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Lucas Patrick

Bengals Sign OL Lucas Patrick

March 21st, 2025 at 5:43pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Bengals have signed veteran offensive lineman Lucas Patrick to a one-year deal, per a team announcement.

Patrick visited the team today and quickly agreed to terms to join Cincinnati’s offense. He has experience at center and both guard spots and will likely compete for a starting job along the interior of the Bengals offensive line.

The 31-year-old started 10 games for the Saints in 2024 before landing on injured reserve in December. He mostly played left guard, though he did step in at center after an injury to Erik McCoy.

Patrick’s best shot at a starting gig in Cincinnati will likely be at right guard. Center Ted Karras and left guard Cordell Volson have started for the last three years, but the team moved on from Alex Cappa this offseason. That will open up his spot at right guard, though the Bengals are also bringing back Cody Ford, who started nine games in 2024.

If he can’t earn a starting role, Patrick will serve as a versatile backup who can slide into any of the three interior OL positions in case of injury. He has started 64 games over the last eight years, an impressive career for a player who went undrafted out of college.

Patrick signed with the Packers as a rookie and served as a backup guard with six starts over his first three seasons. He earned the starting right guard job in 2020 and moved to center in 2021 before leaving Green Bay for a two-year deal with the Bears. An injury limited him to seven games (five starts) in 2022, but he started 15 games in 2023 and signed with the Saints for the 2024 season.

Bengals To Meet With OL Lucas Patrick

March 20th, 2025 at 9:45am CST by Sam Robinson

Managing to carve out starting roles for three teams as a pro, Lucas Patrick is searching for a new team. The 2024 Saints starter may have an opportunity soon, as the Bengals are bringing him in on a visit.

Patrick is heading to Cincinnati tonight for a Friday meeting, FOX Sports’ Jordan Schultz tweets. The Bengals have some questions at guard, after cutting three-year starter Alex Cappa, and their big-ticket extensions for Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins will force cost-conscious moves at other positions. Patrick qualifies as an affordable option, one who also recently visited the Seahawks (h/t KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson).

It took Patrick until mid-May last year to find a home; he trekked to New Orleans after a two-season Chicago stay. Vacillating between guard and center as a pro, Patrick has started 64 games. The bulk of those have come over the past five seasons. A former UDFA, Patrick is seeking to play a ninth NFL season. He will turn 32 this summer.

The Saints turned to Patrick as a left guard regular last season, while also using him as an Erik McCoy fill-in at center. The former Green Bay UDFA operated as Chicago’s starting center in 2023, after splitting time at both guard spots in 2022. The Packers used Patrick as their primary Corey Linsley replacement in 2021, but they did not re-sign the interior blocker after that season.

Pro Football Focus placed Patrick as a mid-pack guard last season, ranking him 37th. That placement checked in above where Cappa and primary complement Cordell Volson landed. Volson is going into a contract year. Cincinnati briefly benched Volson late last season, inserting Cody Ford into the lineup in his place. The team re-signed Ford last week, giving the former second-round pick a two-year, $6MM deal. Patrick’s visit, however, shows the team at least wants to bring in competition, as Cappa’s loss creates an opening at right guard.

Patrick played out a two-year, $8MM Bears contract and a one-year, $1.38MM Saints accord. PFF had graded him as a bottom-tier center in 2023. The Bengals return Ted Karras, the only cog left from the team’s 2022 O-line shopping spree, at center but carries guard questions.

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/28/24

December 28th, 2024 at 8:03pm CST by Adam La Rose

Saturday’s minor moves, including gameday elevations for Week 17:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Dallas Cowboys

Green Bay Packers

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

It was already known Lamb would be out for the remainder of the year, but the same will now be true of Oruwariye. The latter made seven appearances in 2024, his debut Cowboys season. That included four starts and a defensive snap share of 62%, making him a notable contributor on a Dallas defense which has dealt with a number of injuries. Oruwariye, 28, is a pending free agent.

McCoy and Patrick suffered injuries during the Saints’ Week 16 loss, and today’s move confirms they will both miss the remainder of the season. New Orleans’ offensive line has been dealt a number of blows in 2024, and that will continue through the final two games of the season. McCoy appeared in just seven games this year, but plenty of term remains on his pact. Patrick, by contrast, is set to hit the open market this spring.

Whitehead returned to practice earlier this week, so it comes as no surprise he will be available to the Buccaneers tomorrow. He will be expected to reprise his role as a defensive starter as Tampa Bay looks to seal the NFC South over the final two games of the campaign. Bringing back Whitehead and Johnson will leave the team with two IR activations.

