Eliot Wolf expects the Patriots to be aggressive on the waiver wire, with New England third on the priority list.

The Patriots can improve their depth at several positions, both on the offensive and defensive line.

Maybe Jackson Carman is an offensive lineman that New England could be interested in?

Carman was released by the Cincinnati Bengals on Friday after struggling in the preseason. He played primarily at guard in his first three seasons for the Bengals, but this preseason he worked more as an offensive tackle after playing left tackle for the Clemson Tigers.

Carman couldn’t keep up with the top of Cincinnati’s lineup, led by left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. and right tackle Trent Brown. The Bengals also have offensive tackle Amarius Mims, a 2024 first-round pick, although he is expected to miss several weeks with a strained pectoral muscle.

Of course, it’s a given that no player on the waiver list is available. But Carman could have some athletic traits that appeal to the Patriots.

The 24-year-old Carman, who is 6’5″ and 315 pounds, was selected in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft. Ironically, he was drafted 46th, a pick previously held by the Patriots before New England moved up with Cincinnati and selected Christian Barmore.

Carman played in all 17 regular-season games (six starts) in his rookie season and appeared in Cincinnati’s four playoff games. He was on the field for 42% of Cincinnati’s offensive snaps, but those reps dropped significantly in 2022 (2%) and 2023 (10%).

It’s clear that Carman didn’t live up to his draft slot. But perhaps a return to offensive tackle will do Carman, and perhaps the Patriots, some good. After all, New England has fielded a handful of different offensive tackle combinations this preseason and clearly hasn’t landed a starting lineup yet.