Among the few criticisms the Patriots’ new regime has received this offseason is their seemingly neglectful decision not to prioritize signing a top-quality left tackle to fill the void left by Trent Brown, who signed with the Bengals in free agency.
Although they selected Caedan Wallace and Layden Robinson in this year’s draft, there are more concerns regarding their immediate start potential than there should be when building around a rookie quarterback.
It doesn’t help that third-year starter Cole Strange is likely to miss a good duration of the upcoming season, putting even more pressure on the young players to play even better.
Because of the circumstances, many have called for the Patriots to explore their options in free agency as they head into training camp at the end of the month. A handful of solid players are still looking for a team to sign with, one of whom has been recently named a perfect candidate to land in New England.
Looking for players to immediately boost your roster in mid-July is certainly not an ideal situation any team would want to be in, but the Patriots might find themselves there as their offensive line looks more vulnerable than expected at this point in the offseason.
Fortunately, a few names are still available who could make the protection for Jacoby Brissett and Drake Maye more reliable, including Bleacher Report’s pick of Donovan Smith.
The two-time Super Bowl Champion left tackle most recently protected Patrick Mahomes in their victory over the 49ers this past February, and he was Tom Brady’s starting blindside protector during the Bucs’ Championship run in 2020.
Clearly, he’s a respected player at the position, as two teams with top-of-the-league quarterbacks entrusted him with blocking for their most valuable player, which is why Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report believes he would be the perfect acquisition for the Patriots ahead of the upcoming season.
“Smith played for Kansas City last season on a modest one-year, $3 million contract. However, he doesn’t carry many injury concerns, has started all 136 regular-season games in which he’s appeared and has loads of postseason experience.
Smith would be a terrific target for the New England Patriots, who are rebuilding under new head coach Jerod Mayo. Smith could help show New England what it takes to win, and he could provide valuable protection in front of rookie quarterback Drake Maye.
New England lost Trent Brown in free agency and is likely looking at a left tackle competition between former Pittsburgh Steelers right tackle Chukwuma Okorafor and rookie third-round pick Caedan Wallace.”
Other than his invaluable experience with some of the best players the league, Smith’s most desirable asset might be his reliability. He’s missed just 11 games during his career and was always present when the team needed him most, including every game in the Bucs’ Super Bowl run four years ago.
His size makes him a threat to defensive lines, as he is 6-foot-6 and 338 pounds, which allows him to move defenders in the run game, and he is a solid blocker when his quarterback makes a pass. Smith’s skill set would be a significant boost on the left side of the Patriots offensive line, bringing unmatchable experience that should make it challenging for Mayo and Wolf to pass up the opportunity to add to the roster.
Adding a more than solid blocker to protect their quarterbacks, especially Mayo, while also being a player who creates opportunities in the run game, which the Patriots will likely rely on offensively, seems like a win/win for all involved.
More Patriots coverage:
Source link : https://musketfire.com/posts/patriots-named-prime-suitor-for-free-agent-super-bowl-champion-01j27ak5c4kf
Author :
Publish date : 2024-07-08 07:00:04
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.