For Rebuild Year One - The OL Isn't That Bad

[mgteich]

We're in the first year of a rebuild.
The Defense is fine.
We have greatly improved our WR's. We only need to sign a top one next year.
We have greatly improved our QB's
We have improved our RB corps.
=================
SO LET US DISCUSS OUR WEAKNESS
in addition to the Offense having to learn a new system.

We have
1. FOUR returning starters: Strange, Andrews, Sow, Onwenu
2. one backup who looked good starting at LG last year. Jake could start if Strange isn't ready, or if he is traded.
3. added backup guards Robinson and Leverett (who also backs up center). Robinson allows us to move Sow to LG in 2024 or 2025 if that is wanted.
4. a one-year bridge LT who has NFL starting experience (a below average LT to be sure) [we might have chosen someone else, but he will serve as a bridge]
5. a returning backup who started much of last year. Lowe could be better with better coaching.
6. an upgrade at backup RT (Wallace over McDermott). Wallace could surprise and play LT this year. Also, he is said to be able to backup at OG.
7. WILD CARD - Anderson who might make the team and contribute or not (Lowe is the alternative)

Coaches have a year to see what we have. Obviously, next year we will use free agency and the draft to continue to address the OL. But this isn't bad at all. We had three positions to address. QB is done. WR needs one free agent or trade addition. And OL continues to be worked and probably will need 2-3 additional players. Perhaps fewer will be needed. We will know lots more about our future OL by the end of the season.

 

[archstanton543]

I don't know about "greatly" for QB or WR. Slightly improvements were made. Maye may or may not play this year and we don't know how he'll do if he gets in there. So really, the only known commodity at QB is Brissett (meh) or Zappe (ugh). It's a slight upgrade over Mac but a lot of his problems stemmed from not having an O-line. Polk is a rookie. So is Baker. Neither is projected to be a game-breaking WR. So, again, it's a slight improvement. Parker leaving is an addition by subtraction.

I'm not seeing a great improvement at RB. It's Rham and a bunch of JAG's. AVP's offense is based around a strong running game. If Rham breaks down like he did last year, it's a big question mark as to who picks up the slack. Zeke did that last year. I'm not sure who does that this year.

Will the offense be improved over last year? Well, it can't get any worse since they ranked dead last in most offensive categories. But I'm not seeing a big leap forward since it's the 4th offensive coordinator in as many years and a ton of new offensive coaches installing yet another new system. There's going to be a lot of growing pains from the rookie head coach on down.

The Pats still don't have a true LT on the roster. They have a bunch of guys who could fill that role but no one who's specialty is that role. Will it pan out? Again, it's yet another offensive line coach installing a new system. Will the guys on the roster take to it? Will the rookies and second year guys pan out and excel if they move over to LT from the G position? I dunno. I tend to come down on the "probably not" side since of so many other variables on that side of the ball.

 

[Patsfanin Philly]

Can I add special teams to a weakness?
Beside the obvious misses of field goals, the punt return coverage was the worst in years. They allowed 10.0 ypr compared to previous years of 7.9, 8.6, 5.9, 6.3, 10.2, 4.6, 5.0 and 8.9. (average 7.2)

 

[Stu Pidassle]

Individual player talent was #3 on the list of why the OL was historically bad last year. Reason #1 was injuries which may spill over into this year and impact player talent to some extent. Reason #2 was multiple years of bad coaching and lack of development as a unit. While everyone rightly points to Scar as the benchmark, Popovich is a more recent example of what an effective OL coach brings to an offense. For the ongoing success of the team it is critical that Peters re-establish the OL as a cohesive group that can assimilate new players on a regular basis. Settling the coaching situation is a prerequisite for seeing talent show through on the field. Game plan to manage talent gaps that are part of life in the NFL. Bring in better players when opportunity arises.

 

[Gumby]

MGT:
(‚conveniently’) ignoring the TE position?

We're in the first year of a rebuild.
The Defense is fine.
We have greatly improved our WR's. We only need to sign a top one next year.
We have greatly improved our QB's
We have improved our RB corps.
=================
SO LET US DISCUSS OUR WEAKNESS
in addition to the Offense having to learn a new system.

We have
1. FOUR returning starters: Strange, Andrews, Sow, Onwenu
2. one backup who looked good starting at LG last year. Jake could start if Strange isn't ready, or if he is traded.
3. added backup guards Robinson and Leverett (who also backs up center). Robinson allows us to move Sow to LG in 2024 or 2025 if that is wanted.
4. a one-year bridge LT who has NFL starting experience (a below average LT to be sure) [we might have chosen someone else, but he will serve as a bridge]
5. a returning backup who started much of last year. Lowe could be better with better coaching.
6. an upgrade at backup RT (Wallace over McDermott). Wallace could surprise and play LT this year. Also, he is said to be able to backup at OG.
7. WILD CARD - Anderson who might make the team and contribute or not (Lowe is the alternative)

Coaches have a year to see what we have. Obviously, next year we will use free agency and the draft to continue to address the OL. But this isn't bad at all. We had three positions to address. QB is done. WR needs one free agent or trade addition. And OL continues to be worked and probably will need 2-3 additional players. Perhaps fewer will be needed. We will know lots more about our future OL by the end of the season.

