Insider Reveals Patriots' Biggest Area of Concern for 2024 Season

The New England Patriots will have some work to do in 2024.

While their most recent offseason consisted of a collection of numerous changes, and even a few improvements, to the personnel, staff, and coaching, the Patriots still have some areas of uncertainty on the squad before heading into the coming season.

Offensively, the Patriots will have to prove themselves after an abysmal previous campaign, but the majority of this year's questions will likely lean upon the offensive line and the overall security Drake Maye has in the pocket. New England has to ensure the protection of their young quarterback, but with several adjustments up front, this unit could see some trouble.

ESPN insider Mike Reiss voiced his concerns surrounding the Patriots' offensive line after the conclusion of the team's mandatory mini-camps, where he had some key takeaways to gather after watching New England's early reps.

"In the big picture, we know that expectations are low for this Patriots team from a national perspective-- and it showed at times on the field throughout the spring. To me, it's sort of simple. When the offensive line could protect, the offense could do some things... When they couldn't there was trouble, and there was a lot of trouble out on the field... So, who are the best five offensive linemen for the Patriots? That is going to be, to me, the top storyline going forward."
Mike Reiss, ESPN

New England had their fair share of shakiness on the offensive line across last season, and that may end up continuing based on how their five-man unit comes together.

Guys like David Andrews, Sidy Sow, and Mike Onwenu should be locks to start, but without a strong option at left tackle, and a significant injury dealt to starting left guard Cole Strange, Maye might be finding himself needing to escape the pocket more than he wants to next season.

The concerns also bleed into where exactly each player will play up front. Reiss noted that Onwenu was someone recently getting significant time at right guard, which could inevitably free up third-round tackle Caedan Wallace to play naturally on the right side rather than attempting to transition to Maye's blind side.

Regardless, any uncertainty must be minimized to ensure the best environment for Drake Maye's development. The last thing you'd want is for your prized quarterback prospect to get killed every Sunday without the proper protection, so without a stable five-man group on the offensive line, it could lead to some reservations in throwing the third-overall pick on the field.

Expect the attention to continue to be focused on New England's line as we near the team's training camp coming in late July.

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