Patriots' latest move proves uneasiness with 2024 roster

After the roster cut deadline came and went, the Patriots seemingly finalized their 2024 roster, only to add and release more players from their waiver wire pickups. Jerod Mayo and Eliot Wolf had said they planned to be active with other team's cuts, especially since they held the third spot on the wire.

Because of their positioning, they were awarded four players, and their feelings about the final roster became clearer. Although expected, the additions of two offensive tackles and two defensive linemen proved beyond doubt that the new regime was not fully confident in those units, despite their claims to the contrary.

With Christian Barmore sidelined for the foreseeable future and Matthew Judon no longer on the team, the defensive line lacked depth and playmakers. So, adding young defenders Curtis Jacobs and Eric Johnson improves that weakness while also meaning the Patriots' defense has the potential to dominate for a long time.

The offensive tackles they were awarded, Demontrey Jacobs and Zach Thomas, also have impressive potential and although they're inexperienced, could be just what the offensive line needs for the 2024 season and beyond.

So, while the pickups the Patriots added were solid, they weren't the only claims they put in last week, proving they are not so comfortable with their offensive roster as they'd like to sell us.

The Patriots putting in claims for more offensive linemen proves a lot about 2024 outlook

Part of ESPN's Mike Reiss' Sunday article, he revealed that the Patriots had put in "backup" claims on at least three other offensive linemen than the two they were awarded, going against what Mayo and Wolf have been claiming about their feelings on the offensive line roster.

"To protect themselves in case the two teams ahead of them in the waiver priority claimed those players, the Patriots also put in "backup" claims on three other offensive linemen and one defensive lineman, per league sources. It is a reflection of how the front office viewed the offensive line and defensive line as the top priorities coming out of training camp -- which seemed obvious."

It makes sense why they would want to hype up the team and show their belief in who they have signed, but it's also disingenuous to suggest the struggles we have seen all summer long are actually not that big of an issue.

The fact that they made an effort to claim as many offensive linemen as possible proves they're not comfortable with who they have and are still trying to figure out the right lineup to bring the most offensive success.

Hopefully, they'll figure it out sooner rather than later since their regular season opener is less than a week away. There aren't many quality free agents still looking for a team, so they'll have to stick with who they have and get it sorted, even more so since trading for a quality tackle is basically out of the question.

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