Patriots 2021 Position Preview: Offensive line should once again be a major strength

Author Matt Dolloff

July 14th, 2021 5:00 AM

The 2020 Patriots had few notable strengths on the roster, but the offensive line was one of them. And it should be again in 2021, despite a different-looking group coming to Foxborough.

Gone are former mainstays Joe Thuney and Marcus Cannon. But replacing them, respectively, are a precocious sophomore and a returning Super Bowl champion. The rest remain the same as 2020, and they’re all proven, reliable pieces for arguably the Patriots’ deepest, most well-coached unit.

But there are major changes for the Patriots offensive line to adjust to for 2021, so it’s fair to wonder what the group will look like and how it will perform compared to the past few seasons. With that in mind, here’s a preview of the Patriots offensive line ahead of 2021 training camp.

• The Big Boy is Back

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  In a parallel universe, Trent Brown may be a sumo wrestler. That's not a fat joke. It's just a way of saying that Brown is simply a massive human. And an uncommonly athletic one for his size (6-foot-8, 380 pounds), at that.
  
  Since Isaiah Wynn has gradually entrenched himself at left tackle, and the left guard spot may be taken up for him (more on that later), Brown projects to start at right tackle for the Patriots. It would be his first time on that side in New England, after starting at left tackle in 2018.
  
  Brown has embraced the Patriots' culture, both in 2018 and in his second stint. He's earned high marks for the work he's put in while here. It's been a contrast from the perception of the 49ers/Raiders version of Brown, but that's not the Patriots' problem. With Brown back instead of a rookie or first-time Patriot, the transition at right tackle has a good chance to be a smooth one.

• The Prodigy

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  Emerging quickly as more than just a serviceable piece, Michael Onwenu rose out of the sixth round of the 2020 draft as the Patriots' best rookie in the class. Onwenu started all 16 games, which is exceedingly rare for a Patriot in his first season, and what made it so impressive was that he mostly played right tackle.
  
  The hope is that Onwenu avoids the dreaded "sophomore slump," and he needs to do it while transitioning back to his natural position at left guard. The expectations will unfortunately be high, because he's replacing Thuney, the team's best and most reliable offensive lineman from 2016-20. Many seem to be just expecting Onwenu to slide right in and keep the train rolling no problem, and that may be a dangerous line of thinking.
  
  But Onwenu certainly can't be considered a "concern" for the 2021 Patriots. He should be considered a home run of a draft pick and potentially a player with an extremely high return on investment. It's just going to be worth closely monitoring how he looks in his transition back to guard. He has an excellent veteran teammate to lean on in Shaq Mason.

• Snap Judgments

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  David Andrews was gone, then he wasn't. The Patriots ended up re-signing their longtime starting center for four more years and up to $19 million, after it seemed like Andrews had decided to leave New England and sign elsewhere. So he should be in for yet another strong season as a dependable starting center and one of the team's top leaders.
  
  One big reason it appeared that Andrews was headed out the door was the return of Ted Karras, who backed Andrews up for three years then stepped in as the starter in 2020 after Andrews missed the whole season. Karras played one season as the Dolphins' starting center, and he looked to be in line to get that job back in Foxborough.
  
  Obviously, something changed in the 11th hour. So the Patriots now have ridiculous center depth, when you add James Ferentz (three starts at center from 2019-20) and Marcus Martin to the mix. But Karras will almost certainly make the roster as an elite backup center/guard.
• Tackles of the Future?

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  Believe it or not, Yodny Cajuste is still on the Patriots' roster. The 2019 third-round pick should be considered a long shot to stick around this time, after spending his entire first and second seasons on injured reserve. But we've seen how quickly an offensive lineman can make an impression on Bill Belichick and find his way onto the active roster, so as long as Cajuste is here and healthy, there's a chance.
  
  But he has real competition coming up at the tackle position. Sophomore Justin Herron played an appreciable amount as a rookie and projects as the go-to swing tackle. Rookie sixth-rounder William Sherman is no lock to make the team, but could develop quicker than expected under Belichick's tutelage.
  
  Even Korey Cunningham remains on the roster, but has an uphill battle in front of him on a newly crowded tackle depth chart.

Projected Offensive Line

Left Tackle: Isaiah Wynn
Left Guard: Michael Onwenu
Center: David Andrews
Right Guard: Shaq Mason
Right Tackle: Trent Brown

Swing Tackle: Justin Herron
Backup Center: Ted Karras
Backup Guard/Center: James Ferentz

The Patriots boast plenty of legit talent on the offensive line, but they also have remarkable versatility. They lost some of that with the departure of Thuney, but they already know that Onwenu and Wynn can play both tackle and guard. Brown can play either left or right tackle. Karras and Ferentz can back up any interior O-line position.

With improved weapons and, hopefully, better quarterback play, the offensive line will go from being the strength of the team that everyone talks about to the strength of the team that operates in the background. The fact that this group got so much attention from 2018-20 was, in part, an illustration of how much the rest of the offense had deteriorated.

But the offensive roster is almost entirely revamped, and ready to make a jump back up after struggling in recent seasons. It’s good to know that if the quarterback and the weapons gel, they should have a steadily excellent offensive line setting the tone.

Patriots 2021 Positional Previews: Quarterback | Tight End

• NFL: AFC Championship Game-New England Patriots at Kansas City Chiefs

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  Jan 20, 2019; Kansas City, MO, USA; New England Patriots center David Andrews (60) against the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship game at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

• New York Giants v New England Patriots

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  FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS - AUGUST 29: David Andrews #60 of the New England Patriots talks to teammates on the sideline during the preseason game between the New York Giants and the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on August 29, 2019 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

• NFL: New England Patriots at Los Angeles Chargers

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  Dec 6, 2020; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Chargers defensive end Joey Bosa (97) battler New England Patriots offensive tackle Mike Onwenu (71) at the line during the third quarter at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports
• Super Bowl LIII – New England Patriots v Los Angeles Rams

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  ATLANTA, GA - FEBRUARY 03: David Andrews #60 of the New England Patriots celebrates after the Patriots defeat the Los Angeles Rams 13-3 during Super Bowl LIII at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on February 3, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

• NFL: Super Bowl LIII-New England Patriots vs Los Angeles Rams

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  Feb 3, 2019; Atlanta, GA, USA; New England Patriots offensive tackle Trent Brown (77) against the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LIII at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

• NFL: AFC Championship Game-New England Patriots at Kansas City Chiefs

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  Jan 20, 2019; Kansas City, MO, USA; View of the line of scrimmage as New England Patriots center David Andrews (60) prepares to snap during the first half of the AFC Championship game Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
• NFL: New England Patriots at Washington Redskins

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  Oct 6, 2019; Landover, MD, USA; New England Patriots offensive guard Shaq Mason (69) stands on the field during warm ups prior to the Patriots’ game against the Washington Redskins at FedExField. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

• Isaiah Wynn – Pittsburgh Steelers v New England Patriots

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  Isaiah Wynn of the New England Patriots looks on during the game between the New England Patriots and the Pittsburgh Steelers at Gillette Stadium on September 08, 2019 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

MORE: Patriots Training Camp Coverage

Matt Dolloff is a writer and podcaster for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Have a news tip, question, or comment for Matt? Yell at him on Twitter @mattdolloff and follow him on Instagram @mattydsays. You can also email him at [email protected].

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Author Matt Dolloff

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David Andrews,isaiah wynn,james ferentz,Justin Herron,Korey Cunningham,Matt Dolloff,Michael Onwenu,New England Patriots,NFL,patriots training camp 2021,shaq mason,Ted Karras,trent brown,William Sherman,yodny cajuste