Held Hostage by the OT Position 2025

[DoubleDeluxe]

They're trying to do the same with Marvin Harrison, who would have been the Patriots leading receiver last year.

Because, you know, other teams can't draft good players too.

Ya,I don't understand the MHJ hate. 885 yards, 8 tds and over 14 yds/catch are pretty decent numbers for a rook.

 

[stinkypete]

I hear the frustration. I miss the old days where BB and Scar could plug and play a no name UDFA into the mix and the team not miss a beat. Fast forward to today where we've drafted numerous players in the top or heart of the draft (Strange, Sow, Mafi, Wallace, Robinson) and still no solution at LG. WTF?

You could do this when 3-4 of the spots were locked down by quality, experienced players.

I like the chances of Campbell and Wilson to develop into a solid left side, so I would not say the team is quite “held hostage” like it was in ‘23-‘24, but we are replacing four guys at once, so the learning curve could be a long one.

 

[rkarp1]

You could do this when 3-4 of the spots were locked down by quality, experienced players.

I like the chances of Campbell and Wilson to develop into a solid left side, so I would not say the team is quite “held hostage” like it was in ‘23-‘24, but we are replacing four guys at once, so the learning curve could be a long one.

I have always thought you could game plan around 1 weak link on the OL.
even if that spot was at LT. honestly, I thought Light was a nice player. but mostly middle of the road. I also thought Solder was over rated.

 

[State]

Will Campbell will be a great LG.

Bring back Vaddie Lowe as LT. Not near as good a run blocker, but if healthy (he wasn't last season) can be a superior pass blocker.

And prepare yourselves for Onwenu being kicked out to RT if and when Moses gets hurt.

Cole Strange as RG?

 

[Wozzy]

Will Campbell will be a great LG.

Bring back Vaddie Lowe as LT. Not near as good a run blocker, but if healthy (he wasn't last season) can be a superior pass blocker.

And prepare yourselves for Onwenu being kicked out to RT if and when Moses gets hurt.

Cole Strange as RG?

If you’re offering up Lowe as a solution, your opinion should immediately be dismissed and mocked.

 

[sb1]

Will Campbell will be a great LG.

Bring back Vaddie Lowe as LT. Not near as good a run blocker, but if healthy (he wasn't last season) can be a superior pass blocker.

And prepare yourselves for Onwenu being kicked out to RT if and when Moses gets hurt.

Cole Strange as RG?

Strange likely isn’t long for this team.

 

[State]

Did the organization give up too fast on Calvin Anderson? He signed a two-year deal in 2023 and was slated to be the starting LT.

Then he contracted malaria, which his father had earlier contracted, while in Nigeria. His dad played football at Army and became a flight surgeon.

The dude is currently the backup swing tackle for the Steelers, who picked him up very soon after he was released with a minor injury.

It would be nice to have him around backing up Will Campbell.

Patriots Make Roster Moves to Reach the 53-Man Roster Limit

The Patriots released 16 players, placed three players on Injured Reserve, placed three players on the Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform List and one player on the Reserve/Non-Football Injury List.

www.patriots.com

 

[State]

BTW Isaiah Wynn was picked up a few days ago by the 49ers to compete at LG.

Didn't he start for us in a SB victory or two at LT? He was a firmer first round pick of the Dante era.

He hated being RT. Strictly a left side guy.

Another veteran that could have been brought in and could play LT/LG.

Fire that weasel Eliot Wolf.

 

[State]

Evan Lazar makes the point that McDaniels is running outside zone runs more as a feature than as a bug.

As shown in the examples above, fourth-overall pick Will Campbell is a dynamic zone blocker who can generate movement as a centerpiece in these schemes (third-round C/G Jared Wilson is also a fit for outside zone).

Campbell and Wilson are ideal for this with their uber athleticism. Not sure how that'll work on the other side. Fatty Onwenu and Old Hoss Moses.

 

[State]

The point of outside zone by adept teams is to be able to run it to both sides.

 

[PatsFan2]

BTW Isaiah Wynn was picked up a few days ago by the 49ers to compete at LG.

Didn't he start for us in a SB victory or two at LT? He was a firmer first round pick of the Dante era.

