Image courtesy of the New England Patriots
The offensive line has been a source of consternation in recent years for the Patriots. Injuries, inconsistency and bad coaching have turned what was one of the best units in the NFL for a long time into a liability.
The Patriots have attempted to address the offensive line in both the draft and free agency but they have had mixed results. 2022 first round pick Cole Strange has struggled with injuries and inconsistency. 2023 draft picks Atonio Mafi, Sidy Sow and Jake Andrews played a lot as rookies but the verdict is still out on them. Sow has shown to have the upside. The Patriots also drafted Penn State swing tackle Caedan Wallace and Texas A&M guard Layden Robinson in this year’s draft.
Free agency has not helped the past two seasons either. Riley Reiff was signed to play right tackle last season but missed most of the season due to injuries. The Patriots are hoping that this off-season’s free agent addition, Chukwuma Okorafor makes more of an impact, specifically at left tackle. Perhaps the Patriots biggest free agent addition along the offensive line in recent years is retaining Michael Onwenu who re-signed on a three year, $57 million dollar extension this off-season.
The Patriots are hoping that new offensive line coach Scott Peters, assistant offensive line coach Robert Kugler and offensive assistant Mike McCarthy can get this unit back on track.
Under Contract:
Offensive Tackles
Michael Onwenu
Chukwuma Okorafor
Caedan Wallace
Vedarian Lowe
Tyrone Wheatley Jr.
Zuri Henry
Guards/ Centers
David Andrews
Cole Strange
Sidy Sow
Atonio Mafi
Jake Andrews
Nick Leverett
Liam Fornadel
Charles Turner
Michael Jordan
Positional Breakdown: The Patriots hope that improved coaching and depth will help this unit develop and improve. Re-signing Michael Onwenu was important. He can play right guard or right tackle and play either position at a pro bowl level. Chukwuma Okorafor can play either tackle spot but the Patriots envision him playing on the left side. He has the length, athleticism and the footwork to be a good left tackle, if not serviceable.
Rookie Caedan Wallace is the wild card in all of this. He can play both tackle or guard spots. The Patriots will bring him along slowly but the hope is that he eventually develops into a left tackle. Wallace would have played left tackle at Penn State if it weren’t for Ola Fashanu.
Vedarian Lowe and Tyrone Wheatley provide veteran experience and rotational depth. Both can play either tackle spot. Wallace however could make it difficult for either to make the roster. College rookie free agent Zuri Henry has intriguing size at 6-6 310. He is athletic for his size and has good feet.
Center David Andrews returns to once again anchor the offensive line in the middle. Andrews is one of the last links to the dynasty years and the unquestioned leader of the team now that Matthew Slater has retired.
Cole Strange is going to miss camp and more than likely the first half of the season. The third year guard out of Tennessee-Chattanooga is trending towards being a bust despite showing flashes of potential during his first three seasons. Strange’s inability to stay healthy has been a major problem and it could lead to the Patriots moving on eventually.
The Patriots investment in the interior of the offensive line in the 2023 draft has yielded mixed results so far. Sidy Sow looks to be the best of the group. He can play right guard or right tackle. For now, he is penciled in at right guard. Sow played well in December and January and looks like he has the talent to anchor the interior of this unit. Jake Andrews is undersized and better suited to play center. He should be the heir apparent to David Andrews. Repping him at guard last season made Jake more valuable to the team. Atonio Mafi played a lot as a rookie but really struggled down the stretch. When you watch him on film, he peaked at mid-season. Mafi struggled in the later portion of the season. The Patriots like him but he will have to compete at a high level in camp to make the team.
Mafi’s biggest competition will be veteran Nick Leverett who comes over from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Leverett has experience playing guard or center and his versatility would give him an edge over Mafi.
Liam Fornadel and Michael Jordan are experienced camp bodies who will battle for roster spots in camp. Same with rookie free agent Charles Turner who has good size at 6-4 303 and can play guard or center.