We Might Recognize The OT's Available in Free Agency

[mgteich]

Lots of teams want to sign an OT in free agency.

2024 NFL Free Agency Rankings: Offensive tackles | NFL News, Rankings and Statistics | PFF

Tyron Smith is the top-ranked free-agent offensive tackle in PFF's 2024 NFL free agency rankings.

www.pff.com

Two of the top 6 are patriot free agent. Another played for us a couple of years ago.
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[*ChungFu*]

Lots of teams want to sign an OT in free agency.

2024 NFL Free Agency Rankings: Offensive tackles | NFL News, Rankings and Statistics | PFF

Tyron Smith is the top-ranked free-agent offensive tackle in PFF's 2024 NFL free agency rankings.

www.pff.com

Two of the top 6 are patriot free agent. Another played for us a couple of years ago.
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No! to all of them.
I don't care if you have to draft 4 tackles. Do it.

 

[JohnJH]

Nothing worth acquiring. Even last season, the Top 2 Tackles (Orlando Brown Jr. and Mike McGlinchey), made way too much money and didn't play up to the level of the money that they made. Usually, when a team has a cornerstone Tackle (especially LT), they rarely let them go (unless they've groomed a replacement). We have neither a cornerstone LT or RT.

 

[DaBruinz]

Nothing worth acquiring. Even last season, the Top 2 Tackles (Orlando Brown Jr. and Mike McGlinchey), made way too much money and didn't play up to the level of the money that they made. Usually, when a team has a cornerstone Tackle (especially LT), they rarely let them go (unless they've groomed a replacement). We have neither a cornerstone LT or RT.

There were 6 Big Name OTs available last off-season. Orlando Brown, McGlinchey, Kaleb McGary, Jawaan Taylor, Isaiah Wynn and Taylor Lewan. and two others I don't remember off the top of my head . . None of them got what was being bandied around at the time.
Taylor was the only one who got $20M/yr and he was certainly over-paid. Brown only got $16M. McGary was a steal at 11.5M for the Falcons and he was arguably the most consistent.

Trent Brown and Michael Onwenu top Free Agency for O-linemen, unfortunately.

 

[JohnJH]

There were 6 Top tier OTs available last off-season. Orlando Brown, McGlinchey, Kaleb McGary, Jawaan Taylor and two others I don't remember off the top of my head. . None of them got what was being bandied around at the time.
Taylor was the only one who got $20M/yr and he was certainly over-paid. Brown only got $16M. McGary was a steal at 11.5M for the Falcons and he was arguably the most consistent.

Trent Brown and Michael Onwenu top Free Agency for O-linemen, unfortunately.

Yep. Last year wasn't that good with FA OT's and this year is worse.

 

[DaBruinz]

Yep. Last year wasn't that good with FA OT's and this year is worse.

Last year was better than this one..
This is why I've been saying since early in in the 2023 season that the Patriots needed to draft bookend tackles in the 2024 Draft and make it a priority.

 

[signbabybrady]

Draft QB first and trade up from 34 for the best tackle we can get to.

 

[patsfanfromoversea]

Yep. Last year wasn't that good with FA OT's and this year is worse.

I think last year was one of the best groups within the last years by a mile
Brown , Taylor mcglinchey mcgary are a number of above average starting OT at young ages who aren’t available normally

 

[Nunchucks]

I think last year was one of the best groups within the last years by a mile
Brown , Taylor mcglinchey mcgary are a number of above average starting OT at young ages who aren’t available normally

Yeah, Bill faulked the patriots by not snagging one of these guys. Even if they are mediocre, it's better than what they got.

 

[Joey007]

OT is not going to be a prime FA position this year, unfortunately. This is why I’m of the opinion we need to resign one of Brown/Onwenu, very preferably the latter.

However, interior OL has better guys on the market than people realize. Robert Hunt, Kevin Dotson, Connor Williams, Andre James all played at pretty high levels this last season.

Wouldn’t hurt to attempt to strengthen in the interior line, depending how the staff feels about Sow as the solution at guard, if they keep Andrews, etc.