He hated being RT. Strictly a left side guy.

Another veteran that could have been brought in and could play LT/LG.

Fire that weasel Eliot Wolf.

Wynn wasn't good here with Wynn you lose.

 

[Real fan 02]

What do the following 14 gentlemen have in common?

Ben Brown
Lester Cotton
Demontrey Jacobs
Michael Jordan
Nick Leverett
Vederian Lowe
Chuka Okorafor
Michael Onwenu
Layden Robinson
Tyrese Robinson
Levitus Smith
Sidy Sow
Cole Strange
Caedan Wallace

The answer is that they are all offensive linemen who, to the best of my research, took snaps during the 2024 Patriots regular season. How many of them belong on an NFL roster?

The constant switching from one inadequate player to the next reminds me of nothing so much as a compulsive gambler who thinks he can bet his way out of debt. Last season's Patriots offensive line coach is now the offensive line coach of the Cincinnati Bengals, so those outside the Patriots don't blame him. But the man who churned all of those players in and out is still in charge of personnel.

That is the sign of a deeply dysfunctional organization. Perhaps Vrabel, McDaniels and Marrone can fix it. For Drake Maye's sake, I hope so.

Feels like the OL is in much better shape to compete than at any point last season.. go figure, Wallace and Robinson probably won't even make the team this season. Bryant the 7th rounder is likely going to end up being the eventual starting RT down the line. So we are talking about Campbell, Wilson, Bradbury*, ownenu and Moses as the starters as opposed to the bums we had last season at the OT spots.

Another thing of note. I try not to fall into the sky is falling reports from training camp on the OL.. none of these reporters are talking about just how much better the defensive front is compared to last season. Williams, Barmore, Landry, Chaisson for example are a load for any NFL offensive front to handle.

 

[Real fan 02]

Wynn wasn't good here with Wynn you lose.

We've had some characters on the offensive line over the years for sure brother.

 

[DoubleDeluxe]

The point of outside zone by adept teams is to be able to run it to both sides.

Says who? If you could be extremely productive running it to one side, you use it to that side. Pretty simple

 

[p8ryts]

Wynn wasn't good here with Wynn you lose.

He was not a terrible tackle. Too many injuries.

 

[jlu52]

We've had some characters on the offensive line over the years for sure brother.

Among the characters, the Patriots have also had, arguably, the best offensive lineman of all time, in John Hannah, and many other stalwarts, but for sure, there have been some doozies mixed in.

 

[Mike the Brit]

Feels like the OL is in much better shape to compete than at any point last season.. go figure, Wallace and Robinson probably won't even make the team this season. Bryant the 7th rounder is likely going to end up being the eventual starting RT down the line. So we are talking about Campbell, Wilson, Bradbury*, ownenu and Moses as the starters as opposed to the bums we had last season at the OT spots.

Another thing of note. I try not to fall into the sky is falling reports from training camp on the OL.. none of these reporters are talking about just how much better the defensive front is compared to last season. Williams, Barmore, Landry, Chaisson for example are a load for any NFL offensive front to handle.

I hope you're right, but I can't help Eliot Wolf giving me Eliot Wolf vibes.

The Minnesota fans were thrilled to see the back of Bradbury and looking at his "highlights" I could see why. Then Saturday seemed to confirm it. He's reminding me of a much more expensive James Ferentz.

On the other hand, Dave Andrews wanted to come back this season, but they cut him. Why not keep him on and give him a chance? (He retired because he only wanted to be in New England.) Could it have been because he told Wolf and his coaching tree last year that they didn't know the first thing about putting together an offensive line?

And I don't understand what is going on with Cole Strange. Looking at him in the first two pre-season games, he looked really solid. Is he another one whose "face doesn't fit" under the present regime?

I think that last year's O-line coach was probably competent, but Marrone is obviously a step up -- and he's also got the personality to tell the Front Office where to get off, if necessary. Saturday's O-line play wasn't as reassuring as the first game, but, still, the O-Line doesn't look like the mess that it obviously was last year.

