Patriots mailbag: What is the offensive line going to end up looking like, and will there be any trades involved?

Welcome back to the mailbag. Offensive line is the topic du jour, including some possible trade scenarios, the future at right tackle, and more. Let’s get to it.

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Mike Onwenu has been the Patriots’ most consistent offensive lineman for several years. He also has a high cap number, one year left on his deal, and doesn’t fit the athletic profile that the current regime seems to be looking for in their offensive linemen. What are the chances the Patriots trade or cut Onwenu, play Alijah Vera-Tucker at right guard, slide Will Campbell to left guard, and for the second season in a row, play a rookie left tackle in Caleb Lomu?

— John Enfield, New Hampshire

An intriguing scenario. There’s lots to consider there, including what Onwenu might fetch in a trade package. But I think the best course of action is to keep things status quo, and see how the first- and second-year guys (Campbell, Lomu, Jared Wilson, etc.) handle things this spring and summer. There’s also the case of Vera-Tucker — who has had injury issues in the past — and whether he can hold up for 17 games. Ultimately, one of the things that stood out at the OTA session we attended this week is that the Patriots need to build out their depth a bit on the interior. That means Onwenu needs to be part of the picture, at least at this juncture.

Can Morgan Moses play 17 games at the age of 35?

— Carl Jenkins, Massachusetts

Not sure there’s a better leader or more well-respected veteran in the locker room than Moses. And I’m not sure the Patriots and Mike Vrabel could have done a better job handling his workload last season, mixing in rest days as needed as they tried to maximize his impact. (Moses was one of only four offensive players on the roster to play more than 1,000 snaps during the regular season.) That being said, it would be remarkable for him to play in all 17 games at the age of 35. There are players who have done it. Trent Williams played 16 games last year with the 49ers at the age of 37. If Moses can do it, fantastic. But I wouldn’t be surprised to see Lomu get some significant snaps at that position before the end of the year.

Everyone is talking about tight ends and fullbacks vs. defensive matchups (or mismatches). How many tight ends (plus Reggie Gilliam) would Josh McDaniels like to have when the season begins?

— Adam Shepard, Woburn

There’s been a lot of talk about 13 personnel (one running back and three tight ends) being the the hot formation among NFL offenses, but I don’t think the Patriots are going to follow that path. I’d expect them to use two tight ends and one fullback on game day. The likeliest pairing would be Hunter Henry and Julian Hill as tight ends, with Gilliam as the fullback. Eli Raridon, C.J. Dippre, and Jack Westover would also be in the mix. It’s worth mentioning that Westover’s time at fullback last season gives them some flexibility there. (I’d also expect someone such as Dametrious Crownover to be the extra tight end in jumbo packages in the way they utilized Thayer Munford last year.)

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Who’s going to return kicks for this team?

— Roger Wilkins, Rhode Island

That will be one of the best positional battles of the summer. Kyle Williams had a small measure of success there at the end of the year, and Efton Chism provided some depth but little of the burst needed to be effective. But no one seized the job. Maybe TreVeyon Henderson is back there on a part-time basis this season? If I’m someone such as undrafted free agent Kyle Dixon, I’m spending the offseason honing my kickoff return skills in hopes of using that as an entry to a roster spot.

What are the odds Kayshon Boutte is included in the A.J. Brown trade, and is it possible the team told him already and that’s why he’s staying away?

— Derek, Springfield

Low, and I doubt it. If the Eagles are sticking to the idea of wanting a first-round pick, I have to imagine that’s all they’d get in exchange for Brown. It’s important to remember that things can always change. If you’re talking about potentially expanding the trade — maybe a second and a player — then that could mean Boutte would be part of a deal. But if it’s just Brown on the table, then it would just be that first-rounder.

Ultimately, trade talks can be very fluid. Because the market can move so rapidly, making a statement like that to a player (“We’re going to trade you.”) only to have to backtrack later can be a recipe for disaster with the relationship between the player and the team, regardless of how it turns out.

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Some questions have been edited for length or clarity.