The New England Patriots got a glimpse of the future on Thursday night as No. 3 overall pick Drake Maye performed well in his first extended showing of the preseason. The rookie’s outing was encouraging enough that first-year coach Jerod Mayo even left open the possibility that he could start for the team as soon as Week 1. However, if the Patriots want to ensure that Maye is properly developed, they may want to bolster the offensive line, particularly the left tackle position before he is thrust into action.
The tackle position has been a major storyline throughout the offseason for New England and has continued to be so throughout the summer amid poor play from those on the roster. Recently, veteran Vederian Lowe has been a fixture at left tackle for the Patriots, leaving little to be desired. He was beaten a number of times in the preseason exhibition against Philadelphia, including allowing a big hit on Maye late in the third quarter. He also committed a false start on Maye’s first drive of the night.
These struggles by Lowe — and honestly whomever has lined up at blindside tackle this summer — do beg the question if the Patriots will look for outside help to try and raise the ceiling of the line and the offense as a whole. If they do, here are a handful of options readily available on the free agent market.
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Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/patriots-offensive-line-issues-five-free-agent-tackle-options-including-a-two-time-super-bowl-champion/
Author : Tyler Sullivan
Publish date : 2024-08-16 15:31:53
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