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It wasn’t pretty for the New England Patriots‘ offensive line in the team’s 24-3 Week 3 loss to the New York Jets.
Patriots starting quarterback Jacoby Brissett was sacked five times, while rookie Drake Maye, who came in during garbage time in the fourth quarter, went down twice.
With the future of the franchise in Maye set to take over at some point, concerns about the O-line are more than legitimate. Considering the team’s recent issues with protection, Alex Ballentine of Bleacher Report named Lucas Niang as the one player the Pats should sign now. Currently on the Kansas City Chiefs‘ practice squad, Niang was a third-round pick for Kansas City in 2020.
“At this point, the Patriots should be looking around the league to see if there are any practice squad players who might be able to help,” Ballentine wrote on September 23. “Lucas Niang started nine games for the Chiefs as a rookie and worked as a guard this summer. He’s worth a shot as someone who can come in and potentially step in at either spot.”
Adding Chiefs’ Lucas Niang Would Give Patriots Experienced Tackle
New England has surrendered 11 sacks over its first three games, which is ranked 25th out of 32 teams.
“The Patriots didn’t have a great offensive line on paper, and injuries have made the group an even bigger liability,” Ballentine added. “While frustrated fans might want to see Drake Maye, it’s not a good idea to throw a developing young quarterback behind this offensive line.”
A third-round selection out of TCU in 2020, Niang opted out that year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He played in 12 games (nine starts) as a rookie in 2021. He allowed 2 sacks, 2 QB hits and 22 pressures in 360 pass block snaps, per PFF.
Niang has appeared in 21 games in the two seasons since, playing primarily on special teams. With 33 games and 9 starts under his belt, he may not be a bad depth option for New England right now. He has played 576 snaps at right tackle, and he could move over to the left side in a pinch.
Mike Onwenu is the team’s starting RT, but if he were to go down, New England would be in big trouble.
Head Coach Jerod Mayo Issues Comments on Patriots’ Recent O-Line Struggles
Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo has been candid with the media — and with his team — about the squad’s struggles on offensive line.
“It’s a very upfront conversation,” Mayo said on September 23. “I have the relationship and so do the coaches with those guys, where you can be very transparent and open. This isn’t good enough. I showed on one of my slides this morning just a picture of a mirror. Our job as coaches is to put the mirror in front of the players faces, and remind them what it really is. … Once again, it starts with me.”
Mayo also stressed the team’s problems in the trenches aren’t about just one player.
“When you have a good offensive line, it’s not about the individuals. It’s about those guys being able to pass off those twist games, and going back to seeing the picture out of the same set of eyes. We’ve had guys in and out of the lineup, and we’ve got to get some continuity there and go from there,” Mayo added.
It will be interesting to see if New England makes any moves to address its offensive line issues prior to the NFL’s trade deadline on November 5. Stay tuned.
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