Veteran offensive lineman Lucas Patrick began his NFL career with the Green Bay Packers in 2017 as an undrafted free agent out of Duke. After leaving the Packers following the 2021 season, Patrick has bounced around on several teams, including two seasons with the Chicago Bears and one season apiece with the New Orleans Saints and, most recently, the Cincinnati Bengals.
Patrick was named the Week 1 starter for the Bengals, which caused a lot of stir before the season even began, with fans expecting recent signee Dalton Risner to be in that role to open the 2025 campaign. Overall, his one season with the Bengals was filled with hard times, as he only appeared in six games and left his Week 1 start with a calf injury.
While his brief stint with Cincinnati did not go well, another opportunity just presented itself to Patrick. According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the New York Giants "are adding to their O-line as they get ready to begin their offseason conditioning program, signing guard and center Lucas Patrick to a one-year deal, per sources."
For someone who has started 65 games, Patrick would give the Giants a veteran presence on the OL to protect quarterback Jaxson Dart, who found himself on the receiving end of a fair share of hits during his rookie season.
Lucas Patrick's Journeyman Career Continues After Latest Signing
Patrick played an entire season twice during his five seasons in Green Bay, averaging just 5.7 games played over his final three seasons due to numerous injuries. When he has been healthy, Patrick has played over 1,000 snaps at all three interior spots. However, despite not qualifying for enough snaps, Pro Football Focus graded out Patrick as a 63.9 overall, with a 65.9 pass blocking mark, and a 62 run blocking mark, all of which are not exactly encouraging for a veteran who has dealt with multiple injuries.
The right guard position, specifically, could be where the opening is for Patrick. Greg Van Roten previously held the position but remains in free agency. Additionally, Aaron Stinnie was re-signed after being limited the past few seasons, and Jake Kubas, who is currently listed as the starter at RG, was unable to win the job one year ago.
Evan Neal, the former first-round pick, is also back for another season, although he is playing for the vet minimum. When you also consider center John Michael Schmitz Jr.'s past injury concerns and how his future is not guaranteed with the team, this may not be the worst landing spot for a guy like Patrick, who is looking to bounce back from an injury-riddled year of his own and is now a journeyman.
While the Packers have some OL changes of their own to deal with after losing veteran Elgton Jenkins to the Cleveland Browns, and the remaining questions about Jordan Morgan's on-field performance, Patrick is on his way to a new home after struggling to build some consistency with any team since he departed Green Bay.
There are still plenty of unknowns as Patrick transitions from Cincinnati to New York. If there is anything to go off of, he has been a solid run and pass blocker over the course of his career. So, if he can stay healthy and fit in on an offensive line that is set to return four of its five starters from the last two seasons, perhaps he can overcome the tall task and make the most of another opportunity.