 

[jmt57]

I was assuming Trent Brown was gone, but who knows with a new regime in place. I believe it is imperative that the Patriots retain at least one of their OTs, preferably Onwenu. Should both depart then the Pats would be negotiating from a weak/desperate perspective for any remaining FA tackles.

The last thing you want to do is head into the draft knowing that you need to select not one, but two tackles early. That desperation results in reaches (drafting a player too early) while at the same time passing on a better player at another position. With so many positions in need of an upgrade, the front office cannot afford to let that scenario happen.

 

[Joey007]

I was assuming Trent Brown was gone, but who knows with a new regime in place. I believe it is imperative that the Patriots retain at least one of their OTs, preferably Onwenu. Should both depart then the Pats would be negotiating from a weak/desperate perspective for any remaining FA tackles.

The last thing you want to do is head into the draft knowing that you need to select not one, but two tackles early. That desperation results in reaches (drafting a player too early) while at the same time passing on a better player at another position. With so many positions in need of an upgrade, the front office cannot afford to let that scenario happen.

Couldn’t have said it better myself.

Think Onwenu needs to come back. If you don’t want to lock him up long term, give him the tag. His cap hit of ~20 million won’t be difficult to manage when you may have north of 80-85 million in cap space after a few roster cuts.

 

[holyredeemer]

Screw it. Re-sign both Brown and Onwenu as long as you don’t get yourself into a bidding war. This will allow the team to have somewhat competitive tackle play going into next year. Then turn around and draft 1-2 tackles woth the hope they can unseat Brown at LT within the next year or two. Barring more injury set backs, the OL should be improved with that set up and it won’t cost you an arm and a leg.

 

[Pape]

Yeah, Bill faulked the patriots by not snagging one of these guys. Even if they are mediocre, it's better than what they got.

right now the only guy we got is McDermott...

I don't mind him as a swing tackle/spot starter, I do mind him as a full time starter.

Draft, free agency, whatever... Mayo can't afford to sit on his hands and take the "wait & see" approach...

 

[Sciz]

I did the math…just under a quarter of the snaps last season had Brown at LT and Onwenu at RT. They did it for one full game (second Dolphins), 95% of another (win vs Bills), and Brown’s four partial games in the second half of the season.

That should help answer the question of how a team with poor overall tackle play has two of the top ranked tackles.

 

[MrBigglesWorth]

I was assuming Trent Brown was gone, but who knows with a new regime in place. I believe it is imperative that the Patriots retain at least one of their OTs, preferably Onwenu. Should both depart then the Pats would be negotiating from a weak/desperate perspective for any remaining FA tackles.

The last thing you want to do is head into the draft knowing that you need to select not one, but two tackles early. That desperation results in reaches (drafting a player too early) while at the same time passing on a better player at another position. With so many positions in need of an upgrade, the front office cannot afford to let that scenario happen.

That's the fear with this same regime. Let's keep Mac, let's keep Trent. It's bb fault they sucked. It's time to get rid of them and start fresh at tackle and QB

 

[upstater1]

Yeah, Bill faulked the patriots by not snagging one of these guys. Even if they are mediocre, it's better than what they got.

If we're not going to sign Onwenu (which is the premise here) then why would we sign guys who played worse than him?

 

[mgteich]

I was assuming Trent Brown was gone, but who knows with a new regime in place. I believe it is imperative that the Patriots retain at least one of their OTs, preferably Onwenu. Should both depart then the Pats would be negotiating from a weak/desperate perspective for any remaining FA tackles.

The last thing you want to do is head into the draft knowing that you need to select not one, but two tackles early. That desperation results in reaches (drafting a player too early) while at the same time passing on a better player at another position. With so many positions in need of an upgrade, the front office cannot afford to let that scenario happen.

IMO, there are only three primary priorities in the first three rounds of the draft: QB, LT and RT.

We should address WR in free agency with one 2-3 acquisitions.
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This is simply the reality of the availability of players in free agency and in the draft.