49ers To Sign T Vederian Lowe
With Trent Williams‘ future in the air, the 49ers are making a depth addition at the offensive tackle spot. Vederian Lowe has agreed to a two-year San Francisco deal worth up to $12MM, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports. He will collect $5.75MM guaranteed.
Lowe would certainly bring a massive step down from Williams; the 49ers will likely plan to have him as their swing tackle no matter what happens with the future Hall of Famer. Benched after being the Patriots’ primary left tackle starter in 2024, Lowe played out his rookie contract as a backup for the AFC champions.
The Patriots acquired Lowe via trade during Bill Belichick’s final year at the controls. He worked as an eight-game starter in 2023 and lined up with Pats first-stringers 13 times in 2024. The returns were not good for the Pats’ O-line in ’24, leading to a 2025 overhaul that brought four new starters. Pro Football Focus graded Lowe as the NFL’s third-worst qualified tackle in 2023 and slotted him outside the top 65 in ’24; Will Campbell arrived to supplant him as the No. 4 overall pick last year.
Lowe served as Campbell’s injury sub during the high-profile rookie’s IR stretch. A former Vikings sixth-round pick, Lowe will at least provide the 49ers with a 25-start resume. This signing comes after the team tried a few tackles behind Williams and Colton McKivitz in 2025. The 49ers signed Andre Dillard and Nicholas Petit-Frere; the team was near a deal with D.J. Humphries, but the veteran LT ultimately chose the Rams.
Guard/swingman Spencer Burford is unsigned for San Francisco, though the team tendered backup tackle Austen Pleasants as an ERFA. The 49ers owe Williams a $10MM option bonus on April 1, providing a deadline of sorts. The team may have opened the door to a trade Monday, and the 16-year vet is tied to a $38.8MM cap number in his contract year. A resolution will come soon, but if not, the 49ers will have a glaring tackle need — as Lowe will be unlikely to start in a non-injury situation.
Adam La Rose contributed to this post.
Patriots Brass Discusses Key FAs; Team Not Inclined To Make Blockbuster Trade?
The Patriots have a small free agent class, but that class includes a number of players who held key roles in the team’s surprise run to Super Bowl LX, such as defensive end K’Lavon Chaisson and defensive tackle Khyiris Tonga. As Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald relays, New England HC Mike Vrabel said he would love to retain Chaisson and Tonga, as well as offensive tackle Vederian Lowe.
Chaisson, 26, will come with a notable price tag. The former first-round pick of the Jaguars never reached his ceiling in Jacksonville and, after a stopover with the Raiders in 2024, joined the Pats via a modest one-year pact last offseason. Chaisson posted a career-high 7.5 sacks for New England in the regular season and then added three more during the club’s postseason march. Two front office executives from other teams tell ESPN’s Mike Reiss they expect Chaisson to land a contract paying him between $8MM-$11MM annually.
Like Chaisson, Tonga signed a one-year accord with the Patriots last March. After appearing in 14 games (eight starts) and enjoying a career-best 40% snap share in 2025, Tonga is due for a raise, with Mark Daniels and Karen Guregian of MassLive.com reporting that the 29-year-old is expected to have multiple suitors if he hits the open market. Daniels and Guregian say Tonga and the Pats were close on an extension before the 2025 playoffs got underway but were unable to strike an agreement. Tonga enjoyed a strong postseason – which included the first sack of his career – and his price tag has gone up as a result. It seems New England’s most recent proposal will not be enough to keep the BYU product in Foxborough.
While Lowe’s run as the Pats’ full-time starter at left tackle in 2024 did not go well, he showed improvement filling in for an injured Will Campbell last season. It stands to reason Vrabel would want a known commodity to remain on the roster in a swing tackle capacity.
We previously heard safety Jaylinn Hawkins, another out-of-contract contributor, wants to return to the Patriots, and Kyed confirms the interest is mutual. EVP of player personnel Eliot Wolf, who announced last week that the team had commenced contract discussions with its pending FAs, also said he would welcome Hawkins back to the fold (though he did add that Hawkins has earned the right to see what the market could have in store for him).