Saints Sign Veteran C Connor McGovern Off Jets’ Practice Squad

October 4th, 2024 at 3:02pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Saints have signed veteran offensive lineman Connor McGovern from the Jets’ practice squad, per Mike Triplett of NewOrleans.Football, giving them another option at center after Erik McCoy landed on injured reserve at the end of September.

To make room for McGovern on the active roster, the Saints waived 2023 sixth-round pick A.T. Perry, per ESPN’s Katherine Terrell.

McGovern’s signing happened shortly after Lucas Patrick missed Friday’s practice with a new injury of his own, according to Triplett. Patrick took over at center when McCoy went down before moving to left guard in Week 4 after an injury to Cesar Ruiz. Week 1 starting left guard Landon Young moved to the right side, pressing Shane Lemieux into his first career action at center. Lemieux and Ruiz both missed practice on Thursday and Friday, so Patrick’s addition to the injury report leaves the Saints severely depleted along the interior of their offensive line. With almost 5,000 career snaps at center and several starts at right guard, McGovern was an ideal signing for a depleted New Orleans squad.

It is rare for a proven veteran offensive lineman to be available this late in the season, but McGovern played in just seven games in 2023 before a dislocated kneecap forced him on season-ending injured reserve. While he was sidelined, second-round pick Joe Tippmann took over at center, leaving McGovern without a clear starting job entering this season for the first time since he was a rookie.

While McGovern faces an uphill battle to play in Week 5, he has seven years of NFL experience and previously played under Saints offensive line coach John Benton in New York, so he could could have a shot at playing on Sunday. Justin Pugh famously came “straight off the couch” to start for the Giants last season, and McGovern could be in a similar position this week.

The Saints’ offense leads the NFL in under center and play action rate, two staples of Klint Kubiak‘s offense that make life easier for offensive linemen. With plenty of experience under his belt, it would not be surprising to see McGovern learn the Saints playbook and take the field if necessary in Week 5.

Waiving Perry is a somewhat surprising move by the Saints after they drafted him in the sixth round of the 2023 draft. New Orleans sent Adam Trautman and a seventh-rounder to the Broncos in exchange for the pick they used on Perry, who made the 53-man roster and appeared in 10 games as a rookie. He emerged as a deep threat later in the season, averaging 20.5 yards on his 12 receptions. Perry was listed as the third wide receiver on the Saints’ depth chart, but will now have to clear waivers and potentially sign with the practice squad to stay in New Orleans.

Surgery, IR Stint Expected For Erik McCoy After Groin Injury

September 24th, 2024 at 11:18am CST by Nikhil Mehta

Saints center Erik McCoy suffered a groin injury in Sunday’s loss to the Eagles that is expected to require surgery, according to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo. With a recovery period of six-to-eight weeks, McCoy is likely to land on injured reserve, though the injury is not expected to end the 2023 Pro Bowler’s season.

McCoy had been an integral part of the Saints’ new-look offense under offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak that has produced 34.3 points per game, second-most in the NFL. His 95.5 overall grade from Pro Football Focus (subscription required) leads all offensive linemen with just one pressure allowed so far this year.

Starting left guard Lucas Patrick is listed as the backup center on the Saints’ depth chart and took over for McCoy on Sunday, so he’s likely the long-term replacement at center. Oli Udoh slid into Patrick’s vacated left guard spot, but both Landon Young and Nick Saldiveri have taken left guard snaps during the regular season. Another week of practice could give either player the opportunity to take over the starting gig until McCoy is healthy.

McCoy’s current timeline indicates that he could return as soon as Week 10, but the Saints will not want to rush his recovery from surgery. New Orleans may take a conservative approach and hold McCoy out until after their Week 12 bye to ensure that he’s fully healthy.

The Saints selected McCoy with the 48th overall pick of the 2019 NFL Draft, and the Texas A&M standout immediately slotted in as the team’s starting center. When healthy, McCoy has been one of the league’s best at his position, but this year will mark the third time in the last four seasons that McCoy has missed at least four games due to injury.

McCoy’s absence only adds to the injury woes along the offensive line in New Orleans, which has lost tackles Ryan Ramczyk and James Hurst since last season. Hurst retired after a decade in the NFL, while Ramczyk was placed on the Reserve/PUP list in July, ending his 2024 season before it even began.

Saints To Sign OL Lucas Patrick

May 12th, 2024 at 4:23pm CST by Adam La Rose

New Orleans’ offensive line has seen a number of changes this offseason, but the team is set to make an addition up front. The Saints will sign veteran Lucas Patrick on Monday, per his agents (via Nick Underhill of New Orleans.Football).

Patrick spent his first five seasons in Green Bay before making the intra-divisional move to the Bears in 2022. Over the past two years, the 30-year-old has logged 20 starts in 23 appearances. That includes 15 starts in 16 games in 2023, matching Patrick’s largest single-season workload in his career.

