Patriots offensive line performance vs. Commanders has Eliot Wolf eating crow

Would it be at all shocking to say that the Patriots offensive line continues to be the most problematic and concerning part of the roster ahead of the 2024 season? At this point in the offseason, probably not and it's unfortunate that it still such an issue during their preseason finale against the Commanders' second and third string players.

It was one of the groups on the roster that needed to be prioritized in free agency and the draft, which the Patriots did for the most part. They extended their best player in Mike Onwenu, brought in some veteran tackle talent and drafted two linemen back to back earlier this year.

But they continue to run into the same struggles the team has dealt with almost since Dante Scarnnecchia decided to retire after the 2019 season.

Those problems have become exacerbated by Trent Brown's departure. Brown held down the left tackle spot and, despite his often chaotic performances, was still hard for defenders to get through due to his size.

On top of that, the new regime in New England has expected players who have spent their entire football careers on one side of the line to play on the opposite side, which isn't always an easy transition for players.

Those problems are rearing their ugly heads in the preseason finale, with multiple penalties slowing down the offense's drives and bad snaps making the quarterback's job a lot more difficult. It is not a unit yielding the optimism that VP of Player Personnel Eliot Wolf spoke about this past week, which comes under more fire after this week's performance against Washington.

The Patriots will need to re-think their confidence in the offensive line before the regular season begins

It's understandable why a coaching staff and front office would want to speak highly of the team they oversee and not get too detailed about how they evaluate the roster in the preseason. But the way Wolf spoke about the Patriots' offensive line was concerning since we've seen the opposite of productive play from the group all summer.

Maybe we aren't supposed to trust what our eyes are have seen during practice and the preseason, or we're just meant to accept what the team is and the new regime's effort (or lack thereof) to improve it over the last several weeks.

Regardless, if the coaching staff shares Wolf's belief in the current offensive line group, the offense will have difficulty doing much of anything successful this fall.

Hopefully, they'll be active during roster cuts this week, whether claiming players via the waiver wire, as they hold the third spot or signing free agents. They have plenty of room with around $50 million in cap space, and it's clear where that money would be well spent.

Update as of 9:31pm EST:

More penalties from the offensive line derail the offense's efforts to make their way down the field. Drake Maye hit K.J. Osborn for a 48-yard score that was negated due to Chuks Okorafor being flagged for his third illegal formation penalty of the game.

More Patriots news and analysis: