Patriots fans got frustrated seeing a lot of the issues the team had up front along the offensive line in 2024, and it appears two of those players will get another go-around heading into next season.
According to Christopher Price of the Boston Globe, both center Ben Brown and tackle Demontrey Jacobs have each re-signed to one-year deals, which will have both exclusive rights free agents back in the mix when the team returns to work in the coming months.
Neither player was part of the team to start the 2024 campaign, with an injury to David Andrews forcing the team to scour the practice squad and waiver wire to find a replacement after attempts by teammate Nick Leverett and others to step in for Andrews went poorly. They ended up finding Brown on Las Vegas’s practice squad, where he ended up being a serviceable player for a good portion of the season.
Cole Strange eventually returned with just a few weeks left after a long road back from a knee injury and did get some snaps there. He may be in the mix depending on where Andrews is at this summer, although he played at left guard prior to getting injured.
As for Brown, all things considered, he did an admirable job last season. He had issues at times, occasionally allowing pressure up the middle and not always looking comfortable with the protections. Still, considering where they found him, it certainly could have been worse.
Meanwhile, Jacobs was probably the more frustrating player. He tied fellow tackle Vederian Lowe for the team lead in penalties with 11, which ended up being a key issue for the Patriots’ offense all season.
Still, Jacobs certainly wasn’t their first choice. Following injuries and Chukwuma Okorafor leaving the team, the Patriots were desperate for tackle depth. He was someone the club claimed off waivers from Denver, and he ended up stepping in at right tackle after the club shuffled around several names to try and stabilize that side of the line.
One of those players was rookie Caedan Wallace, who suffered an injury that kept him out for most of 2024, contributing to that depleted group. Wallace saw time during the final two games, including playing 69% of the snaps in the finale against the Bills.
As for Jacobs, he’s like Lowe in that he’s not a true starter. He’s a depth player who can step in when needed for a game if someone’s banged up. He’s proven he can play in a pinch, although both are clearly not someone you want out there every week.
For now, the Patriots have locked back up two players who give them depth and cohesiveness heading into the offseason. Hopefully, free agency and the draft both pay bigger dividends than they did last spring, and neither will need to play meaningful snaps in 2025.
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Ian Logue is a Seacoast native and owner and senior writer for PatsFans.com, an independent media site covering the New England Patriots and has been running this site in one form or another since 1997.