MGT:
(‚conveniently?’) ignoring the TE position?

 

[RobertWeathers]

MGT:
(‚conveniently’) ignoring the TE position?

MGT:
(‚conveniently?’) ignoring the TE position?

Good or bad?

Henry, Hooper and Wilcox are functionally- average, NFL TEs.

Really not worth calling out.

 

[Wozzy]

They're not in a rebuild...

And when you had one position to fill on the offensive line, left tackle, to presumably come away from this offseason without one was some bad team building. If Wallace succeeds they did a great job, otherwise they screwed up.

 

[Triumph]

The OL is broken until they prove they are not on the field when the games count.

No more of this looking good in shorts and cleats or in preseason games and checking OL or any other area on the team off the list.

 

[archstanton543]

The OL is broken until they prove they are not on the field when the games count.

What if they're on the field for a game winning drive? Or on a game-sealing kneeldown?

 

[borg]

The OL is broken until they prove they are not on the field when the games count.

No more of this looking good in shorts and cleats or in preseason games and checking OL or any other area on the team off the list.

4 returning starters from a 2023 OL that was considered substandard does not elicit supreme optimism not to mention no locked in LT.
Admittedly, the 2023 unit was too often ravaged by injury with players forced to play out of position and some replacements unworthy of practice squad salaries.
Let's hope new OL coach Scott Peters can create more synergy within the unit than the past two Friends Of Bill OL coaches who spectacularly whiffed.
Can't get any worse..........can it?

 

[Triumph]

4 returning starters from a 2023 OL that was considered substandard does not elicit supreme optimism not to mention no locked in LT.
Admittedly, the 2023 unit was too often ravaged by injury with players forced to play out of position and some replacements unworthy of practice squad salaries.
Let's hope new OL coach Scott Peters can create more synergy within the unit than the past two Friends Of Bill OL coaches who spectacularly whiffed.
Can't get any worse..........can it?

The Pats QB play or lack thereof did the OL no favors either.

 

[goheels22002]

Can I add special teams to a weakness?
Beside the obvious misses of field goals, the punt return coverage was the worst in years. They allowed 10.0 ypr compared to previous years of 7.9, 8.6, 5.9, 6.3, 10.2, 4.6, 5.0 and 8.9. (average 7.2)

Yes, special teams were off last year, but not due to the OL. They should have kept Folk as the placekicker/FG kicker. Dependability is critical. As far as kickoffs go, I'm not sure that matters at all the new rules to prevent injuries and cut down on onside kicks.

The punt return defense was surely going to suffer when you punt on almost every possession. The other team had the lead all the time and teams risked nothing by setting up returns with no incentive to play conservatively.

If the offense can get more first downs, control the clock a little, and put three TDs on the board, every aspect of team defense and special teams get better. I agree with @mgteich that the OL is key to everything in 2024 and looks better on just about every dimension.

I do think that Calvin Anderson is going to have a big year for the Patriots and put pressure on Wallace and Okorafor to start at tackle. If Onwenu can handle RT full-time, the Patriots have a good platoon of LTs to provide protection and run blocking, even if it's situational football.

 

[Force Zero Boomer]

We're in the first year of a rebuild.
The Defense is fine.
We have greatly improved our WR's. We only need to sign a top one next year.
We have greatly improved our QB's
We have improved our RB corps.

We've got an unproven head coach, new coaches, and new systems. To say we've greatly improved our WRs, QBs and RBs is absurd. We've got mostly new players and rookies there. While Rham is great, who's behind him is all a big question mark. With so much uncertainty and change, I don't feel confident in predicting anything.

 

[Thelonious]

The rebuild is MAYBE half over. Slow your roll.

With a team fallen this low, the rebuild will take time, and as for the "great defense," by the time the offense is even so-so, a lot of this defense will be in decline or gone. Rebuilds take a while when a team is this bad, and patience is the key.

 

[Wozzy]

The rebuild is MAYBE half over. Slow your roll.

With a team fallen this low, the rebuild will take time, and as for the "great defense," by the time the offense is even so-so, a lot of this defense will be in decline or gone. Rebuilds take a while when a team is this bad, and patience is the key.

They had to fix the offense… that’s not a rebuild.

Brissett instantly fixes the QB, doesn’t make the position great, but solidifies it and gives you a baseline of mistake free production.

You’re returning 4 starting linemen and a couple interior backups if healthy. Staying healthy immediately fixes everything except left tackle.

You’ve got a great starting RB in Rhamondre and TE in Henry…

In short, they needed a QB of the future, a LT and to add some WR talent to the room. That’s not a rebuild.

If Mac was Joe Burrow or Justin Herbert, the team would have been rebuilt in 2021.