Hawkins spent the past two seasons in New England, but the team’s Vrabel-led staff was willing to give him a larger role than the former regime. Hawkins ended up leaping both Kyle Dugger and Jabrill Peppers on the depth chart en route to a strong season. The 28-year-old started all 15 of his appearances, finishing with 71 tackles, six passes defensed, and 1.5 sacks.
Since they just won the AFC and have starting quarterback and MVP runner-up Drake Maye on a rookie deal, it is fair to wonder whether the Patriots will take some big swings in the free agent and/or trade markets. However, Reiss says Wolf, Vrabel & Co. do not see themselves as being one player away from a return to the Super Bowl, meaning they are not necessarily inclined to pony up a massive trade package for an established star.
New England has been connected to Raiders DE Maxx Crosby and Eagles WR A.J. Brown, who both profile as trade candidates, in recent weeks. Vrabel and Wolf, though, have reiterated the team’s commitment to the draft and supplementing their existing core, thereby suggesting they may not have the appetite for a Crosby or Brown blockbuster.
Patriots To Add QB; Vederian Lowe, Demontrey Jacobs Seen As Trade Candidates
As things stand, the Patriots’ quarterback depth chart solely consists of Drake Maye and Josh Dobbs. The team cut Ben Wooldridge shortly after the preseason wrapped up.
As a result, the expectation exists New England will be in the market for an addition under center in the coming days. Indeed, head coach Mike Vrabel confirmed (via ESPN’s Mike Reiss) the Patriots will add a quarterback shortly. The new arrival will likely be headed to the practice squad, but nothing will be certain on that front until later this week.
Dobbs’ hold on a roster spot has been questioned, but at this point the veteran is set to operate as New England’s backup. Whether or not a replacement is sought out, finances will not be a challenge. The Patriots entered Sunday with a league-leading $60MM in cap space.
In other Pats news, Reiss’ colleague Jeremy Fowler notes trades involving one or more offensive linemen could be in store soon. That position group is one which often sees movement at this time of year as teams aim to acquire veteran depth in time for the regular season. Specifically, Fowler names Vederian Lowe and Demontrey Jacobs as players viewed as being available in a swap.
Lowe was drafted by the Vikings in 2022, but he has spent the past two seasons with New England. That span included eight starts in 2023 and another 13 last season. After the Patriots made several changes up front this spring, however – including the arrival of a new tackle tandem in the form of Will Campbell and Morgan Moses – Lowe could find himself on the move in the event of a trade.
Jacobs made 13 starts in 2024, but he too is a candidate for a reduced role under Vrabel if he remains in New England. Depending on how trade talks shake out over the next few days, one or more deals could be worked out along the O-line as the Pats try to take a much needed step forward in that respect this season.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/4/25
NFL teams are continuing to adjust their rosters to weather injuries and add depth with preseason games kicking off later this week. Here are the latest minor moves from around the league:
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: OL Dan Feeney
- Waived: DE Kameron Cline, OL Rush Reimer
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: TE Mitch Van Vooren, RB Trayveon Williams
- Waived: OT Julian Pearl
Detroit Lions
- Signed: CB Luq Barcoo, CB D.J. Miller
- Waived/injured: RB Kye Robichaux
- Placed on IR: S Dan Jackson
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: CB Corey Ballentine
- Released: CB Gregory Junior
Houston Texans
- Activated from active/PUP list: RB Dameon Pierce
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: OL Tremayne Anchrum, DL Austin Johnson
- Waived: WR J.J. Jones
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: DL Nesta Jade Silvera
- Waived/injured: DL Josh Fuga
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: TE Chris Myarick
- Placed on IR: TE Jalin Conyers
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: TE Nick Vannett
- Waived: OT Marcellus Johnson
New England Patriots
- Activated from active/PUP list: OL Vederian Lowe
New York Giants
- Signed: LB K.J. Cloyd, RB Jonathan Ward
- Waived/injured: RB Rushawn Baker
- Placed on IR: LB Ty Summers
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: LB Michael Dowell, LS Zach Triner
- Placed on IR: S AJ Finley
- Waived: LB Seth Coleman
The Lions’ additions were likely a result of a shoulder injury to second-year cornerback Ennis Rakestraw. Head coach Dan Campbell said (via team writer Tim Twentyman) that “it’s going to be a while, at best” until Rakestraw returns to the field.
