Patriots camp battles: Sorting out the offensive line

We've reached the offensive line portion of our training camp position battles preview. When it comes to the Patriots offensive line, we're not just talking about specific tackle or guard spots. Not just starters or backups either. Jobs across the offensive line and up and down the depth chart at these positions are open to be won in camp. 

Rather than starting with what jobs are up for grabs, it’s easier to start with which ones aren’t. David Andrews returns for his ninth season as the Patriots’ center. His leadership and veteran experience will be as crucial as ever as he’s tasked with anchoring a group around him that will include a lot of young players, players playing new positions, and moving parts in general (potentially with a rookie quarterback behind him as well). 

The player the next closest to being a ‘sure thing’ at his position is Chuks Okorafor. Director of player personnel Eliot Wolf mentioned Okorafor as the Patriots’ potential starting left tackle before the draft, and not much has happened since to suggest that plan has changed. 

Still, there is an element of unknown in Okorafor playing left tackle. During his first six NFL seasons he’s played just two snaps at the position (one in 2020 and one in 2021), while spending the rest of the time at right tackle for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He hasn’t played left tackle regularly since his final two years in college at Western Michigan. Okorafor himself highlighted the difficulties that come with flipping sides during the spring. 

With that unknown, the backup left tackle position will be important. Again, that spot is up for grabs. Calvin Anderson and Vederian Lowe are the two tackles currently on the Patriots’ roster with the most left tackle experience in the NFL, so they should be in the mix. Rookie Caedan Wallace could factor in too, with Wolf telling reporters after the draft the team believes he can make the switch from the right to left side, after he played right tackle exclusively in college. 

At the same time, Wallace may factor into the right tackle mix as well. Mike Onwenu got most of the top reps there this spring, but the Patriots also moved him inside to guard at times (more on that in a bit). So if Onwenu stays outside, the job is open for backup right tackle. If he kicks inside, that battle becomes for the starting job. Wallace would likely be much more comfortable here, playing his college position. Anderson and Tyrone Wheatley Jr. could also earn some reps. 

That’s all just at tackle. There’s still plenty to be figured out at guard too. Sidy Sow will likely get one of the starting guard spots after a solid rookie season, but there’s a chance he’ll move to the left side after playing right guard last year. 

As for the other spot, with Cole Strange out to start the season it’s truly up in the air. In the spring we saw veterans Nick Leverett and Michael Jordan both get significant looks, with rookie fourth-round pick Layden Robinson most likely in the mix as well. 2023 draft picks Atonio Mafi and Jake Andrews could also enter the competition - Mafi got limited reps this spring, while Andrews was out with an injury. If none of those options work the Patriots could move Onwenu back inside, but to do so they would have to be comfortable with whoever emerges as the next player up at right tackle. 

Finally, we loop all the way back around to the center position. Andrews is cemented as the starter, but the backup spot there is also up for grabs. Jake Andrews, Mafi, and UDFA Charles Turner III will all compete for that job. 

Wherever you look, there's a lot of work ahead for the Patriots offensive line group. New Patriots offensive line coach Scott Peters certainly has a lot on his plate as he starts his new job.

Keep scrolling for more Patriots training camp battles...

Football is just about back in Foxborough. New England Patriots training camp begins on July 24, as the team gets ready for the 2024 season. 

For those following along, the big story of training camp is often the position and roster battles taking place. There are certainly no shortage of battles on the Patriots’ roster this year. 

Position and roster battles can be used interchangeably at times, but they are two different things. Position battles are between players at the same position who are both/all expected to make the team and at the same position, competing for a higher spot on the depth chart. 

Meanwhile, roster battles are between players - either from the same position or different positions - outright battling for a spot on the 53-man roster. This relates to the concept of the roster bubble and ‘at-large’ roster spots, which we usually get into once camp is underway. The battles can last all the way through camp, and now with the new practice squad elevation rules can even continue into September. 

Throughout this week, we’ll be highlighting the closest and most important position and roster battles in Patriots training camp this year. Each battle will have its own breakdown (which will be linked in this post once it's posted), but here’s an overview of the positions we’ll be focusing on. 

Between Rhamondre Stevenson and Antonio Gibson, the top of the Patriots’ running back depth chart is set. But even from a realistically optimistic outlook, it takes more than two players to get through a season at a position as physically demanding and injury-prone as running back.

