Patriots Reportedly Make Big Move By Re-Signing Mike Onwenu

The New England Patriots started the offseason by coming to terms on modest deals with some key contributors.

But the Patriots handed out their first big contract of the offseason Monday night to retain a valuable offensive lineman.

According to NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport, the Patriots are re-signing Mike Onwenu to a three-year, $57 million contract with $38 million of the deal guaranteed. Rapaport noted that Onwenu received a $22.5 million signing bonus.

Onwenu arguably was New England’s top impending free agent and as one of the best lineman set to hit the open market, it was expected that the 26-year-old would draw a good deal of interest. The Tennessee Titans, New York Giants, Baltimore Ravens and Washington Commanders reportedly were all linked to Onwenu.

But Onwenu decided to return to New England, where he spent the first four seasons of the his NFL career. The Patriots took him in the sixth round of the 2020 NFL Draft.

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The 6-foot-3, 350-pounder proved his worth with the Patriots by being one of the team’s most consistent players upfront. He started 32 games over the last two seasons and played in 99% and 93% of the snaps in 2022 and 2023, respectively.

Onwenu’s versatility also made him a top priority for the Patriots. He can play both guard and tackle and will be a crucial building block as New England looks to fortify its offensive line, which has been a weakness the past couple of seasons.

“Mike’s a core player for us. It’s no secret we want to try to keep Mike,” Patriots de facto general manager Eliot Wolf told reporters at the NFL Scouting Combine, per MassLive. “Mike’s really smart. He’s introspective and he’s thoughtful. He knows what he wants, which is always good when you’re dealing with a player. He’s certainly someone that we view as a cornerstone for us.”

Onwenu isn’t the only player the Patriots have recently re-signed. New England also reached agreements with Hunter Henry and Kendrick Bourne, making sure to keep notable pieces of their offense together.