The 2026 campaign is back on for Andrew Rupcich. The New England Patriots reached an injury settlement with the interior offensive lineman on Thursday, according to the NFL transaction wire. This means he’s going through waivers and could get picked up by another team. You can’t even rule out a return to Foxborough later, but for now, his shot at a 53-man roster spot this August with New England is on hold after a tough break.
That MCL Strain Was a Gut Punch
This whole situation started with a strained MCL for the 6-foot-6, 325-pound Rupcich. ESPN’s Mike Reiss reported it last weekend after Rupcich had to leave the preseason opener against the Indianapolis Colts in the fourth quarter. He was out there as the team’s starting left guard, grinding for 58 offensive snaps, but then he was stuck on the sideline for the final minutes of that 13-13 tie. Even though he managed to avoid surgery, the team still moved him to injured reserve, and they’ve already brought in Darrian Dalcourt, Joe Michalski, and veteran Greg Van Roten to shore up that offensive line. It’s a scramble to find the right pieces up front, especially when guys are going down early.
From Undrafted Gem to The Waiver Wire
Rupcich, at 27 years old, was really making a push this summer. He joined New England’s practice squad last September and then signed a futures contract back in February, showing they saw something in him. This kid came into the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2022 from NAIA’s Culver-Stockton, first landing with Mike Vrabel’s former Tennessee Titans. He played in 12 games in the AFC South, even starting twice, before heading to the AFC East in 2025. This is actually the second settlement for New England in a week, which tells you a lot about the injury bug hitting them hard. They still have four guys on injured reserve for the season, including running back Myles Montgomery, wide receivers Jimmy Kibble and Jeremiah Webb, and tight end Julian Hill.
What’s Next For Foxborough’s Crew
The preseason grind doesn’t stop for the Patriots, even with these roster moves. They’re still hitting the field this Saturday against the Philadelphia Eagles. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. ET at Gillette Stadium, right after they wrapped up joint practices. You know they need to keep evaluating talent and figure out who’s going to step up, especially on that offensive line. Every snap in these preseason games is huge to see who’s really ready to go for the regular season.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pats Pulpit.
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