One of the most important things the Patriots have done this offseason is re-sign Mike Onwenu.

The versatile O-lineman (tackle) is entering his fifth year as a Patriot and is now looked at as a critical piece of the puzzle and a leader on this team. That leadership component is something Onwenu takes pride in, but it’s still a work in progress too.

“As a player and as a person, definitely…this is Year 5 for me, so I do feel the need to be more and do more as a leader,” he said on Thursday afternoon. “I primarily lead by example, so I just want to intensify that and being back, that’s what I plan to do.”

Onwenu negotiated his own deal with the Patriots and while answering questions, he said there was an element of getting to know the business side of football, but there was never really a doubt that he was going to return to New England.

“I saw the business side of it,” he said. “It was good to just talk to people and really get people’s opinions and talk to the people that were really in control of things. At the end of the day, my contract situation worked out and I’m happy about it…I’ve talked to some people that have (negotiated) themselves in the past and I just felt like it was something I could do.

“I think it was always trending in the direction that I would be back. Me and the Patriots, we always kept the communication lines open. We were talking about everything, so it was a good time.”

Ultimately, it just came down to the fact that Onwenu and the other guys that have re-signed all want to be part of this new era of Patriots football.

“Really just the opportunity to build,” Onwenu asked when asked for some other reasons why he decided to come back. “Definitely it’s been a good four years to me and the people that returned as well, but we have an opportunity to build and start something new. I think that’s really what important.

“We all see the opportunity and we want to take the opportunity.”