The Patriots won a 20-3 blowout over the Steelers on Sunday, but they may have lost starting right guard Michael Onwenu for the long haul. Onwenu is feared to have suffered a season-ending leg injury, insider Jordan Schultz reports.
Onwenu was carted off in the first quarter after going down with an apparent right ankle injury, per Mike Reiss of ESPN. The Patriots then plugged in veteran Greg Van Roten, whom they added on a one-year, $3MM deal in late August. Aside from starting LG Alijah Vera-Tucker, Ben Brown and Walter Rouse (zero career starts) are the only other guard options on the Patriots’ 53-man roster. The relatively inexperienced Jake Kubas is on their practice squad.
Onwenu, who joined the Patriots as a sixth-round pick in 2020, is now their longest-tenured player. Aside from an eight-start second season, Onwenu has been a full-time first-teamer during his seven-year career. He missed just three games during his first six seasons and put together his second consecutive full campaign in 2025. While ranking as Pro Football Focus’ 11th-best guard out of 63 qualifiers last year, Onwenu played a key role in helping the Patriots go 14-3 and finish near the top of the NFL in points (second) and yards (third).
The Patriots won the AFC last season, but they are facing early adversity this year thanks to long-term injuries to Onwenu and No. 1 wide receiver A.J. Brown. They may go six weeks without Brown, who is on IR after suffering a high ankle sprain in the Pats’ season-opening loss to the Seahawks. New England managed to win without Brown and Onwenu on Sunday, though it has a couple of tougher matchups (Jacksonville and Buffalo) coming up in the next two weeks.
For Onwenu, who is in a contract year, this injury comes at an especially awful time. The 29-year-old stayed in New England this season after agreeing to a revised deal during the spring, but it now possible he has played his last snap with the team. If Onwenu does become a free agent next March, he’ll reach the market with less earning power after an injury-ruined year.
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