How Much Should We Pay For Starting Inside Offensive Linemen

[mgteich]

Without a doubt Onwenus contract is outsized... it needs to be adjusted... ie cut in half... i' d like to keep him here, hope things work out money wise

Onwenu is due to be paid $17M for his 2026 services. Certainly, he can be extended with a bonus greatly reducing his cap.
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What are you suggesting? A new contract for $9M a year? An extension for $9M year?
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Onwenu has little incentive to cut his compensation in half. He would simply let the team cut him and allow his agent to find him a job, perhaps a 1 year show-me contract.

 

[Pape]

I have to disagree. Onwenu was a top 7 guard last season. Claiming it needs to be cut in half is ridiculous. Go look at all the OTHER RIGHT guards out there who are making more than Onwenu.

Trey Smith, Chris Lindstrom, Robert Hunt. Those are the 3 RGs who's AAV are higher than Onwenu.
Sam Cosmi, Quinn Meinerz, and Will Fries are within 1.5M AAV.

Trey Smith - 1 sack, 2 QB hits, 13 Hurries on 459 pass blocking snaps
Chris Lindstrom - 1 sack, 8 QB Hits, 35 hurries on 623 pass blocking snaps
Robert Hunt - only played 2 games due to injury.
Sam Cosmi - 2 sacks, 0 QB hits, 9 Hurries on 323 pass blocking snaps (missed 8 games)
Quinn Meinerz - 2 sacks, 5 QB hits, 18 hurries on 709 pass blocking snaps
Will Fries - 3 sacks, 4 QB hits, 30 hurries on 612 pass blocking snaps

Mike Onwenu - 2 sacks 1 QB hit, 18 hurries on 648 pass blocking snaps.

Right guards ahead of Onwenu in terms of pressures allowed on pure totals :
Austin Corbett - 3 sacks, 1 QB hit, 10 hurries - 405 passing snaps (missed 4 games)
Kevin Zietler - 4 sacks, 2 QB hits, 10 hurries - 590 passing snaps
Cesar Ruiz - 3 sacks, 2 QB hits, 14 hurries - 546 passing snaps
Kevin Dotson - 3 QB sacks, 4 QB hits, 13 hurries - 521 passing snaps.

When I look at how few pass blocking snaps that Trey Smith and Austin Corbett were asked to take, I see that their numbers are somewhat misleading.

Corbett - 1 pressure allowed per 28.9 snaps
Smith - 1 pressure allowed per 28.7 snaps
Onwenu - 1 pressure 30.9 snaps.

Zeitler - 1 pressure every 36.5 snaps
Ruiz - 1 pressure every 28.7 snaps
Meinerz - 1 pressure every 28.4 snaps.
Cosmi - 1 pressure every 29.4 snaps

EDIT: (added)
Lindstrom - 1 pressure every 14.2 snaps
Fries - 1 pressure every 16.5 snaps.
Onwenu is well worth his salary as a RG. I said above he's one of the top 7 RGs in the league. He's 4th highest AAV. He's worth the money and people only need to look at the stats to see this.

i shall think on that.

 

[Pape]

Onwenu is due to be paid $17M for his 2026 services. Certainly, he can be extended with a bonus greatly reducing his cap.
======
What are you suggesting? A new contract for $9M a year? An extension for $9M year?
=======
Onwenu has little incentive to cut his compensation in half. He would simply let the team cut him and allow his agent to find him a job, perhaps a 1 year show-me contract.

just some way to get that cap number down

 

[Thunderhead]

To get Lindenbaum, they will have to pay up at least $19M average. Pats would be getting a 3 time Pro Bowl player who regarded as one of the best in the game going on 26. Sign him and not worry about the C position for years. Pats have had mediocre C's centers Wohlahaugh left.

I'd be far more excited for a significant OL addition such as Linderbaum vs a #1 receiver. Offense was rendered completely non-functional by disastrous OL play in the Superbowl.

 

[JoeSixPat]

I have to disagree. Onwenu was a top 7 guard last season. Claiming it needs to be cut in half is ridiculous. Go look at all the OTHER RIGHT guards out there who are making more than Onwenu.

Trey Smith, Chris Lindstrom, Robert Hunt. Those are the 3 RGs who's AAV are higher than Onwenu.
Sam Cosmi, Quinn Meinerz, and Will Fries are within 1.5M AAV.

