Patriots reportedly sign OL Wes Schweitzer, S Marcus Epps

Patriots

New England reportedly inked both veteran players to one-year deals.

By Kaley Brown

March 14, 2025 | 6:24 PM

2 minutes to read

The Patriots continued their free agent signing spree Friday by reportedly agreeing to deals with two players.

New England reportedly agreed to terms with offensive lineman Wes Schweitzer and safety Marcus Epps to one-year contracts, according to NFL insider Tom Pelissero.

Schweitzer, 31, has started 62 games at both guard and center in his career. He most recently played for the New York Jets, but appeared in just 10 games over the last two seasons due to various injuries.

A calf ailment landed Schweitzer on injured reserve for most of the 2023 season, while a hand injury sidelined him for much of 2024, as well.

The 6-foot-4, 300-pound lineman is a depth signing for the Patriots. He could stick as a backup center under Cole Strange, as New England released veteran David Andrews on Thursday. Or, he could find a home as a guard, perhaps starting or second-stringing, on either side, given his history of playing all interior o-line positions.

It’s no secret that the Patriots need improvement in the trenches offensively entering this season. Schweitzer’s versatility is something New England could use, given the merry-go-round of poor offensive line performances in front of rookie quarterback Drake Maye last year.

As for Epps, 29, the former Las Vegas Raider is reportedly joining the Patriots on a $4.4 million deal for 2025. He is recovering from a torn ACL suffered on Sept. 22 last season, but is “expected” to be ready to go by training camp, according to Pelissero.

Epps’s injury allowed him to start only three games last season, but he logged 16 solo tackles in those contests, including two for loss.

Epps, who stands 6-feet tall and weighs just under 200 pounds, has 45 career starts under his belt since entering the NFL in 2019. He joins a crowded New England safety room alongside players like Kyle Dugger, Marte Mapu, and Jabrill Peppers.

A former captain with the Raiders in 2023, then-Las Vegas head coach and current Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels was a big fan of Epps. McDaniels raved about the player’s abilities on and off the field.

“He’s been a really good, positive leader for our entire defense, our secondary, our safety group since he walked in the door,” McDaniels said in September 2023. “He just has a presence about him. He’s very mature. He’s intelligent. … He’s a great communicator. Very consistent approach to him every day, every play. Does his job well, does it at a high level. We were looking for somebody to be able to do that and have that kind of impact. And obviously Marcus was voted a captain here, so he’s certainly doing it now.”