Jerod Mayo signals he's not comfortable with Patriots current offensive roster

Based on how the Patriots' 2023 season unfolded, it was clear that the offseason needed to be spent improving the offense in as many ways as possible. New coaches weren't going to be enough; the roster needed a makeover through free agency and the draft, and for the most part, the new regime has pulled it off.

Jerod Mayo and Eliot Wolf prioritized re-signing and extending integral offensive pieces, proving their dedication to continuity for the season ahead. They followed that up by adding more depth to several positions, ultimately making the team run smoother, even if they aren't the flashiest players.

The 2024 NFL Draft went similarly, with seven of their eight picks being used on offensive players. most notably for quarterback Drake Maye and receivers Javon Baker and Ja'Lynn Polk.

Although the consensus was mostly pleased with how the offseason was handled, one glaring issue that doesn't seem to have been properly addressed is the left tackle. It was a problematic part of the offensive line last year, even with Trent Brown on the field.

Now that he's moved on to sign with the Bengals, filling the void is even more critical to the potential success of the offense during the upcoming season, even more so for whenever Maye takes over. Mayo and Wolf have attempted to assure the doubters that they have a plan in place and feel good about the players they have on the roster, but the head coach's latest comments make it seem like he might be feeling otherwise.

Jerod Mayo signals he's not comfortable with Patriots current offensive roster

All eyes were on the offense throughout the team's OTAs over the past few weeks, and it was hard not to notice the remaining issues with the offensive line. The right side is settled with the extension of Mike Onwenu, which was a massive win for the Patriots this offseason, but the left side is still questionable and has looked that way in practices this spring.

Despite believing rookie Caedan Wallace or veteran Chukwuma Okorafor could easily fill the position left by Brown in free agency, Mayo seemed to have signaled he might not be feeling as comfortable with that at this point in the offseason.

Speaking to reporters after last Tuesday's OTAs, the head coach reiterated that it's still early in the process and that there's plenty of time left to truly evaluate the roster before the season begins. He didn't eliminate the possibility of bringing in more players if need be, nor did he exclude the idea of roster changes being made.

"I mean, I think, look, we’re always trying to bring in good players. Those guys are doing well. We’ll see what happens as the roster continues to play out. Realistically, we’re still early in the process, and training camp will reveal a lot."

He's 100% correct that it's still too early in the evaluation process to draw any conclusions, but it's also a bit worrisome to hear that maybe things aren't going as smoothly as he hoped. We will get a better picture of the roster once practices become more competitive, which will hopefully provide a better picture of where they're at and what still needs to be addressed.

The offensive line is critical to a team's success, even more so for a young quarterback, so it'll need to be prioritized before the start of the new season.

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