Trey Smith - 1 sack, 2 QB hits, 13 Hurries on 459 pass blocking snaps
Chris Lindstrom - 1 sack, 8 QB Hits, 35 hurries on 623 pass blocking snaps
Robert Hunt - only played 2 games due to injury.
Sam Cosmi - 2 sacks, 0 QB hits, 9 Hurries on 323 pass blocking snaps (missed 8 games)
Quinn Meinerz - 2 sacks, 5 QB hits, 18 hurries on 709 pass blocking snaps
Will Fries - 3 sacks, 4 QB hits, 30 hurries on 612 pass blocking snaps

Mike Onwenu - 2 sacks 1 QB hit, 18 hurries on 648 pass blocking snaps.

Right guards ahead of Onwenu in terms of pressures allowed on pure totals :
Austin Corbett - 3 sacks, 1 QB hit, 10 hurries - 405 passing snaps (missed 4 games)
Kevin Zietler - 4 sacks, 2 QB hits, 10 hurries - 590 passing snaps
Cesar Ruiz - 3 sacks, 2 QB hits, 14 hurries - 546 passing snaps
Kevin Dotson - 3 QB sacks, 4 QB hits, 13 hurries - 521 passing snaps.

When I look at how few pass blocking snaps that Trey Smith and Austin Corbett were asked to take, I see that their numbers are somewhat misleading.

Corbett - 1 pressure allowed per 28.9 snaps
Smith - 1 pressure allowed per 28.7 snaps
Onwenu - 1 pressure 30.9 snaps.

Zeitler - 1 pressure every 36.5 snaps
Ruiz - 1 pressure every 28.7 snaps
Meinerz - 1 pressure every 28.4 snaps.
Cosmi - 1 pressure every 29.4 snaps

EDIT: (added)
Lindstrom - 1 pressure every 14.2 snaps
Fries - 1 pressure every 16.5 snaps.
Onwenu is well worth his salary as a RG. I said above he's one of the top 7 RGs in the league. He's 4th highest AAV. He's worth the money and people only need to look at the stats to see this.

Yeah it's not a cheap contract but even PFF ranks him as #7 at RG

We've got about $40 million in cap space but Onwenu isn't the problem. If anything I'd be extending him which itself will reap some cap savings for other investments now.

 

[DaBruinz]

Yeah it's not a cheap contract but even PFF ranks him as #7 at RG

We've got about $40 million in cap space but Onwenu isn't the problem. If anything I'd be extending him which itself will reap some cap savings for other investments now.

I generally don't bother with PFF ratings, generally, because they are so subjective. I look at the stats such as pressure allowed. Certain people will claim that PFF gets those numbers wrong, but they can't be bothered to offer up an alternative source.

The way I figured things out was this:

Went to 2025 Regular Season.
Sorted by 50% of 1151 blocking snaps.
Sorted by pressures allowed.

Looked at the individuals listed as having given up fewer pressures than Onwenu to see what position they played.
Then, I did the math of dividing their total pass blocking snaps by total pressures as a way to quantify the differences in snap counts.

There were 5 RGs who allowed fewer pressures than Onwenu. Of those 5, only 1 had a better pass blocking snap to pressure ratio than Onwenu.

 

[JoeSixPat]

To get Lindenbaum, they will have to pay up at least $19M average. Pats would be getting a 3 time Pro Bowl player who regarded as one of the best in the game going on 26. Sign him and not worry about the C position for years. Pats have had mediocre C's centers Wohlahaugh left.

Decades of watching football has illustrated that a strong C makes the entire line stronger.

I hear some talk about shifting Wilson to C given he played there in college, but that doesn't exactly fill me with confidence.

I see lots of talk about the FA right tackles but we've got Moses and can develop someone behind him.

I'd much rather see a C of Lindenbaum's health and ability

 

[n1997y]

Ravens' Lindenbaum (SP?) sign the beast

Too expensive. We can get better value. Maybe even on our own roster already.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Too expensive. We can get better value. Maybe even on our own roster already.

A lLnderperson quality moving truck center on our roster today? I'm calling my doctor in 4 hours if so!

 

[mgteich]

just some way to get that cap number down

If Onwenu's services aren't worth $17M, then we should simply cut him and let him see what offers are out there. We could then re-sign him at a lower rate or not. More likely, we would sign a free agent replacement., for perhaps $7M-$10M cap money for 2026.

 

[mgteich]

Too expensive. We can get better value. Maybe even on our own roster already.

He is a top level center and would not be overpaid at $20M a year.

To better consider such a choice, compare him to someone else on our roster who is contracted for $17M.

Is Lindenbaum more valuable to us than Onwenu? Of course, he is.

Is Lindenbaum more valuable to the Offense than anyone not named Maye or Campbell. Of course he is.

