Patriots tackle Marcus Bryant to open 2026 on injured reserve, per report

The New England Patriots are expected to place offensive tackle Marcus Bryant on injured reserve at the 6 p.m. ET roster cutoff on Sunday, according to ESPN’s Mike Reiss. The move would let the Patriots designate two players for return at the deadline, potentially keeping Bryant eligible to return after the first four regular-season games. If so, the rookie swing-tackle role behind starters Will Campbell and Morgan Moses would likely fall to Caleb Lomu, the No. 28 overall pick. Bryant, 24, injured his left tackle right before the August 2025 finale versus the Cleveland Browns and has not practiced since. Center Ben Brown and punter Bryce Baringer are candidates for the second return spot. New England began the weekend with 91 active players; 73 were reported remaining by Saturday’s end.