The Patriots worst rookie mistakes made during the 2024 offseason

With the Patriots' training camp in full swing, every play open to the media and the fans is micro-analyzed to a fare-thee-well. Every throw, catch, drop, everything is under the microscope as analysts, observers, writers, and, of course, the fans look to ascertain what the 2024 version of the New England Patriots will be.

All those plays are now in focus as the Pats get ready to rumble in a pre-season game on August eighth against the Panthers at Gillette. Getting special attention are the rookies. First among them is the Pats' first-round pick, quarterback Drake Maye.

Maye's every step up, back, roll-out, throw deep, throw short, etc., are being evaluated, appraised, dissected, and debated. After all, he's the top rookie. However, others like wide receivers Ja'Lynn Polk, Javon Baker, and rookie tight end Jaheim Bell are also under intense scrutiny.

So, what are the biggest rookie mistakes we've seen? Who's made the worst rookie gaffes thus far at the start of his Patriots career, and for what reasons? We'll look at that here in some detail, and the conclusions will likely be surprising.

The worst Patriots rookie mistakes aren't what you think

Most of the attention in summer camp is on the Patriots rookie players mentioned earlier, their mistakes, good plays, etc. It's all been well-evaluated, yet, the worst mistakes thus far while getting some attention, haven't been made by a rookie player at all. They've been made by the Patriots rookie Executive Vice President of Player Personnel, Eliot Wolf.

Those proverbial chickens are now coming home to roost, and the lackluster Patriots' offseason, poorly orchestrated by Wolf, is now emerging as the key indicator of what's likely to follow over the 17-game season. And the prognostications aren't glowing at all.

Wolf made several rookie mistakes that, in sum, could wreck the Patriots' season before it even begins. The first and most egregious has been getting lots of attention in recent days, though it was flagged much earlier. The Patriots don't have a left tackle, and that's a major issue.

Left tackle is the second most critical position on any NFL team (unless you have a left-handed quarterback, then it's the right tackle). You have to protect the QB. The left tackle plays on an island with little help, and he'd better have the requisite skills, or the offense will pay the price. Wolf neither signed nor drafted a left tackle this offseason.

Instead of aggressively shoring up the position being vacated by Trent Brown, Wolf went for two band-aid possible solutions, neither of which is likely to bear fruit. First, he signed a right tackle, Chukwuma Okorafor (who was benched at right tackle by the Steelers last season), and installed him as the presumptive left tackle. This was a big mistake. It's a completely different position.

Then he drafted a right tackle (OK in itself). Yet, again, Wolf suggested that this rookie, who also played the right side essentially his whole college career, Caedan Wallace, could miraculously emerge like a butterfly who metamorphoses into a left tackle. Again, welcome to Disneyland, which is not happening.

Patriots personnel head Eliot Wolf's other key rookie mistakes

Adding to the left tackle gaffe, Wolf also failed to use the copious salary cap money available to land a No. One wide receiver. He spent lots of cash re-signing current players, which is OK, but does it get the team any "better"? Nope. Yet, not one cent went to a bona fide WR1, which has not been seen in these parts since Julian Edelman retired.

Another glaring bungled situation is the offensive guard scenario. Wolf ostensibly re-signed top right tackle/right guard Mike Onwenu to a tackle-sized contract extension. That's fine if he plays tackle. But now, Onwenu is back playing right guard.

Additionally, with a barrel full of draft picks spent on guards in the past three drafts, it's unclear if others can even adequately man the left guard position. All of these misguided, offensive moves have left the Patriots' offense in a state of confusion. Only a miraculous performance by rookie Drake Maye (if he's started) can turn this mess into gold.

So, the Patriots' worst rookie mistakes in this 2024 pre-pre-season game period weren't made by the rookie players but by the rookie personnel management operation. Good teams are built in the offseason. On most occasions, the season merely reflects those efforts.

In this case, gross mistakes were made in team construction. Absent the miracle suggested above, its record is going to be a less-than-.500 team that will likely occupy the basement of the AFC East once more. Welcome to the new normal.

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