The New England Patriots have shown throughout Free Agency, that they wish to keep their stars at home in Foxborough. They have extended almost all of their players that were set to become free agents. The most important extension of all, belonged to offensive lineman Mike Onwenu. Onwenu has been a huge bright spot for the underwhelming Patriots offense over the last few seasons, and he was rewarded with a huge new contract during Free Agency. The contract is worth fifty seven million dollars over the next three years, showing how much New England values one of their best players. Onwenu’s main position is guard, but last year he filled in at right tackle and was rather impressive. According to Ian Rapoport, the Patriots resigned Onwenu to be their right tackle of the future, which should have fans very excited that they have a solid player protecting their next quarterback.
One of the biggest needs for New England this off-season was offensive tackle. By solidifying Onwenu as their right tackle of the future, they have filled a huge need heading into 2024. This will allow them to focus on left tackle in the NFL Draft in April, instead of having to worry about filling multiple offensive line positions. This will also give them the freedom to look for more weapons in the Draft, giving the offense a much more dynamic look.
Patriots Director of Scouting, Eliot Wolf, spoke at the NFL Scouting Combine, and talked about how important it is to keep their core players in the building. He mentioned Onwenu as one of their top priorities this off-season. He kept true to his word by giving Onwenu a massive deal and keeping him in the building for the future. Having a talented veteran as part of the organization during a rebuild is massively important. It also gives the Patriots some more comfort in drafting a rookie quarterback, knowing that one of the tackle positions is occupied by a great player. It will be very interesting to see how the Patriots approach the NFL Draft in April, after filling one of their holes at the right tackle position. Could we see an aggressive approach to getting more playmakers? Or will they prioritize the left tackle position? The Foxborough Faithful can only sit back and hope Eliot Wolf can turn this team around.
How big of an impact does Onwenu have on the Patriots offense?
Mike Onwenu not only has a huge impact on the Patriots offense, he also has a huge impact on the entire New England organization. Onwenu came into the NFL as a guard, but over the years, the Patriots have moved him all over the offensive line. He played wherever he was asked and without question, doing whatever it took to help the team. Not to mention, even when New England was one of the worst teams in football in 2023, there was never a lack of effort from Onwenu. He is the type of leader that any NFL team would love to have. By extending him for the next three years, New England has secured themselves a great player, and a great veteran presence to have in the locker room.