Ballentine returns to Green Bay, where he spent the last three seasons, after a brief stint in Indianapolis this offseason. He started six games and played 488 snaps for the Packers in 2023, but primarily contributed on special teams in 2022 and 2024.
The Giants are dealing with a number of injuries in their running back room, per The Athletic’s Dan Duggan. Only Tyrone Tracy, Devin Singletary, and Darius Miller are healthy, and the first two may not play much in the preseason. New York worked out a number of running backs on Monday, including Myles Gaskin and Isaiah Spiller (via KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson), but Ward impressed enough to join the squad moving forward.
Finley went down with a knee injury at training camp that is believed to be serious, pending additional tests, per ESPN’s Brady Henderson. Triner, meanwhile, will fill in for Seahawks third-year long snapper Chris Stoll, who is dealing with a back issue, according to Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times.
Minor NFL Transactions: 7/19/25
Saturday’s minor moves around the NFL:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: DT Kyon Barrs
Chicago Bears
- Placed on active/NFI list: CB Jaylon Johnson, QB Case Keenum, WR Jahdae Walker, RB Ian Wheeler
Cincinnati Bengals
- Placed on active/PUP list: TE Erick All
- Placed on active/NFI list: C Seth McLaughlin
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Placed on active/PUP list: LB Dennis Gardeck
New England Patriots
- Placed on active/PUP list: WR Mack Hollins, TE Austin Hooper, OT Vederian Lowe, LB Jahlani Tavai
- Placed on active/NFI list: CB Carlton Davis, S Josh Minkins, WR Jeremiah Webb
New York Jets
- Placed on active/PUP list: DE Jermaine Johnson, WR Irvin Charles
- Placed on active/NFI list: LB Aaron Smith
Washington Commanders
- Placed on active/NFI list: T Timothy McKay
The Cardinals were one of the two teams Barrs visited yesterday. His free agent workout clearly went well, and he will look to carve out a roster spot during training camp. Barrs, a former UDFA, has yet to make a regular season appearance.
Every player on a PUP or NFI list can be activated at any time, but their designations mean they are not cleared to practice at the start of their respective training camps. Notably, the Patriots’ list of PUP players does not include Stefon Diggs. The free agent addition was a candidate to begin camp on the PUP list, but New England’s decision to keep him on the active roster is an encouraging sign regarding his ACL recovery.
The Jets are taking a cautious approach with Jermaine Johnson, as the former first-rounder confirmed on X. An Achilles tear limited him to two games last year, but the Pro Bowler said on Saturday he is ready for on-field work. Activation well in advance of Week 1 should be expected in his case.
Patriots Rumors: Campbell, Strange, Carter
The Patriots have their right tackle position locked down with Morgan Moses on a three-year deal, despite his advanced age of 34 years old. After uninspiring performances in 2024 from Vederian Lowe and Caedan Wallace, the team still has questions at the left tackle position.
New head coach Mike Vrabel didn’t give up on Lowe and Wallace, claiming both players would get opportunities to win the job, but he noted that the 2025 NFL Draft would “be a good option” to address the position. Per Karen Guregian of Mass Live, Vrabel said that there are players “at a lot of different levels” that the team likes.
With the No. 4 overall pick, New England is going to have their pick of the litter after a presumed 1-2-3 of Cam Ward, Abdul Carter, and Travis Hunter. There’s a chance that Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders sneaks in there and allows Carter or Hunter to fall to the Patriots, but likely, those three will be off the board and New England will make the first unexpected pick of the draft.
They’ve been connected to players like Georgia linebacker Jalon Walker or Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham, but if they decide to use that pick to address the left tackle situation, they reportedly view LSU’s Will Campbell as an option at No. 4 overall. Campbell drew early criticism in the pre-draft process for a lack of length with a below-average 32 5/8-inch arm measurement, but according to Field Yates of ESPN, scouts really don’t view Campbell’s arm length as an issue that could prevent him from becoming a really good left tackle in the NFL.
