New England Patriots: 5 Things to Watch in Matchup Against Detroit Lions

#3 Pass Protection

There’s no questioning who the starting five along the offensive line will be in 2017. Barring injury, Nate Solder, Joe Thuney, David Andrews, Shaq Mason and Marcus Cannon will start from left to right in front of Tom Brady. What is still up in the air is who will make up the second string. A poor performance by the offensive line against the Texans, which included allowing four sacks in the second half, has kept the door open for numerous players to steal a roster spot.

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The first unit wasn’t spectacular, but held their own against possibly the best front seven in the NFL. Nate Solder was the only starter who didn’t play and was replaced by Cameron Fleming at left tackle. Trusting Fleming to protect Brady against the likes of J.J. Watt and Whitney Mercilus is an early indication that Fleming will stick when the rosters are reduced.

Second-year player Ted Karras is expected to win the backup job in the interior as he has proven more than capable of filling in and either guard or center. The Patriots are likely to keep eight offensive linemen on the 53-man roster, so that leaves one more spot. There are plenty of offensive tackles in the running for the final spot, including Tony Garcia, Conor McDermott, LaAdrian Waddle and Cole Croston.