My only issue is that he is likely to extend with his current team.

 

[Pape]

If Onwenu's services aren't worth $17M, then we should simply cut him and let him see what offers are out there. We could then re-sign him at a lower rate or not. More likely, we would sign a free agent replacement., for perhaps $7M-$10M cap money for 2026.

dabruinzs argument pretty much says hes worth it

i would rather extend him at this point... spread some bonus money to drop the cap hit

 

[Mark Morse]

The one player I am watching is Joel Bitonio. Bring him in for one year. With that said, I don't believe Robert Kraft will spend the money after all that he paid out in contracts last year. he has a history of tightening the purse strings for two years after spending to bring the team into compliance with the CBA. He never spends to the cap, there are always contracts with not likely be reached incentives which revert back into his pocket. The Patriots have Gonzalez this year and Maye next year with a combined cap hit of 100M.

 

[dliverey44]

Yeah it's not a cheap contract but even PFF ranks him as #7 at RG

We've got about $40 million in cap space but Onwenu isn't the problem. If anything I'd be extending him which itself will reap some cap savings for other investments now.

He has no GTD money, so if kept his contract will be redone

 

[Real fan 02]

First, I'm more concerned with AAV than cap. Cap management can spread the compensation as needed.

Obviously, there will be lot of options regarding might choose to go after. And this is the team's greatest need.
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CURRENT SITUATION ($24.3M)
LG - $1.6M Brown (Wilson wouldn't cost any more)
C - $5.7M Bradbury
RG - $17.0M Onwenu

QUESTION
How much AAV should we plan to spend for the IOL? Perhaps, we can bring in another Moses for 3 years as a mentor at RG.

Let's remember a few things... your likely not going to see the " cheap " patriots organization anymore.. going 4-13, last in cash spending the survey reports.. on the facilities ect,ect.. all had a glaring effect on the organization's cap spending... that matters...

They have to spend to comply with NFL and CBA rules.. sure spend wisely but don't try and disrespect a quality player with a take it or leave it deal.. I'm of the opinion good Players command good pay.. simply put.. drafting and making sound FA signings is the way.. on every position on the team.. especially OL..

 

[mgteich]

Let's remember a few things... your likely not going to see the " cheap " patriots organization anymore.. going 4-13, last in cash spending the survey reports.. on the facilities ect,ect.. all had a glaring effect on the organization's cap spending... that matters...

They have to spend to comply with NFL and CBA rules.. sure spend wisely but don't try and disrespect a quality player with a take it or leave it deal.. I'm of the opinion good Players command good pay.. simply put.. drafting and making sound FA signings is the way.. on every position on the team.. especially OL..

Yes, it would be good karma to offer Onwenu a 3-year deal that does nothing but add 2 void years plus converting his salary to a signing bonus.

That would give him what was contracted plus give us the 2026 cap room.

The team and Onwenu could make decisions after the season.
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As an aside, there is no need to do this anytime soon. The cap savings could be use after the draft.

 

[Real fan 02]

Yes, it would be good karma to offer Onwenu a 3-year deal that does nothing but add 2 void years plus converting his salary to a signing bonus.

That would give him what was contracted plus give us the 2026 cap room.

The team and Onwenu could make decisions after the season.
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As an aside, there is no need to do this anytime soon. The cap savings could be use after the draft.

Agreed.. Onwenu, rham and Barmore for example all got deals primarily from the factors mentioned in my previous post.. sure they are good players.. but got lucrative extensions.. ownenu is a needed player.. I know he gets his critique but he's been Durable and one of the best Gs in the league I'd say.. we need continuity more than anything with this OL..

 

[Real fan 02]

He is a top level center and would not be overpaid at $20M a year.

To better consider such a choice, compare him to someone else on our roster who is contracted for $17M.

Is Lindenbaum more valuable to us than Onwenu? Of course, he is.

Is Lindenbaum more valuable to the Offense than anyone not named Maye or Campbell. Of course he is.

My only issue is that he is likely to extend with his current team.

Google Search

www.google.com

Linderbaum is the top guy on the market.. take a swing at McGovern as well?

 

[mgteich]

Google Search

www.google.com

Linderbaum is the top guy on the market.. take a swing at McGovern as well?

We don't know who will be "on the market" in a couple of weeks. Lots of top players will (reasonably) re-sign with their current teams.

 

[TommyD4207]

Google Search

www.google.com

Linderbaum is the top guy on the market.. take a swing at McGovern as well?

McGovern is a good player. Linderbaum solidifies the position for the next half-decade at close to all-pro level.