Here are a few more rumors out of New England concerning the subject:
- Despite watching rookie fourth-round guard Layden Robinson struggle as the team’s starting left guard for much of the 2024 season, the team won’t likely feel the need to address that position in the draft. After only playing in three games last year due to injury, Cole Strange is expected to enter the offseason as the team’s starter at the position, per Christopher Price of The Boston Globe. Strange showed major improvement in 2023 after a rough rookie campaign, but injuries have limited him to only 13 games in the past two seasons.
- While it may end up being for naught, the Patriots are hosting Carter out of Penn State on a top-30 visit this coming Monday, per Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated. Carter is only taking visits with teams in the top 4 picks (Titans, Browns, Giants, and Patriots), so it stands to reason that if he falls past the first three picks, he’d be an easy selection for New England to make at fourth overall.
NFL Injury Updates: Texans, Carr, Dean, Lowe
The Texans defense played without rookie starting cornerback Kamari Lassiter last weekend, and they may be without him for a bit longer. According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2, Lassiter is expected to miss a few more games due to the scapula injury he suffered against the Bills nearly two weeks ago.
Wilson emphasized that Lassiter is improving and that he is expected to make a full recovery with no surgery, but for now, he’s a ways off from returning to the field. Another defensive back who is expected to miss his second straight game is veteran safety Jimmie Ward, who sat out last week’s contest after aggravating a groin injury.
Lastly, undrafted rookie running back British Brooks, who was placed on injured reserve 10 days ago, has undergone successful knee surgery, per Wilson. The procedure to repair Brooks’ torn meniscus took place yesterday. He is expected to make a full recovery but isn’t expected to return this season. Brooks should be ready for organized team activities in the spring.
Here are a few more injury updates from around the NFL:
- After a promising 2-0 start, the Saints‘ 2024 campaign has taken a slide with five straight losses, partially due to the injury and absence of quarterback Derek Carr. Well, it appears that Carr will be out at least one more week. Per Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, Carr may be trying to come back by Week 8 to plays the Chargers, a team he’s very familiar with, but the team views the Week 9 trip to Carolina or the Week 10 matchup versus the Falcons as more likely return-dates for their quarterback. Head coach Dennis Allen echoed this sentiment, telling Matthew Paras of The Times-Picayune that he wasn’t sure whether or not Carr would play in Los Angeles but claiming that it was “very likely” that he’s back in time for the Panthers.
- After leaving this past Sunday’s game in New Orleans early with a hamstring injury, Buccaneers cornerback Jamel Dean has not practiced this week. Greg Auman of FOX Sports believes that Dean is likely headed towards a multi-week absence. While a stint on IR may be in the cards, the Buccaneers haven’t gone that way just yet.
- Patriots left tackle Vederian Lowe is another player who left this weekend’s games early. He underwent an MRI on Monday that confirmed the expected diagnosis of an ankle sprain. While Lowe has been downgraded to out for this weekend’s game in London, New England expects to see him back in the near future, per ESPN’s Mike Reiss.
Latest On Chukwuma Okorafor’s Patriots Departure
Following an ugly Week 1 cameo, Patriots offensive lineman Chukwuma Okorafor was placed on the exempt/left squad list after suddenly stepping away from the team. We heard at the time that this was “not a temporary decision,” and ESPN’s Mike Reiss echoes that sources aren’t expecting the veteran to play for the Patriots again this season.
Now, the organization will have to work with the player to determine how much of the guaranteed money he’ll end up receiving. As Reiss notes, Okorafor earned a $2MM signing bonus (of which $600K was deferred until 2025) and a guaranteed $1.125MM base salary. Reiss hints that the two sides may be facing impending negotiations to determine how much of the $3.125MM in guaranteed money Okorafor will ultimately get to keep. Indeed, coach Jerod Mayo revealed that the front office has already had talks with the player’s camp (via Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald).
The lineman also stepped away from more than $4MM in incentives. Okorafor would have earned $850K for a variety of snap milestones, including appearing from 50 to 90 percent of his team’s offensive snaps. After being “checked out mentally” and leaving the organization, there’s little chance Okorafor will hit most of those milestones even with a sudden return.
