It looks like the New England Patriots have found their replacement for Brian Schwenke.
Schwenke, who was on the Patriots roster last season serving primarily as a backup interior lineman before getting injured, elected to retire just before training camp started. With the Patriots short on offensive line help -- Isaiah Wynn is not a full participant as he returns from an Achilles tear while Yodny Cajuste (NFI) and Cole Croston (PUP) are both unavailable to start training camp -- it made sense that they would target some help at the position to replace Schwenke.
According to multiple reports, the Patriots have added offensive lineman J.J. Dielman to the mix. Dielman was a fifth-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals. The Patriots will be Dielman's fifth team in his brief, two-plus year NFL career.
Dielman (6-5, 309 pounds) has never played a regular-season snap but can play guard and center. He will likely be used in a similar capacity to Schwenke as he tries to prove himself in camp.
Dielman will have a lot of competition for a backup spot on the interior, as the versatile Ted Karras, fourth-round pick Hjalte Froholdt, and three-year Patriot James Ferentz will all likely be ahead of him in the pecking order.
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