 

[Thelonious]

They had to fix the offense… that’s not a rebuild.

Brissett instantly fixes the QB, doesn’t make the position great, but solidifies it and gives you a baseline of mistake free production.

You’re returning 4 starting linemen and a couple interior backups if healthy. Staying healthy immediately fixes everything except left tackle.

You’ve got a great starting RB in Rhamondre and TE in Henry…

In short, they needed a QB of the future, a LT and to add some WR talent to the room. That’s not a rebuild.

If Mac was Joe Burrow or Justin Herbert, the team would have been rebuilt in 2021.

They were among the worst three teams overall in the league. The offense was the very worst in the league, undeniably. That kind of crap, you rebuild. Don't like the term? Call it a "resuscitation" or something.

 

[TheRainMaker]

Until proven otherwise, this line is still very mediocre at best. They have among the oldest starting C's in the league, unproven guys going to fight for LT, a mid round pick in Sow who is arguably outplaying a former 1st round pick in Strange who's been in and out of the lineup and a massively overpaid G in Owenu playing out of position at T.

 

[Real fan 02]

We're in the first year of a rebuild.
The Defense is fine.
We have greatly improved our WR's. We only need to sign a top one next year.
We have greatly improved our QB's
We have improved our RB corps.
=================
SO LET US DISCUSS OUR WEAKNESS
in addition to the Offense having to learn a new system.

We have
1. FOUR returning starters: Strange, Andrews, Sow, Onwenu
2. one backup who looked good starting at LG last year. Jake could start if Strange isn't ready, or if he is traded.
3. added backup guards Robinson and Leverett (who also backs up center). Robinson allows us to move Sow to LG in 2024 or 2025 if that is wanted.
4. a one-year bridge LT who has NFL starting experience (a below average LT to be sure) [we might have chosen someone else, but he will serve as a bridge]
5. a returning backup who started much of last year. Lowe could be better with better coaching.
6. an upgrade at backup RT (Wallace over McDermott). Wallace could surprise and play LT this year. Also, he is said to be able to backup at OG.
7. WILD CARD - Anderson who might make the team and contribute or not (Lowe is the alternative)

Coaches have a year to see what we have. Obviously, next year we will use free agency and the draft to continue to address the OL. But this isn't bad at all. We had three positions to address. QB is done. WR needs one free agent or trade addition. And OL continues to be worked and probably will need 2-3 additional players. Perhaps fewer will be needed. We will know lots more about our future OL by the end of the season.

Good post. What fan keep forgetting is we're 31st on overall offense last season. That's being generous at that number. The Chargers and jets homes games last season were rock bottom offensively. QB play was 90% of the issue.

Yes we had a practice squad at WR by seasons end as well. As you mentioned we upgraded at WR. Polk, Baker and KJ are definitely upgrades. The fan in me wants to see Drake play, but I know that won't happen. So safe to say without any major injuries to the QB position Brissett will start week 1. He's a veteran, been in different offenses and won't give the ball away to the other team. He's played in AVPs system, and is likely the best player to run it while Drake gets up to speed.

We need to see whoever lines up at LT during minicamp and training camp to get any gadge on that position. Whoever lines up there is going to have problems going against the defensive front in camp practice.

 

[40yrpatsfan]

Until proven otherwise, this line is still very mediocre at best. They have among the oldest starting C's in the league, unproven guys going to fight for LT, a mid round pick in Sow who is arguably outplaying a former 1st round pick in Strange who's been in and out of the lineup and a massively overpaid G in Owenu playing out of position at T.

I’m a little more bullish than that on the OL. We have 4 starters back, and losing Trent Brown was addition by subtraction. Sow is now a veteran. Onwenu should have a strong year. There’s nothing wrong with David Andrews. Robinson and Leverett provide depth if Strange is still hurt. Anderson is back. We picked up a 4 year starter from Pitt in Oko. We drafted Wallace. Much more stable coaching situation. Feels a LOT better than last year.

 

[Patsfanin Philly]

Yes, special teams were off last year, but not due to the OL. They should have kept Folk as the placekicker/FG kicker. Dependability is critical. As far as kickoffs go, I'm not sure that matters at all the new rules to prevent injuries and cut down on onside kicks.

The punt return defense was surely going to suffer when you punt on almost every possession. The other team had the lead all the time and teams risked nothing by setting up returns with no incentive to play conservatively.

If the offense can get more first downs, control the clock a little, and put three TDs on the board, every aspect of team defense and special teams get better. I agree with @mgteich that the OL is key to everything in 2024 and looks better on just about every dimension.

I do think that Calvin Anderson is going to have a big year for the Patriots and put pressure on Wallace and Okorafor to start at tackle. If Onwenu can handle RT full-time, the Patriots have a good platoon of LTs to provide protection and run blocking, even if it's situational football.

Of course. I was responding to OP's original comment on weaknesses of the team and I pointed out Special teams as one in addition to OL.