 

[Real fan 02]

Among the characters, the Patriots have also had, arguably, the best offensive lineman of all time, in John Hannah, and many other stalwarts, but for sure, there have been some doozies mixed in.

Agreed there. Hannah is unquestionably the best. I'd then put mankins after him. Matt light also deserves some respect as well. The last 5 years the OL primarily the OT position has been a joke. For example in 2020 thuney was franchised for 16 million at the Guard position. He then a year later walked in FA. Another blunder decision.. no matter who you are a legendary HC, or Howie roseman you need others in an organization to help you do your job effectively.

 

[Real fan 02]

I hope you're right, but I can't help Eliot Wolf giving me Eliot Wolf vibes.

The Minnesota fans were thrilled to see the back of Bradbury and looking at his "highlights" I could see why. Then Saturday seemed to confirm it. He's reminding me of a much more expensive James Ferentz.

On the other hand, Dave Andrews wanted to come back this season, but they cut him. Why not keep him on and give him a chance? (He retired because he only wanted to be in New England.) Could it have been because he told Wolf and his coaching tree last year that they didn't know the first thing about putting together an offensive line?

And I don't understand what is going on with Cole Strange. Looking at him in the first two pre-season games, he looked really solid. Is he another one whose "face doesn't fit" under the present regime?

I think that last year's O-line coach was probably competent, but Marrone is obviously a step up -- and he's also got the personality to tell the Front Office where to get off, if necessary. Saturday's O-line play wasn't as reassuring as the first game, but, still, the O-Line doesn't look like the mess that it obviously was last year.

Last year's OL never had a chance from day 1. Lowe, Jordan, chuks Okafor, jacaobs, brown are not starting caliber players anywhere in the NFL. They are backups. The defensive front is potent. The interior pressure they create stresses the entirety of an OL go back and watch the first few series of the preseason games those guys minus like 3 starters collapsed the pocket. In camp Campbell and co. Are seeing this everyday in practice. Vrabel's doing the right things with Campbell keep him in there.. let him learn and take his losses. A coach is supposed to instill confidence in a player not take it away from them. Vrabel's closer to Parcells as a coach then he is BB.

 

[imahobgoblin]

Ya,I don't understand the MHJ hate. 885 yards, 8 tds and over 14 yds/catch are pretty decent numbers for a rook.

It is not about reality, its about media hype. The media controls the narrative. They label guys like Harrison and Trevor Laurence as "generational" players. If you think about that, its claiming players like them come only once in 20-30 years. The hype train and drama is not fair to the player who is predicted to enter the HOF before they play a single snap. The problem is that fans eat this stuff up. Men like Mel Kiper and Field Yates are gods to them. The average fan has no clue what it takes to make it in the NFL. They refuse to understand there is no such thing as a guaranteed draft pick and that all draftees are just prospects. If you go to your favorite teams sites, most news is just hyper sensationalism, fantasy reporting that the writer makes up in their head, and topics taken way out of context. Some fool had us trading Diggs for McLaurin last week. Stop it.

Another example is the Diggs interview in which he was acting like a dork saying he is not sure he will play week 1. If you watch the whole interview, you understand he will play, but he is just being silly. Phil Perry then takes that to Vrabel, and Vrabel thinks its just stupid. I actually like Phil, but his job is to create content and get attention. So then Felger and Maz, with no evidence at all, talk for an hour of how Vrabel and the Pats have grown weary of the whole Diggs thing. They speculate as truth that Diggs isn't playing in preseason because of discipline that Vrabel labels as "Coaches Decision." Bedard reports that Diggs may have been, MAY HAVE BEEN, late to one of the practices with the Commanders. Bedard does not really have any evidence, but it might have happened. Felger and Maz then treat this info as hardcore truth. There is a massive gap now between Diggs and the Pats.

Change the names of the reporters and the topics, and you now have the sensationalism of most of sports reporting, and NE Fans love it. We don't get truth or facts. They feed us garbage and most don't have the ability to discern what is true and what is pure fantasy. So in some diluted minds, 885 yards, 8 tds, and 14 yds are not acceptable for a "generational player." These stats are not decent for a rookier. They are fantastic. Only Brain Thomas had more TDs with 10.