Showing an interesting ability set at both guard and right tackle, Michael Onwenu is predicted to generate huge interest in the open market.
The Patriots have the alternative of franchise-tagging the former sixth-round pick, but that does no longer appear like the route the business enterprise will take.
The Pats are looking forward to Onwenu to leave in free agency, according to ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler, who shows groups are monitoring this situation ahead of what is anticipated to be a strong free-agency derby. Several teams slot Onwenu as the top free agent O-lineman this year, per Fowler. Onwenu is among several younger protect starters shut to hitting the market; the former sixth-rounder’s RT past stands to bolster his case to grow to be a well-paid participant quickly after the criminal tampering duration launches free agency.
Seeing their Riley Reiff-centered proper tackle plan produce only a handful of snaps in 2023, the Patriots moved Onwenu lower back outside.
He had spent time at RT as a rookie earlier than settling in at shield in 2021 and 2022. In 2022, ESPN’s omit block win rate metric positioned Onwenu eighth amongst guards. Pro Football Focus slotted the Michigan alum 29th amongst tackles ultimate season.Onwenu, 26, joins a host of guards who are coming off their rookie deals. Robert Hunt, Jonah Jackson, Damien Lewis, Jon Runyan Jr. and Ezra Cleveland are weeks away from free employer statusTackle, however, appears an awful lot thinner. Among players looking for their first payday, Jonah Williams headlines the address crop.
Onwenu ought to supply a group a solution at a couple of spots. While this resume overlaps with the swingman job description, Onwenu is a long way above that level. His next crew will pay him to begin at both shield or proper tackle.
The Patriots dropping Onwenu would deal a blow to an offense already mild on talent. Trent Brown is predicted to depart, and Cole Strange has no longer but justified his first-round status.
Brown’s present day Pats contract used to be voided this week, Fowler adds, developing a $2M dead-money charge. Onwenu has made 56 profession starts offevolved and is coming into his prime. The Pats are looking likely to want new options at left and right tackle. Onwenu extension talks did no longer development too far, although that got here when Bill Belichick used to be still going for walks the show.
Eliot Wolf is believed to be in cost now, developing a feel of uncertainty due to Belichick having been at the pinnacle of the Pats’ decision-making pyramid for so long.
In an antiquated setup, all O-linemen continue to be underneath one umbrella when it comes to the franchise tag.
This results in guards and centers rarely being tagged. However, the Patriots bucked this fashion when they final unholstered their tag; New England cuffed Joe Thuney in 2020. The O-lineman tag is projected to take a look at in round $19.9M. The Pats have any other player living as a greater practical tag candidate. They are more likely to preserve Kyle Dugger off the market, Greg Bedard of the Boston Sports Journal writes.
A Dugger tag is possibly on the table, per ESPN.com’s Mike Reiss, who reminds of the Pats’ run of disasters extending quite drafted gamers in latest years.
The crew has not prolonged a homegrown first-, second- or third-round select on the grounds that re-signing 2013 third-rounder Duron Harmon in 2017. Dugger qualifies as a candidate to reverse that trend.
Although the protection market turned into Jessie Bates III and the subject last year, teams have been searching into a attainable Dugger pursuit for a bit now. It would fee the Pats roughly $16.2M to tag Dugger. Doing so would buy them time on an extension, as teams have till July 15 to lengthen tagged players.
Jerod Mayo also pointed to the crew being more aggressive in free employer recently, Reiss adds. Holding the NFL’s second-most projected cap area (at $69.5M), the Pats can afford a Dugger tag and have money to spend to address other areas.
Belichick held onto Dugger and Onwenu at the trade deadline, even though each were rumored candidates to be moved as the team observed itself in the uncommon role of a workable midseason seller.Dugger performed 97 percentage of the Pats’ protecting snaps ultimate season, and with Mayo and DeMarcus Covington sticking around, the former second-round pick affords continuity for a group that just released Adrian Phillips.
Dugger performed ahead of the veteran in 2023. PFF only ranked Dugger 68th amongst safeties last season but considered his 2022 extra favorably; the Lenoir-Rhyne alum lower back two interceptions for touchdowns that year.
Although Dugger has fared better closer to the line of scrimmage, he has 9 INTs over the past three seasons.