The former UDFA saw time at both guard spots in 2022, but last season he served exclusively at the center position. Patrick’s PFF evaluation was in line with his previous campaigns in terms of run blocking, but his pass protection was rated much poorer. That led to an overall grade of just 50.5, something which helps explain how he remained on the open market well after the draft.

Chicago has invested up front during the past two years, and the team’s moves in 2023 make it little surprise Patrick will not be returning. The Duke alum met with the Seahawks in April, making him one of several veteran interior O-linemen the team checked in on. Instead of heading to the Emerald City, though, Patrick will join a Saints team which is in need of starting-caliber options at multiple spots.

The left tackle spot is a question mark with Trevor Penning struggling early on in his career (although 2024 first-rounder Taliese Fuaga could step in on the blindside as a rookie). Longtime RT starter Ryan Ramczyk faces an uncertain future based on his knee issues. Andrus Peat was an option at both tackle spots while representing a guard option, but he recently signed with the Raiders. Patrick will look to at least replace Peat’s potential as a guard starter.

New Orleans has Erik McCoy on the books through 2027, so he is positioned to continue serving as the team’s center starter. The Saints also have guard Cesar Ruiz attached to a lucrative deal. Patrick could compete with offseason addition Shane Lemieux for a starting position at the opposite guard spot or provide the team with a veteran backup across the three interior positions.

Seahawks Host OL Lucas Patrick

April 8th, 2024 at 9:05pm CST by Ben Levine

The Seahawks continue to monitor the free agent OL market. According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston, the team worked out Lucas Patrick today.

[RELATED: Seahawks To Meet With G Greg Van Roten]

The veteran lineman is coming off a 2023 campaign where he started 15 games at center for the Bears. Pro Football Focus only graded him 30th among 36 qualifying centers. The former UDFA out of Duke spent the first five seasons of his career in Green Bay, alternating between key backup and starter. He started 28 of his 33 appearances during his final two years in Green Bay, spending time at both center and guard.

It’s that versatility that’s probably more attractive to the Seahawks. The team has been hunting around for some reinforcement at guard after losing Damien Lewis to the Panthers and letting Phil Haynes sit unsigned in free agency. The organization recently hosted Greg Van Roten on a visit, and they were previously connected to potential interest in Laken Tomlinson and Cody Whitehair.

The team did bring in Tremayne Anchrum for some guard depth, pairing him with 2023 fourth-round pick Anthony Bradford. The Seahawks will surely look to further address the position at some point, with the draft remaining an option.

Bears Place C Lucas Patrick On IR

January 6th, 2024 at 5:12pm CST by Ely Allen

The Bears have placed starting center Lucas Patrick on injured reserve, ending his 2023 NFL season a day early. Obviously, this doesn’t mean much as Patrick will only miss one game and Chicago is already mathematically eliminated from the playoffs. The move is a common one seen this week as many teams will utilize IR to help lock promising practice squad players down on active roster contracts.

For the Bears, that player seems to be practice squad cornerback Greg Stroman. With Patrick vacating a spot on the active roster, Stroman has signed to the 53-man squad for this week. In two years with the Bears, Stroman has appeared in nine games, making two starts. In each of those two starts, Stroman has recorded an interception. With Stroman now on the active roster, Chicago will have an opportunity to keep him away from free agency in the offseason, essentially guaranteeing him another year with the Bears, if that’s what they agree to.

With Patrick unavailable, practice squad center Doug Kramer has been called up as a standard gameday elevation to provide some depth on the interior offensive line. Joining Kramer as a one-week elevation will be cornerback Christian Matthew.

Bears Activate G Teven Jenkins From IR

October 5th, 2023 at 2:48pm CST by Sam Robinson

OCTOBER 5: Jenkins will be this season’s first IR activation. Despite being designated for return three days before a Thursday-night game, Jenkins will come off IR in time for the Bears’ matchup with the Commanders, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets. This will be welcome news for a Bears team that has seen three starting O-linemen — Jenkins, Jones and Davis — miss multiple games. Jones remains on Chicago’s IR but will be a candidate to follow Jenkins back onto the active roster down the road.

This activation will shake up the Bears’ O-line. Cody Whitehair, per the Chicago Sun-Times’ Patrick Finley, will likely return to the center position he played earlier in his career — the team’s plan upon signing Davis this offseason — while Jenkins is shifting from right guard to left guard to accommodate the ex-Titan. Center Lucas Patrick will be on track to return to a backup role.

OCTOBER 2: Teams can begin opening practice windows for players on IR and the PUP list this week. The Bears will do so with one of their starting offensive linemen.

