NFL Analyst Points Out ‘Reason For Concern’ For Patriots’ Future

The Patriots have hope behind center. Drake Maye has both the physical skills and the mental makeup to be a legitimate franchise cornerstone for a decade-plus.

Protecting its new quarterback could prove to be an issue for New England, though.

It's fair to be worried about the Patriots offensive line. While the unit boasts a stalwart in Mike Onwenu and a trusted anchor in David Andrews, the rest of the group might leave a bit to be desired. And at 32 years old, the clock might be ticking on Andrews' career.

So, when ESPN highlighted a "reason for concern" for New England as it looked ahead three years, the network unsurprisingly focused on the O-line.

"The offensive line was the league's worst in pass protection in 2023 and still needs an overhaul," Louis Riddick wrote. "It finished 32nd in PBWR at 43.4%. Remember the name Caedan Wallace, though. How the third-round rookie offensive tackle out of Penn State develops could very well set the tone for this group for the next decade. I'm a big believer in his game."

We haven't been given much to form a strong opinion about New England's O-line since the 2023 season concluded. But that will change this week when the Patriots kick off training camp and work with the players who will be in charge of protecting the most important position in sports.

With new philosophies in place on the offensive side of the ball, perhaps Jerod Mayo and his coaches will be able to get the most out of their personnel.