The Patriots have done a lot to revamp what was a woeful offense in 2023, beginning with the drafting of No. 3 overall pick Drake Maye and the signing of Jacoby Brissett, a pairing that brings the quarterbacks room a touch of veteran stability and a heap of future promise. Two picks in the first four rounds went to wide receivers, and one of the top free agent additions, KJ Osborn, is a receiver.
There are upgrades at running back (Antonio Gibson) and tight end (Austin Hooper), and there even will be competition for angst-inducing kicker Chad Ryland. To be fair, there was a long to-do list for the Patriots offensively this season, and they addressed most of the items on the list.
One they did not address, though: left tackle. And if there is a chance that Maye is the starter as a rookie, it seems like a very, very bad idea to put him out there with as glaring hole as the team has now protecting the blind side.
By some small miracle, though, there is still a solid, experienced veteran option out there for the Pats to scoop up: free agent Donovan Smith, who manned the spot for Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs on their way to a Super Bowl title this year. And ESPN is pushing the Patriots to get out the checkbook and sign him.
No True Left Tackles on the Roster
In an article this week from veteran insider Bill Barnwell, titled, “Post-NFL draft trades, signings that should happen: 10 deals,” the Patriots’ plans at left tackle are taken to task. As it stands, free-agent signee Chuks Okorafor is at the top of the depth chart, but he played just 436 snaps last year, 425 of which came at right tackle. He has never had significant time at left tackle.
Third-round pick Caedan Wallace could be a long-term answer at left tackle, but he is a rookie who played on the right side in college, too.
The Patriots need a left tackle. Smith need a job. Barnwell sees a match.
“Speaking of the Pats, let’s do the logical thing and get Drake Maye the plug-and-play left tackle the rookie quarterback needs. … Signing Smith would afford New England the flexibility to work out Wallace on the left side before committing to him as its left tackle on the future,” Barnwell wrote this week. “Wallace could start his career at guard, where he would compete with Sidy Sow for starting work, or battle Okorafor for the swing tackle spot in the lineup.
“The Pats have to play their young players, and Smith might not be up for the task of spending the season with a team that isn’t expected to compete. After they failed to give Mac Jones what he needed to thrive, though, they shouldn’t hold back if they can land Smith for 2024.”
Patriots Offensive Line Was 29th Last Year
None of this is to say that Smith is a fix-all for an offensive line that is a concern. He will be 31 this season, and has not been at the top of his game the past two years—there is a reason he remains unsigned. At Pro Football Focus, Smith logged a grade of 57.8 in 2023, No. 61 of the 81 tackles in the NFL.
But the Patriots ranked 29th in pass blocking last season, per PFF, and are returning much the same group this year, with the addition of Okorafor and Wallace. They need all the help they can get.
And Smith, for his part, played better as the season went on last year in Kansas City, his first season after leaving Tampa Bay, where he also won a Super Bowl title. He’s not a perfect option, but then, the Patriots line is hardly perfect, either.
