FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Patriots tackle Sebastian Vollmer is ready to play wherever the team wants him to play, including guard.
“Hey, if they put me as wide receiver, you know I will be doing that, too,” Vollmer said jokingly. “I’ll do what they want me to do.”
When asked if the team has raised the possibility of him playing guard, Vollmer did not provide an answer.
Vollmer has been the team’s starting right tackle for three seasons, but also played some left tackle during his first season. He has never played guard at any level.
After the Aug. 26 trade that sent Pro Bowl left guard Logan Mankins to Tampa Bay, the Patriots could have a void there despite second-year lineman Josh Kline playing all 70 snaps in the preseason finale against the New York Giants.
“You never want to lose a guy, but it’s the time of year where that happens,” Vollmer said about the Mankins trade. “He’s not the only one; obviously he is a friend of a lot of us, played a lot of plays with the guy. But it’s time to step up and go forward and play my game.”
Mankins brought a no-nonsense style of leadership to the team as well, but Vollmer said the team is adjusting.
“Nobody plays forever so it’s a steady turnaround,” Vollmer said. “You never have the same team from one year to another; that’s just how it is.”
As the Patriots work to find the right combination on the offensive line, Vollmer knows that talent is not a concern.
“I think we have a lot of good guys on the football team, especially on the offensive line,” Vollmer said. “It’s just kind of the way that business goes; it’s time for somebody else to do it and hopefully go out and do a good job this week.”
Vollmer is excited about the season opener at Miami and said it will be a good test for everyone. As for whether his test will come at left guard, we will have to wait and see.