Patriots might have to resort to Mike Onwenu playing left tackle in 2024

The New England Patriots are about to enter an NFL season without a left tackle; process that. The team has no one capable of manning the second most important position. In business parlance, this would equate to corporate negligence.

The need was there even before Trent Brown took his talents to Las Vegas. The Patriots failed to add a backup left tackle to the mix last season, which was an inexcusable blunder by Bill Belichick. Even worse was the gaffe by the current personnel head, Eliot Wolf.

Wolf neglected to sign or draft a left tackle this offseason. He then publicly postulated that he thought either free-agent tackle Chukwuma Okorafor or third-round draft pick Caedan Wallace could switch from the right side to the left.

Good luck, Eliot. You'd have had a better chance of making a proverbial silk purse out of a sow's ear. That experiment has failed. Yet, since there is no other option, we'll present a similar longshot possibility. It might be the Pats' only hope.

Mike Onwenu is arguably the Patriots' best hope at left tackle

The Patriots have no NFL-caliber left tackles on the squad. In fact, they hardly have any potential left tackles at all. That miscue has been taken to task here for months. Even more remarkable is that they've done nothing to alleviate the situation at all.

Whatever Mr. Wolf's motivation is (it seems like the team's already decided to tank the 2024 season here), it's not a great optic. As a new GM, he must be aware that the second most critical position on any NFL team is left tackle. If you have one, you have a chance. If you don't, say hello to last place.

Now, the decision is up to Head Coach Jerod Mayo. He's the one who has to take the dough given to him and mold it into bread. No one can play left tackle at present. Yet, there might be an answer. That would be Mike Onwenu.

Absent the Patriots signing or trading for a left tackle, they should consider switching Onwenu from the right side to the left to tackle. Yes, it's been written here that trying to do that is illusory. Fine. But the Patriots are desperate, and here is a desperation thought.

Mike Onwenu is the Patriots' best hope at left tackle to win in 2024

Mike Onwenu is a professional. He was signed to a huge contract this offseason, ostensibly to play tackle. He's subsequently and surprisingly been repositioned back to guard. In any event, Onwenu has proven he's versatile and adaptable, and, that he can block.

Again, the Patriots have no left tackles. Unless they make a move soon for a true left tackle, Onwenu is probably the best option to keep their presumptive starting quarterback now, Drake Maye, upright this season.

The major downsides are these: First, Onwenu has likely never played left tackle. That's not a good thing. Yet, he adapted readily from left guard to left tackle on at least two different occasions. Might he be able to adapt to a new position again? It's a daunting ask, but why not try?

Secondly, it can be correctly pointed out that Onwenu is deficient in a major attribute that left tackles require: height. It's true that height matters. He's only 6'3" tall. But another component of the term "length" applied to offensive linemen is arm length. There, Onwenu checks in with 34 3/8" arms. That's an NFL tackle's arm length and lends credibility to the potential that he can do the job.

The Patriots are once again headed to the bottom of the AFC East, absent a couple of occurrences. One is to install Drake Maye as the No. 1 quarterback immediately. The other may be emplacing Mike Onwenu at left tackle.

It's a gamble. Yet, it's a gamble on an NFL-quality player who's played both guard and right tackle very effectively for the Patriots. With no one else to play the position, absent a dramatic move to bring a new guy in, the thought is that Onwenu is the best option. At this point, what is there to lose?

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