The New England Patriots are in decent shape entering free agency, as there seems to be mutual interest between the organization and all of its internal free agents.
It’s just not that easy…
If the club intends on truly getting over the hump, difficult decisions will need to be made regarding some of those players — though there will certainly be interest in bringing back Vederian Lowe.
Could you make an upgrade at swing tackle? Is it even worth trying? What is the best-case scenario?
Let's take a look!
Bio:
Vederian Lowe
Position: OL
Height: 6’ 6"
Weight: 320lbs
Age: 26 (April 17, 1999)
2025: 21 G, 317 OFFENSIVE SNAPS, 2 PENALTIES, 1 SACK ALLOWED
The Patriots should bring back Vederian Lowe because:
It's clear that he can now be trusted...
Lowe had an abhorrent season when asked to serve as the starting left tackle back in 2024, as he graded out as one of the absolute worst at his position (54.0; 69/81), according to PFF. The Patriots retained his services ahead of 2025, and saw him greatly improve as he graded out extremely well (65.2) when called upon to start between Week 13 and Week 17.
Will Campbell and Morgan Moses will remain as the club's bookends moving forward, with both receiving a vote of confidence following Super Bowl LX. If you're looking for a cheap way to ensure that unit has enough capable bodies to operate smoothly, just bring back the top reserve.
The Patriots should not bring back Vederian Lowe because:
It's time to start building toward the future...
The Patriots have already committed to Campbell and Moses, but that doesn't mean they won't be in the market for both a reliable swing option and a long-term replacement for the latter.
Jordan Morgan (Green Bay Packers; No. 25 in 2024), Christian Darrisaw (Minnesota Vikings; No. 23 in 2021) and Teven Jenkins (Chicago Bears; No. 39 in 2021) are examples of players who were drafted toward the bottom of the first round or top of the second round, only to serve as swing options early in their career before being elevated into starting roles.
Can you think of anything more important than at least finding someone like that in the 2026 NFL Draft?
Prediction:
Vederian Lowe signs with the Las Vegas Raiders.
New England will almost certainly have interest in a reunion, but will there be enough of an opportunity there to entice the player?
Lowe has started X games over the course of the last two seasons, and while he didn't exactly take those opportunities and run with them, there will likely be someone out there who can promise him the chance to compete for a starting job -- think the Cleveland Browns, Las Vegas Raiders and Arizona Cardinals.
More NFL: Patriots Offseason Preview: Everything Team Must Address In 2026