FOXBORO — The Patriots don’t play a significant recreation for 39 days. It’s essential to do not forget that when wanting throughout the follow area at who’s at present defending quarterback Mac Jones on the offensive line, as a result of the state of affairs has appeared dire during the last two days as availability alongside the unit is dwindling.
Left sort out Trent Brown has been engaged on a facet area doing conditioning in latest practices. The Patriots are managing his workload, a supply advised the Herald. Head coach Bill Belichick mentioned Monday that Brown had reported to camp “lighter than he’s been.”
Left guard Cole Strange obtained banged up throughout Monday’s follow and didn’t take part Tuesday. Right guard Mike Onwenu continues to be on the bodily unable to carry out listing, swing sort out Calvin Anderson stays on the non-football sickness listing, and the best sort out job seems to be like an ongoing competitors between veteran free-agent pickup Riley Reiff and journeyman Conor McDermott.
So, the offensive line defending Jones on Tuesday was Reiff at left sort out, rookie fifth-round decide Atonio Mafi at left guard, beginning middle David Andrews, Bill Murray — a transformed follow squad defensive sort out — at proper guard and McDermott at proper sort out. Respectfully, that line wouldn’t maintain up for a second in opposition to intradivisional go rushers like Von Miller, Bradley Chubb and Quinnen Williams.
Still, internally, the workforce was inspired by what they noticed from the offensive line Monday within the first padded follow of the summer time regardless of the accidents and believes the younger gamers are coming alongside properly.
The Patriots nonetheless have time to get Brown on the primary area at follow, Strange again from his damage, Onwenu off the PUP listing and Anderson activated from NFI. There’s nonetheless no actual certainty that the Patriots have the items in place to guard Jones this season, nonetheless, and groups sometimes aren’t within the enterprise of buying and selling away helpful offensive linemen, particularly throughout the summer time.
If wholesome, the Patriots are Brown at left sort out, Strange at left guard, Andrews at middle, Onwnu at proper guard and somebody at proper sort out.
“Everyone just shows up to work every day and try not to focus on that, just focus on improving ourselves,” McDermott mentioned concerning the competitors at proper sort out.
Reiff and McDermott have each seen work on the place. Anderson could be within the combine, as properly, if wholesome.
Head coach Bill Belichick is excessive on the Patriots’ developmental gamers on the place too in 2023 fourth-round decide Sidy Sow — a transformed guard — and 2022 seventh-round decide Andrew Stueber, a two-year starter at Michigan. Murray has been the highest backup at guard via the primary week of coaching camp, although Mafi discovered himself within the combine Tuesday when Strange was out. Rookie fourth-round decide Jake Andrews, a middle and guard, missed practices this week, and 2022 sixth-round decide Chasen Hines was out Tuesday after struggling an obvious damage on Monday. Interior offensive linemen Kody Russey — an undrafted free agent final yr — and James Ferentz — an undersized 34-year-old veteran whose began 9 video games in 9 years — are additionally within the combine.
Anderson and Reiff have been the 2 outdoors free brokers delivered to New England this offseason and figured to play key roles this season. Anderson was a participant within the spring however was added to the NFI listing earlier than coaching camp started. Belichick would solely actually say, “we’ll see how it goes” when requested if Anderson’s state of affairs is probably long-term.
“Look, it’s always hard on those situations,” Belichick mentioned. “If everything goes perfectly, then that’s one thing. If something comes up and there’s a setback, or there’s a change, then that’s something else. So, I’m not going to sit here and try to play fortune teller and look into the crystal ball and say, ‘Oh, well this guy is going to be healthy on X date’. I can’t do that. Day-to-day.”
The Patriots elected to not signal one of many big-time free brokers on the place like Orlando Brown, Jawaan Taylor or Mike McGlinchey — all of whom will make $16 million-plus per yr — and waited till the fourth spherical to pick out an offensive lineman within the draft this offseason. Jake Andrews, who’s anticipated to again up David Andrews at middle, was their first decide alongside the road early within the fourth spherical. Sow primarily performed guard in school, however the Patriots like him at sort out. And Mafi began his school profession at defensive sort out earlier than shifting to protect.
In a perfect world, a younger participant like Sow would begin at proper sort out, however he’s been engaged on the scout workforce to this point in coaching camp.
“I think he’s made a lot of progress,” Belichick mentioned.
Stueber missed his rookie season however has been taking part in left sort out on the scout workforce in follow.
“Yeah, he’s like 50 times further along than where he was last year,” Belichick mentioned.”He obtained harm earlier than we even obtained to rookie minicamp and principally missed the whole season, as you mentioned, aside from just a few practices on the finish of the yr.
“He’s had a full offseason. He’s good to go; it’s good to have him out here. He gets better every day. He really missed a full year of football, but the reps and the training, he’s kind of rebuilt his body a little bit. He’s definitely improved in that area, strength, overall conditioning, body composition, all that. He was a good football player at Michigan, and he’s gotten a lot of reps out here and he’s done well with them. It’s good to have him. We’ll see how he develops. It’s like having an extra draft choice.”
It’s solely August. But the previous couple of days of follow have proven how shortly issues might go south this seaosn on the offensive line with a few key accidents.
Source: www.bostonherald.com