Tag: Atonio Mafi

Former UCLA Bruin Atonio Mafi released by New England Patriots

A tough decision.

With the preseason in the books for all 32 NFL clubs, cut-down day is upon us. While some Bruins found themselves on rosters, one former Bruin will be looking for a new team after today.

Interior offensive lineman, Atonio Mafi, who was drafted by the New England Patriots in 2023 in the sixth round, was cut today. Mafi, who started five games for the Patriots last season, fell victim to the roster cut-down according to Andrew Callahan of the Boston Herald.

New England’s offensive line has been in disarray all summer long as they have dealt with injuries and underperformance. Despite their need for big bodies up front, Mafi’s less-than-productive preseason has him on the waiver wire for other teams to claim.

Mafi was a second-team All-Pac-12 player for the Bruins in 2022, playing in a record-tying 56 games for UCLA, and still has some upside. Able to play guard and center in a pinch, Mafi could be a reserve swing player for an NFL club looking to add depth along the offensive line.

That said, there is still a chance if Mafi slips through the waiver wire he is signed to the Patriots practice squad again.

Patriots’ top 10 offensive players in Week 2, per PFF grades

Here’s who topped the Patriots’ offense in Week 2.

The offensive frustrations continued for the New England Patriots in Sunday’s run-in with the division rival Miami Dolphins. Like the season opener, it was a hot-and-cold performance from quarterback Mac Jones and company in Week 2.

The unit got off to a horrific start with two turnovers—an interception thrown by Jones and a drive-killing fumble by rookie wide receiver Demario Douglas.

But then there were moments of hope with Jones stepping up and making big-time throws to keep the team in the game. The biggest issue throughout the matchup was the offensive line struggles and the lack of separation from receivers at certain points.

It’s one of those performances where the Patriots can take the little good away and go back to the drawing board for Week 3. But whatever changes are coming need to happen fast with the team already in a two-game hole to start the season.

Here are the top-10 offensive players in Week 2, per Pro Football Focus grades:

The Morning After…early offensive struggles prove costly for Patriots

Here are some leftover notes from the Patriots’ 25-20 loss to the Eagles.

The New England Patriots ultimately lost at home on Sunday 25-20 against one of the best teams in the entire NFL.

However, the Patriots were in the game from the jump and managed to contain Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts on defense, while the banged-up offensive line kept Mac Jones upright against one of the league’s best front-sevens.

Even in a loss, there was a lot of good things to take away from the game. The defense looks elite as ever, and the offense looks competent. The Patriots showed confidence in their players, which is something we have failed to see the last few years. With that said, sloppy play hurt the team badly with two early turnovers leading to 14 points.

Let’s delve into some leftover notes from the game, now that we’ve had a chance to fully digest the heartbreaking loss.

Studs and duds in Patriots’ season-opening loss to Eagles

Here are the studs and duds from the Patriots’ season-opening loss to the Eagles.

The New England Patriots came within a drive of shocking the sports world on Sunday by knocking off the defending NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles, but far too many mistakes and a failure to execute down the stretch cost them.

This game will feel like the one that got away for the team, especially after they watch the film and see all of the plays they left on the field. However, it could also be viewed as a building block for an improved effort in 2023.

The offense looks like it’s finally in a good place under Bill O’Brien, and Mac Jones is playing with the utmost confidence. Meanwhile, the defense held an elite quarterback in Jalen Hurts to only 170 passing yards and one touchdown in the 20-25 loss.

Here are the studs and duds from the game.

Patriots announce 2023 rookie jersey numbers ahead of preseason opener

The jersey numbers for the Patriots’ 2023 rookies have been revealed.

The New England Patriots’ 2023 NFL draft class and undrafted free agents are ditching their temporarily assigned numbers for their actual game numbers.

On Thursday, the Patriots announced all of the new numbers ahead of their preseason opener against the Houston Texans.

With rosters being at 90 players at this stage, a lot of these numbers could change as rosters are finalized and numbers shift. It is also important to note that there are some players currently wearing the same number as another player on the roster. That is permitted in training camp, as long as the players aren’t not on the same side of the ball.

Let’s take a look at what numbers the rookies have decided to go with for the next few weeks of training camp.

How Mike Onwenu’s expiring contract could play out with Patriots

Will the Patriots reach a contract extension with starting guard Mike Onwenu?

The New England Patriots struck gold in 2020 when they selected a Michigan Wolverine in the sixth round of the NFL draft. Stop me if you’ve heard that one before.

Mike Onwenu bounced between right tackle and right guard, before finally settling in at right guard last season.

Although right guard is his more natural fit, he played right tackle earlier in his career due to need. Even though the Patriots have a glaring need at right tackle and a surging rookie at guard with Atonio Mafi, they want to keep Onwenu right where he is.

That decision, although puzzling, is well understood across the league. Onwenu is wildly viewed as one of the best guards in all of football, and he has improved every single year since 2020. He is up for a new contract, and the Patriots have yet to make any headway on it.