Mike Giardi of the Boston Sports Journal provides some more insight into the player’s departure, with the reporter noting that the player is “contemplating his future in football.” Giardi also passed along quotes from Mayo, with the coach noting his own concern for Okorafor the person (vs. the player).
“I called him, and it had everything to do with the man,” Mayo said. “I wanted to make sure that he was good, in a good space and really considering and taking into consideration that this is what he wanted to do.”
After spending the past four years as the Steelers starting right tackle, Okorafor joined the Patriots this offseason to replace Trent Brown on the left side of the line. The acquisition struggled in his Patriots debut, allowing six QB pressures in his six pass-blocking opportunities, leading to him quickly being replaced by Vederian Lowe. The fill-in has already been ruled out for tomorrow, and Giardi notes that Caedan Wallace will likely get the call at LT against the Jets.
OL Notes: Ravens, Mekari, Dolphins, Brewer, Bengals, Brown, Giants, Neal, Patriots
After an overhaul of their offensive line this offseason, the Ravens appear to have landed on veteran Patrick Mekari as their starting right tackle to open the 2024 season. Though Baltimore has resisted making any formal announcements about their starting OL, offensive coordinator Todd Monken pointed toward Mekari starting to open the year, per Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic. Mekari is also listed as the team’s starting RT on their official depth chart after competing with rookie Roger Rosengarten for the job throughout training camp.
The Ravens used a second-round pick on Rosengarten this year and gave him plenty of chances to win a starting gig over the summer. He frequently took reps with the first-team offense in practice and played 86 snaps at right tackle in the preseason, but that may not have been enough to overcome Mekari’s consistency over the past few seasons. A sixth-year blocker, Mekari has stepped up at both tackle positions. He started at LT when Ronnie Stanley was injured in 2022 and rotated snaps at RT as Morgan Moses played through a torn pectoral in 2023.
Mekari’s experience (36 starts) likely played a factor in the Ravens’ decision. Baltimore traded Moses to the Jets in March and also allowed veteran starting guards John Simpson and Kevin Zeitler to leave in free agency, opening up three new spots along the offensive line. With Andrew Vorhees and Daniel Faalele stepping into starting guard roles for the first time, the Ravens appear to be opting for a known quantity in Mekari over the unproven Rosengarten.
Here’s the rest of the news from offensive lines around the NFL:
- Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel said that starting center Aaron Brewer will practice this week after recovering from a hand injury, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. Miami added Brewer on a three-year, $21MM this offseason after starting at center for the Titans in 2023. His hand injury, producing a multi-week absence, has raised concerns about his snapping ability. But McDaniel seemed confident about Brewer’s readiness to start in Week 1.
- The Bengals have landed on veteran Trent Brown to start at right tackle over first-round pick Amarius Mims, per Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic. Mims has struggled with a pectoral injury throughout training camp, limiting his reps with Cincinnati’s first-team offense. The 18th overall pick did not practice on Monday, but did return in a limited capacity Wednesday. As Mims gets up to full speed physically and mentally, the Bengals will look to Brown, a nine-year veteran who signed a one-year, $4.75MM deal in March. Mims was seen as a developmental prospect during the pre-draft process, so it’s not surprising that the Bengals have opted for a conservative approach with a player they see as a long-term pillar of their offensive line.
- Brian Daboll announced that Evan Neal will remain exclusively at tackle after the Giants toyed with the idea of trying him out at guard, according to Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post. “We have enough guards,” said Daboll, “He needs to continue to work at right tackle.” The No. 7 overall pick in 2022 opened the past two seasons as the team’s starting RT, but injuries limited him to just 20 games. He also struggled to transition to right tackle after spending his senior year as a left tackle at Alabama. New York signed Jermaine Eluemunor on a two-year, $14MM deal this offseason. With Neal struggling to overcome his ankle injury early in camp, the ex-Raider took over the RT job.
- The Patriots are working through multiple injuries along their offensive line as they put together their starting five before Week 1. Left guard starter Sidy Sow and Vederian Lowe, the latter having vied for a starting tackle job after playing LT and RT in 2023, are both nursing injuries. This potentially leaves rookie Layden Robinson as the team’s top option at RG come Sunday, according to Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald. The fourth-round pick impressed in training camp and even earned a few first-team reps in the preseason. Third-round rookie Caedan Wallace is expected to start the year as the Patriots’ swing tackle after training at both left and right tackle this summer.
