One of the most underrated storylines of the New England Patriots’ resurgent 2025 season has been the play of the offensive line, which entered the year with a pair of rookie starters and four new faces overall in the starting lineup.
Only right guard Mike Onwenu returned from last year’s group, which according to Pro Football Focus, ranked 31st in pass protection and dead-last in run blocking.
Head coach Mike Vrabel addressed the problem head-on, first signing a pair of veterans in right tackles Morgan Moses, and center Garrett Bradbury. The Patriots then doubled-down in April’s draft, selecting Will Campbell with the 4th overall pick, and interior lineman Jared Wilson in the third round.
As expected, the results have been shaky at times. Patriots quarterback Drake Maye has taken more sacks (35) than any other quarterback in football not named Cam Ward.
There’s also been some undeniable signs of improvement — and Sunday’s monster road win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was a shining example.
Offensive line play has suddenly become an unsung strength for the surging New England Patriots
While the Patriots have a new-look group protecting Maye this season, there’s something to be said about continuity. Four of New England’s five starters have played in all 10 games, and the unit appears to be getting better by the week.
In Sunday’s win over Tampa Bay, the Patriots allowed zero sacks as a team in pass protection, per PFF. That’s the fourth time New England has accomplished that feat since the start of the team’s seven-game win streak.
Patriots OL stats in Week 10:
— Ben Belford-Peltzman (@thepatriotsbeat) November 10, 2025
LT: Will Campbell — 4 pressures, 1 hit
LG: Jared Wilson — 1 hit, 1 pressure
C: Garrett Bradbury — 7 (!) pressures
RG: Mike Onwenu — 1 pressure
RT: Morgan Moses — 1 pressure
No sacks charged to the OL against a pretty good pass rush
Maye has taken at least one sack in every game this season, but as he’s admitted to reporters, most of those negative plays are on him. He was pressured a whopping 24 times against the Bucs on Sunday, including six from massive nose tackle Vita Vea. Maye was able to stay mostly clean in the pocket, however, with the Bucs notching just the one sack and four total QB hits, per PFF.
It’s been far from perfect — Wilson, in particular, continues to be a work in progress at left guard after playing mostly center in college — but the Patriots were able to fend off some of the toughest pass-rush matchups on their schedule (Cleveland, Atlanta and Tampa Bay) in recent weeks, and the arrow’s pointing up on this group overall.
The Patriots’ O-line, especially left tackle, has been a major problem area in recent seasons. Vrabel appears to have found the right combination, and if they can continue to keep Maye comfortable and upright, there’s no limit to how far the Patriots could go this year.