Many, including myself, want them to lock up Onwenu sooner than later, as the price for good versatile linemen continues to rise. That, and, the Patriots have a ton of cap space after 2023 with other roster spots to fill. They should without a doubt spend the cash on an elite, homegrown player, who’s job is to protect the most important player, the quarterback.

Unfortunately, the writing may be on the wall, as the Patriots rarely give any player a second contract. They feel that their scouting and development teams are better than most at identifying talent in the later draft rounds, especially on the offensive line.

The Patriots recently let Joe Thuney and Ted Karras walk, while also trading Shaq Mason to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They clearly feel they can revamp the line on the fly, rather than having money tied to good veterans they developed. Onwenu could be the latest casualty to this philosophy.

That’s unless Matt Groh has anything to say about it. Groh has slowly taken more and more control behind the scenes in player personnel, allowing Belichick to control the team operations. Perhaps he could get a deal done.

In the 2023 NFL draft, the Patriots selected Mafi, an offensive guard from UCLA, and he has quickly shot up the depth chart, which is a sign that the team could be ready to let Onwenu walk. Onwenu had surgery in the offseason and has been on the PUP list since the start of camp.

The absences of both Onwenu and Cole Strange, who is dealing with a leg injury, has allowed Mafi to work at both left and right guard.

If Groh is truly in charge, it might make sense to pay Onwenu like a tackle, move him back to right tackle and allow Mafi to take the reins at right guard moving forward.

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Stock up, stock down for Patriots ahead of preseason opener

Who’s stock is up and who’s stock is down for the Patriots?

The New England Patriots are approaching their first preseason game of the 2023 season on Thursday, which will be an important test for every player on the 90-man roster. Each player is fighting for a role and an opportunity to make the 53-man roster.

As each week passes, we will be taking a look at players or position groups and breaking down how they have been performing this summer.

Stock watching is a way of sharing what we see and how a player is performing or building off of their past performances. Generally, the more a stock drops, the lower their roster lock status becomes.

As with all roster moves, there are multiple facets that get taken into consideration, like contracts, draft status and positional need. Let’s take a look at who is up and who is down in the Patriots’ stock watch.

6 takeaways from Day 10 of Patriots training camp practice

The Patriots were back on the practice field after a day off. Here are six takeaways from Day 10 of Patriots training camp.

After taking a Saturday off, it was back to work for the New England Patriots for Day 10 of training camp practice on Sunday.

The team is slated to face the Houston Texans in their preseason opener on Thursday night. So everything they’re doing from here on out is clearly in preparation for that game.

There were several players, including multiple starters, missing from practice. Some have been on the list since the start of training camp, while others are popping up for the very first time. Here’s the full list of absences:

G Michael Onwenu

ST Cody Davis

C David Andrews

CB Jonathan Jones

ST Matthew Slater

G Cole Strange

RB/WR Ty Montgomery

OT Calvin Anderson

Offensive tackle Trent Brown did not participate in team drills, but he was on the field. Let’s take a look at six observations from Sunday’s training camp practice.

5 takeaways from Day 5 of Patriots training camp practice

Here’s how Day 5 of training camp looked for the Patriots

There was a different feeling in the air on Monday with the pads coming on for the first time at New England Patriots’ training camp.

It felt like real football with the clanging and banging of shoulder pads and helmets. The offense was looking to build on some of the success they started to show on Sunday, while the defense wanted to continue making life difficult for quarterback Mac Jones and company.

The Patriots had six players in total missing in practice with Ty Montgomery, Cody Davis, Michael Onwenu, Calvin Anderson, Jake Andrews and Terez Hall being out. Matthew Judon, Trent Brown and Rhamondre Stevenson were also limited.

Here are five takeaways from Day 5 of training camp;

Patriots announce signings of eight rookie draft picks

Patriots officially announce the signings of eight rookie draft picks.

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There have been reports of the New England Patriots agreeing to terms on deals with some of their 2023 rookie draft picks. Now, the team is announcing the official signings of eight rookie contracts.

The Patriots have locked up fourth-round draft picks Chad Ryland and Sidy Sow, fifth-round pick Atonio Mafi, sixth-round picks Kayshon Boutte, Bryce Baringer, Demario Douglas and Ameer Speed, and seventh-round pick Isaiah Bolden.

That leaves cornerback Christian Gonzalez, edge rusher Keion White, linebacker Marte Mapu and center Jake Andrews as the only Patriots draft picks that have yet to be signed.

Those contracts are expected to be done any day now.

The Patriots came out of the 2023 draft with an unusually large draft class.

But they’re obviously plowing through the paperwork and making room for what they hope will be future difference-makers for the team. They’ll need all of the help they can get after missing the playoffs last season.

If the incredibly tough 2023 schedule is any indication, it could be a long road back to relevance for New England.

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