OL Notes: Broncos, Wattenberg, Raiders, Cowboys, Beebe, Patriots, Giants, Neal
The center position sticks out on Denver’s offensive line. Four eight-figure-per-year contracts populate the Broncos‘ front, giving Bo Nix a solid batch of blockers as he begins his career. But the team did not bring in a starter-caliber player to replace Lloyd Cushenberry, who signed a big-ticket deal with the Titans. A matchup of recent Day 3 picks in training camp is close to being resolved. Luke Wattenberg has started Denver’s two preseason games, and the coaching staff views the 2022 fifth-rounder as having made great strides ahead of his third season. Wattenberg should be considered the favorite to start over 2023 seventh-rounder Alex Forsyth (despite the latter having been Nix’s 2022 center at Oregon), per the Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson.
A Washington alum already going into his age-27 season, Wattenberg has two seasons left on his rookie contract. He has played 128 career snaps. This will be an adjustment for the Broncos, who used Cushenberry as a starter for four seasons. But Wattenberg’s fifth-round contract will mesh well on a line with Garett Bolles, Ben Powers, Mike McGlinchey and now Quinn Meinerz on pricey deals.
Here is the latest from the O-line ranks:
- The Patriots will of course look into additions on the waiver wire, when hundreds of cut players will be available come Wednesday, but de facto GM Eliot Wolf said (via MassLive.com’s Karen Guregian) the team is content with its current mix up front. In addition to being without left guard Cole Strange, the Pats have not named their starting tackles. It appears to be trending toward 2023 late-August trade pickup Vederian Lowe at LT and street FA addition Chukwuma Okorafor at RT, the Boston Herald’s Doug Kyed writes. Jerod Mayo both said he had wanted an O-line settled before the third preseason game and that Drake Maye‘s short outing in the preseason opener came from an uneasiness about the front five. This does not paint a picture of stability entering the season, which would make it rather interesting if Mayo and Wolf opted to open the year with Maye starting.
- Cooper Beebe had been mentioned as a strong candidate to replace Tyler Biadasz as the Cowboys‘ center, but Brock Hoffman — a 2022 UDFA who started two games last season — had worked exclusively in that spot during most of training camp. Beebe, however, has received first-team work recently, Saad Youself of The Athletic notes (subscription required). Since that insertion, Beebe looks to be moving toward landing the gig. The third-round rookie appears the more likely starter, Yousef adds, with Hoffman — despite his weeks-long run with the first unit — seemingly ticketed for a backup role.
- After a shoulder injury kept Jackson Powers-Johnson out of OTAs, and a concussion sustained at minicamp sidelined the second-round pick for months. Powers-Johnson only returned to Raiders practice recently. The team had hoped the Oregon center would win its LG job from the jump, but the time off will likely delay his start to the season. Antonio Pierce said (via The Athletic’s Tashan Reed) Powers-Johnson is unlikely for Week 1. Free agent signing Cody Whitehair has worked as Las Vegas’ starting LG and is poised to keep that role to open the season. The Bears demoted the longtime starter midway through last season, making his Raiders fit — with ex-Bears OC Luke Getsy calling the shots — interesting. But the 32-year-old blocker looks like a Week 1 starter.
- Last year’s Raiders RG starter, Greg Van Roten is reprising his right-side tandem with Jermaine Eluemunor in New York. If Giants center John Michael Schmitz misses time, however, The Athletic’s Dan Duggan expects the recently added guard to slide to center. Free agent pickup Aaron Stinnie would replace Van Roten, 34, at guard in this scenario.
- Duggan drops another concerning nugget about Evan Neal‘s status as well, indicating the displaced RT starter is not a lock to be active on gamedays due to only taking reps at right tackle since coming back from ankle surgery. Joshua Ezeudu, who has worked at both left and right tackle spots during camp, would be the Giants’ swing tackle if Neal’s transition from top-10 pick to healthy scratch actually happens.