Patriots preseason will put their offensive line situation in context
The New England Patriots offensive line has had its share of good and bad moments in training camp, but it won’t be clear how well they’re actually playing until they face an actual opponent in the preseason.
The New England Patriots have seemingly had success on the offensive line in key areas during training camp. But have they?
It’s hard to judge an unknown when it’s the Patriots vs. the Patriots. It won’t be until the preseason, which starts Thursday night against the Carolina Panthers at Gillette Stadium, that we get our first clear idea of where the Pats are really at on the O-line, especially at the tackle spots.
In the past two training camp practices in Foxboro, it’s been Vederian Lowe at left tackle and Calvin Anderson at right tackle. Veteran Chuks Okorafor has been a non-participant in team drills as he deals with an apparent injury, while rookie tackle Caedan Wallace has seemingly slipped down the depth chart to the No. 2 unit, while playing both left and right tackle at times.
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One of the Patriots’ most uncertain position groups is wracked with uncertainty. Which is why it’s important to put any success – or failures – in context.
In 11-on-11 drills, the pass protection, on the surface, has been better than expected. Projected starting quarterback Jacoby Brissett has benefitted from a lot of clean pockets, and has been able to step up in it to avoid most pressure coming off the edge. Rookie Drake Maye, meanwhile, has mostly faced pressure that is scheme-related, like blitzes and stunts, as he continues to learn about setting the proper pre-snap protections while working behind backup linemen.
But it’s important to note that the offensive lines have been going up against a defensive front that’s dealing with major injuries, new faces, and off-field turmoil. Chief among the issues on defense is that star interior rusher Christian Barmore is out indefinitely due to blood clots. The Patriots don’t have the personnel to replace his individual pass-rush production, while anyone that has flashed – Daniel Ekuale, Sam Roberts – can’t possibly be as consistently disruptive as Barmore has been.
On the edge, there’s a lot riding on second-year pro Keion White. He’s having an excellent camp, showing out well in 1-on-1 blocking drills and generating consistent edge pressure in team sessions. But to flip the context for a moment, what will he look like when he’s not going up against Lowe, Anderson, Okorafor, Wallace?
But other than White, the Patriots have also lacked in edge rushing talent in those team drills. Star outside linebacker Matthew Judon has only sometimes participated, and missed the first two padded practices entirely amid a tumultuous contract situation.
At the same time, the Panthers aren’t expected to play some key players on Thursday night. So, while the first preseason game may not be an ideal test for the Patriots’ pass protectors, they may very well get one next week against the Philadelphia Eagles.
As for the Patriots’ new-look running game, there’s been less success in recent practices. That’s especially the case with runs up the middle, a contrast from the wide zone-based runs that we’ve seen a lot of under new offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt. Between the tackles, the offense had serious issues in this week’s padded practices, often getting straight-up stuffed at the line.
But that’s where the Patriots’ defensive personnel is actually making life harder for the offense. Nose tackle Davon Godchaux has been central to those run-stuffs, while linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley is quietly having a great camp, plugging up points of attack with regularity.
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On top of that formidable pairing, the Patriots have a deep competition among beefy defensive tackles, with the likes of Armon Watts, Jeremiah Pharms Jr., Trysten Hill, and the aforementioned Ekuale and Roberts. No matter how the 53-man roster shakes out, it looks like they’ll have the personnel to stop the run.
So, it’ll be intriguing to see how the Patriots offensive line performs against actual opponents, as opposed to their own teammates. Thursday night will be the first glimpse into where they’re really at in both the passing and running games.
Matt Dolloff is a writer and digital content producer for 98.5 The Sports Hub. Read all of his articles here.
