IDK that we can be quite certain about that yet.
Bowanko is pretty much tackle size (6054/302), almost exactly the same size as Croston. That's big for a guard and enormous for a center (at least with the Pats). Bowanko's 3-cone was right in line with Mason's and Thuney's (and better than any of the tackles) and his shuttle time was better than the OL average. Similarly, Tobin's speed and agility tested out well.
In any case, aside from perennial P-squadders Ferentz and King, the Pats currently have only Karras and Croston backing up Thuney, Mason and Andrews on the IOL. At OT, aside from the (barely) walking-wounded Garcia and Jelks, the Pats currently have only Croston and Tobin as backups.
Bowanko may turn out to have been just a placeholder for a 2018 IOL draftee, which is perhaps just as likely as an OT draftee. Mason is UFA at the end of 2018, and the Franchise Tag number for OG will be well over $14M.
Tobin might yet get pushed out of his current OT-reserve spot if Garcia makes rapid progress and/or if the Pats draft another OT - also highly likely, it seems to me. With Waddle only under contract through the end of 2018 and Cannon turning 30 one month from now, drafting an OT - whether in the first two rounds and/or sometime later - seems almost guaranteed.
Tangentially, this lack of OL depth for 2018 (that may well get even worse in 2019) is one of the reasons I have significant doubts that the Pats will package picks to move up in the first round for any prospect. It seems to me that the Pats may need all of their picks just to replenish the 2018 & 2019 rosters.