Suffering an injury during the preseason, Teven Jenkins went on IR just after the Bears finalized their initial 53-man roster. This allowed them to make the young blocker one of their in-season activations. It looks like Jenkins will be in play to return soon, with Matt Eberflus confirming (via the Chicago Sun-Times’ Patrick Finley) the interior starter is now designated for return.

Designating a player to return from IR means a 21-day practice window is opened. This transaction means the Bears have three weeks to decide on Jenkins, who will either be activated in that span or revert to season-ending IR. With this unspecified leg injury never expecting to end his season, it should be assumed the former second-round pick will return at some point in October. With the Bears having a Thursday-night tilt, it would not surprise if Week 6 became the Jenkins target date.

After struggling as a tackle, Jenkins broke through at guard last season. He graded as a top-10 guard, in the view of Pro Football Focus, despite moving to the post during the 2022 offseason. The Oklahoma State alum returning would certainly help the Bears, who are 0-4 and have seen other availability issues plague them up front. Left tackle Braxton Jones is on IR as well, while free agent pickup Nate Davis has missed two games.

Teams have eight in-season IR activations at their disposal. Players must miss four games upon being placed on IR, but they can now be activated from the injured list twice. From 2020-21, teams enjoyed unlimited IR activations. Opting for a middle ground between the pandemic-era format and the stricter setup of previous eras, the NFL settled on eight in 2022. For Jenkins, this marks his second NFL injury hiatus. He missed much of his 2021 rookie season due to a back injury.

OL Notes: Smith, Texans, Rams, Bears

September 6th, 2023 at 11:17am CST by Sam Robinson

The Cowboys are going with a “best five” configuration up front, shifting course months after Jerry Jones discussed a plan of keeping Tyler Smith at tackle. Smith is back at guard, but he may not be a lock to start the season on time. The second-year blocker suffered a hamstring strain, David Moore of the Dallas Morning News tweets. Jones expects Smith to play in Week 1; the 2022 first-round pick did not miss a game last season. Dallas has lost its starting left guard in free agency in each of the past two offseasons, seeing Connor Williams and Connor McGovern defect to the AFC East.

One of the backup options, Josh Ball, is on IR. Ball is battling hip and groin pain, and the Morning News’ Michael Gehlken notes he is expected to miss around two months. A 2021 fourth-rounder, Ball is not expected to need surgery. The Cowboys kept eight O-linemen, with rookies Asim Richards and T.J. Bass joining Chuma Edoga as backups.

Here is the latest from NFL O-lines:

  • Texans right tackle Tytus Howard returned to practice earlier this week, working out with a cast on his injured left hand. While the fifth-year lineman is on the verge of returning, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson notes George Fant is expected to play in place of Howard in Week 1. Howard, who signed a Texans extension in July, underwent surgery to repair a broken hand in early August. Fant worked as a regular Jets starter — at left and right tackle — throughout the 2020 and ’21 seasons; injuries limited him to seven games last year.
  • Josh Jones filled in for D.J. Humphries as the Cardinals’ left tackle last season, but the recently traded blocker is back at guard. The Texans have Jones in place as their starting left guard going into the season, Wilson tweets. Jones is replacing 2022 first-rounder Kenyon Green, who is on season-ending IR. Jones spent the 2021 season as a primary Cardinals starting guard. The Texans will also be without center Juice Scruggs to start the season; the second-rounder is on short-term IR with a hamstring injury.
  • The Rams gave Joseph Noteboom a three-year, $40MM deal to replace Andrew Whitworth in 2022, but after another season-ending injury, Whitworth’s would-be heir apparent lost his job. The Rams are going with Alaric Jackson at left tackle, per The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue, who adds Noteboom is back at guard (subscription required). Noteboom worked at guard early in his career and was mentioned as a guard option this offseason, but he had played on the outside since becoming Los Angeles’ swing tackle in 2020. The Rams also added Kevin Dotson from the Steelers, and while Dotson has started 30 career games (including 17 last year), Rodrigue adds the team views him as a depth piece. A former UDFA, Jackson started six games last season before becoming one of the many Ram blockers forced off the field due to health issues. Blood clots ended Jackson’s 2022 slate.
  • Previously set to shift back to center, Cody Whitehair is at guard to start his eighth Bears season. Teven Jenkins‘ injury will shift Whitehair to left guard and Lucas Patrick to center, Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune notes. Recent trade acquisition Dan Feeney is in place as Chicago’s backup center. Jenkins is on IR to start the season. Whitehair spent the past four seasons at guard but began his career with three slates at center. Patrick has played both guard and center. The 2022 free agency addition was ticketed to start at center last season, but injuries limited the ex-Packer to seven games.
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