The New England Patriots made a concerted effort to upgrade their offensive line last offseason. Four starters were replaced, and Drake Maye now has the longest average time to throw in the entire league at 2.94 seconds. Last season, he sat 28th.
Will Campbell was drafted fourth overall to play left tackle, third-round pick Jared Wilson starts at left guard, and free agent additions Garrett Bradbury and Morgan Moses play center and right tackle, respectively. Mike Onwenu remains at right guard as he has since Ted Karras' departure after the 2021 season.
The starters have put together one of the better seasons as a unit, but the depth of the line has also been impressive when called upon. Vederian Lowe has allowed one sack and has one penalty in his 220 snaps since becoming the starter in place of Campbell.
Ben Brown has played 49+ snaps in three games this year and didn't allow a sack in relief of Wilson, and even Thayer Munford, who's primarily operated as an extra tight end, has an 85.5 PFF grade in 48 snaps.
The team has clearly put together a far improved unit from 2024, but PFF's Gordon McGuinness believes stopping there still isn't enough, suggesting New England go back to the offensive line well again in the first round of the draft, selecting Iowa's Gennings Dunker with the 30th pick.
Gennings Dunker could be a fit for the New England Patriots in the draft
All five starters on the Patriots are under contract for next season, and two are rookies this year. The unit's future is bright, but there's plenty of reason to continue to add to the line. For one, protecting the franchise in Drake Maye for years to come should be the top priority. Maye is just 23, but if they want him to play until 43, building an elite line is a necessity.
While the line may not seem an immediate necessity, Morgan Moses will turn 35 in March. I'd expect he'll play in 2026, but anything beyond that seems unlikely, despite his contract running through the 2027 season: there aren't many 37-year-old tackles in the NFL.
Preparing for the immediate future would be a sensible move, and Jennings' experience as a right tackle makes him all the more appealing.
Dunker has started on the right side for the last three seasons, allowing ten sacks and being penalized seven times. 2024 was his best season, allowing two sacks and being penalized only once while recording a 90.2 PFF grade. While less successful, he also has guard experience during his early college days.
Due to arm length concerns (where have we heard that before), analysts believe a move to guard may be in his future at the NFL level. Given his 46.3 PFF grade during his time on the interior, playing time on the inside seems more likely only in the event of an emergency.
Dunker is an elite run blocker and solid pass blocker, and could be a perfect second young bookend to the offensive line with Campbell. He could operate as a replacement to Vederian Lowe as the swing tackle should he leave in free agency, and eventually step in on the right side as the starter.
Given their use of Khyiris Tonga and Munford as jumbo fullbacks, Dunker could also find some play time that way, given his elite run blocking.
Whether it's Dunker or another linemen, adding more protection for Maye in the first 64 picks seems like an excellent idea. Earlier this month, I suggested Ohio State's Austin Siereveld and Northwestern's Caleb Tiernan, along with the Hawkeye, as options for the Patriots in the first two rounds.
Dunker's omission from AP's All-American team was due to Utah's Spencer Fano and Miami's Francis Mauigoa, both projected to be top-15 picks. His teammates, guard Beau Stephens and center Logan Jones, were both named All-Americans and are players to watch.