Clear Leader Emerges in Patriots Position Battle After Preseason Opener

The New England Patriots began their preseason run with a 17-3 stomping over the Carolina Panthers on Friday. Not only did the win give Patriots fans something to cheer about, but it also shed some light on the team's various position battles — including the one regarding the starting left tackle job.

While the No. 1 LT job was up in the air once training camp began, Boston Herald's Andrew Callahan is now reporting that a clear leader has emerged ahead of the pack.

Patriots Rumors: Vederian Lowe New Leader in Starting LT Battle

According to Callahan, third-year pro Vederian Lowe is the new favorite to open the 2024 season as New England's starting left tackle. The former Illinois blocker practiced with the first team for the seventh consecutive session, potentially indicating that the top spot is his to lose.

Fellow Patriots insider Doug Kyed added that Sidy Sow, David Andrews, Mike Onwenu, and Chukwuma Okorafor are expected to remain as the rest of the offensive line starters.

Lowe, 25, played a total of 17 offensive snaps against the Panthers. He surrendered one hurry across 11 passing downs, resulting in a pass block grade of 45.8 from Pro Football Focus. Interestingly enough, that grade was only better than JaMycal Hasty (23.4) and La'Michael Pettway (3.6) on Friday.

In other words, even if he's listed as the LT1, Lowe must improve on his latest preseason showing if he wants to hold onto the job.

The Rockford, IL native began his NFL journey when the Minnesota Vikings selected him 184th overall in 2022. He only made four backup appearances in a Vikings jersey before being traded to the Patriots last August in exchange for a 2024 sixth-round selection.

Unfortunately, Lowe's first year in New England didn't go as planned. The ex-Fighting Illini tackle was among one of the worst starters at his position last season as he finished with 36.0 pass block and 41.7 offense grades — the worst and third-worst marks, respectively, among 81 eligible tackles in 2024.

Hopefully, Lowe will finish the exhibition schedule strong so that he enters the regular season with some momentum. Whether it's Jacoby Brissett or Drake Maye under center in Week 1, New England's offensive line must be better than it was last year and everyone must do their part to make that a reality.

The Patriots head into the 2024 NFL season carrying a projected win total of 4.5 with the Over being favored (-150) on FanDuel Sportsbook.

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