses had arguably his worst stretch of play in the final two playoff games, allowing one sack and four hurries. Not only that, but Moses also has his issues with penalties, committing eight on the season.
Even though Moses had a fine year and has been an instrumental piece to their turnaround, the Patriots cannot rely on him. At 35 years old, it’s unrealistic for the Patriots to expect him to replicate similar success from last year and play to the standard of his three-year, $24 million contract he signed last offseason.
Considering Moses has a $10.4 million cap hit next season, releasing him would make sense financially. According to Spotrac, cutting Moses before the June 1 deadline would save the Patriots $3.1 million, whereas releasing him after the deadline would save them $4.5 million.
Wills Could Provide Long-Term Stability at RT
Instead, the Patriots must look for a long-term solution at right tackle, a priority they indicated by bringing in Wills for a visit. Even though he’s played left tackle in the NFL, Wills played right tackle in college, so the transition wouldn’t be difficult.
Throughout his five seasons with the Cleveland Browns, Wills has been decent at best. Despite showing some promise as a pass protector, Wills has regressed, allowing six sacks and 26 hurries in his last 13 games.
Injuries have also been a major concern. Wills has played just 13 games over the past three seasons and missed the entire 2025 season. It would be extremely risky to sign Wills and move him to right tackle; however, it’s a gamble worth exploring.
Wills will be 27 years old at the start of next season and has plenty of quality football left. He’s got the experience and the upside to be the long-term option at right tackle. Looking at the Patriots' current tackle depth, no player can provide this
Vederian Lowe and Thayer Munford Jr., both of whom are free agents, are solidified backups who can only be relied on to start a game or two, while Marcus Bryant has played just 18 snaps.
Wills also brings a connection with Vrabel, who served as a coaching and personnel consultant for the Browns in 2024 and worked with the tight ends and offensive linemen. This, combined with his skill set, gives the Patriots a clear candidate to replace Moses with.
Whether or not they move on from Moses, the visit with Wills signals New England’s intention to improve its offensive line. Although Wills is an intriguing candidate, the Patriots must continue to do their research before they ultimately decide who’ll be their starting right tackle in 2026.