Pats Pulpit
Previewing the Patriots’ interior offensive line heading into the offseason.
The goal would be to find a stable group to use on a game-to-game basis, then-New England Patriots offensive line coach Scott Peters said during the 2024 regular season. For a multitude of reasons related to performance, injury and possibly coaching, that never happened; instability ended up defining New England’s O-line all year long.
While it plagued the team at the tackle position, the constant personnel turnover was even worse along the interior. In total, the Patriots used eight different starters over the course of their 17 games as well as seven different combinations.
Heading into the offseason, finding a group to stick therefore is high up on the list of priorities.
David Andrews: The Patriots’ most experienced offensive lineman, who signed a one-year, $6.5 million extension during the offseason, Andrews started 2024 in a familiar spot: as the starting center and a team captain. However, his 10th NFL campaign found an abrupt end when he suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in Week 4 against San Francisco.
Michael Onwenu: The Patriots re-signed Onwenu in free agency via a three-year, $57 million contract. They initially planned to employ him as their starting right tackle, but moved him back inside to his old spot at right guard. In total, Onwenu ended up playing 691 snaps at guard compared to 329 at tackle. His combined 1,021 snaps (93.4%) ranked first among his teammates and he was New England’s only O-lineman to start every game.
Cole Strange: After suffering a patellar tendon tear in December 2023, Strange was forced to open the season on the physically unable to perform list. When he returned a year after the injury, the former first-round draft pick was moved from left guard to center. He started the final two games of the season at that position.
Layden Robinson: A fourth-round selection in the 2024 draft, Robinson received plenty of opportunities early on in his rookie regular season; he started six of the first nine games at right guard. With his pass protection in particular not on the necessary level, however, he was eventually demoted to a backup role. The Patriots reversed course from Week 13 on, inserting him as their starting left guard down the stretch. Overall, he was on the field for 603 offensive snaps (55.2%) in his first year as a pro.
Ben Brown: Brown started the 2024 season with the Las Vegas Raiders, but was signed off their practice squad in the aftermath of David Andrews’ season-ending injury. He entered the starting lineup just four days after his arrival, and ended up playing 667 snaps (61%) at center over 10 games. A concussion cost him the final two contests of the season, although his starting role was already in jeopardy with Cole Strange returning off PUP.
Jake Andrews: After seeing minimal action during his 2023 rookie season, Andrews’ sophomore campaign was over before it even began. The former...