In past years it’s mainly been Kevin Harris in that third running back role, either from on the active roster or as a practice squad elevation. He’s back to compete again this year, but the team has two similar downhill backs in UDFAs Deshaun Fenwick and Terrell Jennings who could compete4 for the role. The door is also certainly open for veteran JaMycal Hasty, who got plenty of reps this spring after finishing last season on the Patriots’ active roster. Hasty is a faster, quicker back who can also make plays in the passing game and has significant special teams experience.

Full running back breakdown here

Heading into camp, Christian Gonzalez, Jonathan Jones, and Marcus Jones all roster locks. Coming off of his impressive performance in spring practices, Alex Austin seems to be a near-lock as well. That's the top of the depth chart, but who will provide the depth?

There’s a crowded group behind those four looking to fill out the one or two depth cornerback spots left on the roster. That group includes some familiar names. Isaiah Bolden was making a roster push last year before suffering a concussion late in the preseason that landed him on IR. Shaun Wade and Marco Wilson are also back to compete for roster spots after spending time with the team last year (as is 2023 practice squad member Azizi Hearn, who stood out in minicamp).

Some rookies will compete here too. Sixth-round pick Marcellas Dial fits the prototype of a Patriots boundary cornerback. UDFA Mikey Victor is another player to watch - he has a unique size/speed makeup, closed the spring strong, and was getting some special teams reps.

Full cornerback breakdown here

Time to go back to the top of the cornerback depth chart. Jonathan Jones is the real pivot player here. Will stay on the boundary opposite Gonzalez, where he’s played the past two seasons? Or will he move back into the slot where he excelled to start his career?

The picture is a little cleaner if Jones moves back to the slot. He’d be there, with Alex Austin the favorite for the second boundary spot. If Jones kicks back outside, Austin becomes the third rotational boundary corner with the slot then becoming the key question between Marcus Jones, Isaiah Bolden, or other depth players.

Full cornerback breakdown here

Heading into camp there are four projected roster locks at wide receiver - Kendrick Bourne (assuming he’s healthy and cleared to start the season, which Jerod Mayo suggested at the end of minicamp is expected), Pop Douglas, and rookies Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker. Given the $3.1 million guaranteed in K.J. Osborn’s contract, he’s a near-lock as well.

Pending injury, that could be the Patriots' full initial wide receiver room. But there are still some well-known names left, either trying to prove they're worth the team keeping a sixth receiver, or battling for a spot that opens due to injury. That group includes JuJu Smith-Schuster, Tyquan Thornton, and Jalen Reagor.

Full wide receiver breakdown here

If you missed it, we actually covered the outlook of the Patriots’ kicker position after minicamp ended last month. Neither Chad Ryland nor Joey Slye made an overwhelming case to earn the job, meaning things remain up in the air as training camp begins.

It will be a sprint to the finish at the kicker position. Can Ryland or Slye show notable improvement in training camp? If not, will the team bring another kicker in? That could be during camp, or even during final roster cuts.

Full kicker breakdown here

Not just tackles or guards. Not just starters or backups. Jobs across the offensive line and up and down the depth chart at these positions are open to be won in camp. That includes starting spots - both who and where - as well as backups. 

David Andrews will be back at center and the team seems committed to starting out with Chuks Okorafor at left tackle, but after that it's tough to pin anything down. Mike Onwenu will start somewhere, but will he be at tackle or guard? Which guard spot will Sidy Sow play? Where does third-round pick Caedan Wallace factor in? Who will be Okorafor's backup? All that and more will have to be sorted out over the next few weeks.

Full offensive line breakdown here

Even for those who think there is no chance for rookie Drake Maye to start Week 1, there's still plenty at stake in training camp this year. Getting a better idea of where he's at relative to Jacoby Brissett will go a long way in establishing the timetable for him taking over - even if Week 1 is off the table. Can he put pressure on the coaches to make the change sooner rather than later?

It’s also worth keeping in mind that the starting quarterback battle isn’t the only one at the position. NFL teams rarely keep four quarterbacks, which means most likely at least one of Bailey Zappe or Joe Milton will end up on the outside looking in.

Full quarterback breakdown here

Alex Barth is a writer and digital producer for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Thoughts? Comments? Questions? Looking for a podcast guest? Let him know on Twitter @RealAlexBarth or via email at abarth@985TheSportsHub.com.