The New England Patriots held their first post-bye week practice on Monday, and promptly received some positive injury news along their offensive line. Tackle Caedan Wallace, a third-round selection in this year’s draft, was back on the field for the first time since being placed on injured reserve in early October.

Let’s take a closer look at what hit return to practice means for the Patriots from a big-picture perspective.

The window has opened

Even with him now back at practice, Wallace returning to the Patriots’ 53-man roster is no guarantee. Still, he took a big step step toward that goal on Monday; his comeback opens the door for him to eventually rejoin the team.

For that to happen, however, the Patriots need to abide by the NFL’s return timeline. This means that they have 21 days to move him from injured reserve to the active roster. If they decide against that next and final step at some point over the next three weeks, he will revert to IR and miss the remainder of the season.

The latest Wallace can be activated is Dec. 30, the Monday before New England’s season finale versus the Buffalo Bills. If such a move happens, a follow-up will be necessary to create space for the rookie on the 53-man team.

Increased competition at tackle

As noted above, Wallace returning to practice is another step for him toward returning to the field. Whether he will actually do so in a starting role or as a backup remains to be seen.

Fact is, however, that his presence increased the competition at the tackle position:

53-man roster (3): Vederian Lowe (59 | LT), Demontrey Jacobs (75 | RT), Sidy Sow (62)

Practice squad (1): Caleb Jones (76)

IR return (1): Caedan Wallace (70)

Heading into the upcoming game against the Arizona Cardinals, Vederian Lowe and Demontrey Jacobs are serving as the offensive line bookends. While neither is locked into a starting role long-term, it seems that Jacobs’ position in particular could be up for grabs: he has been inconsistent all year, at one point getting benched for guard/tackle hybrid Sidy Sow.

Wallace, whose lone start of the year came at left tackle in place of an injured Lowe, seems to have a realistic shot at competing for the RT role. At the very least, his presence will put more pressure on Jacobs to perform.

A look at the future

Heading into the bye week, New England head coach Jerod Mayo spoke about wanting to see more out of several players including Wallace. Regardless of his eventual status and ability to return to the game day squad, the team’s coaching staff will get a closer look at the youngster over the next few weeks.

With the Patriots in the process of building their foundation for the future, any chance for Wallace to show what he can do — and even if it’s just in practice — is welcome. The team feeling strongly about his outlook heading into 2025 might have an impact on how the organization approaches its offseason.