Patriots reportedly inquiring about recently-released tackle
The Patriots are reportedly one of several teams who have inquired about recently released offensive tackle Dennis Daley.
Earlier this week, New England Patriots vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf told reporters the team may look for external additions on the offensive line as roster cuts happen next week. A new report though suggests they’re already getting ahead of that process.
According to Christopher Price of The Boston Globe, the Patriots “are one of several teams who have inquired” about new free agent offensive lineman Dennis Daley. Daley, 28, was released by the Arizona Cardinals last week.
Daley entered the NFL as a sixth-round pick by the Carolina Panthers out of South Carolina in 2019. After playing in 34 games with 21 starts between left guard and left tackle in three years in Carolina, he was traded to the Tennessee Titans prior to the 2022 season. That year he started 15 of the Titans’ 17 games at left tackle. He allowed 52 pressures and 12 sacks in 508 pass-blocking snaps per PFF, and was called for seven penalties in 942 snaps overall.
In 2023 Daley signed a free agent deal with the Cardinals and moved to guard. He began the season on IR and ended up appearing in three games while making one start, all at left guard.
The Patriots current situation has Vederian Lowe and Chuks Okorafor looking like the early starters with rookie fourth-round pick Caedan Wallace also in the mix. Calvin Anderson sits on the roster bubble, with Kellen Diesch and UDFA Zuri Henry providing depth. Mike Onwenu has tackle experience as well but has repped almost exclusively at guard this summer.
The Patriots could certainly use a veteran tackle like Dennis Daley with experience to help their depth. The question is, will they sign Daley now or wait to see who becomes available via trade or the waiver wire during roster cuts. The deadline for teams to get to 53 players is 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Aug. 27.
