Contract details for Patriots OT Chukwuma Okorafor released

Taking a closer look at OT Chukwuma Okorafor’s new deal with the Patriots

The New England Patriots signed offensive tackle Chukwuma Okorafor to a one-year deal on Thursday. The numbers for that new contract were revealed on Friday, via ESPN’s Field Yates.

Okorafor has played all six of his NFL seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers up to this point. He was the Steelers’ third-round selection in the 2018 NFL draft. Since his NFL arrival, he has started in 59 games total.

He officially took over the Steelers’ starting role in 2020, and he was benched in 2023 after criticizing the Pittsburgh offense.

Yates indicated that Okorafor signed for just a little bit below what he could have made with the Steelers. The contract has a base value of $4 million and a maximum value of $8.25 million.

Okorafor will give the Patriots’ offensive line depth, as they look to retool that position over the course of the offseason.

What Chukwuma Okorafor signing means for Mike Onwenu

Will Chukwuma Okorafor signing impact the Patriots’ chances of re-signing Mike Onwenu?

The New England Patriots made their first strides towards beefing up their offensive line by reportedly signing former Pittsburgh Steelers offensive tackle Chukwuma Okorafor on Thursday.

Of course, that has a bunch of Patriots fans pressing the panic alarm on the team’s chances of re-signing pending free agent tackle Mike Onwenu to a new deal.

Take a deep breath. Relax.

This signing will not impact the Patriots’ ongoing negotiations with Onwenu. The Patriots are expected to make several signings, whether through the draft or free agency, at the tackle position, which was one of the biggest trouble spots for the team throughout the 2023 season.

Okorafor is a solid depth signing with plenty of upside at only 26 years old. Sure, he has starting potential, but he could also work into the offense as a rotational piece up front.

More than anything, the Patriots need reliable bodies to serve as a wall for whoever is under center at quarterback, and Okorafor is the kind of player that can help provide that sort of protection.

New England should still be very competitive in trying to re-sign Onwenu. Patriots executive Eliot Wolf wouldn’t have gone out of his way to call the former sixth-round draft pick a “cornerstone” player if he wasn’t serious about bringing him back on a new deal.

Nothing is ever certain in free agency, but when it comes to keeping one of their own, the new regime isn’t going down without a fight.

Report: Patriots agree to deal with former Steelers starting right tackle

Patriots reportedly make their first outside move ahead of free agency

The New England Patriots have reportedly made their first outside move ahead of free agency. Per the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Patriots have agreed to terms on a deal with former Pittsburgh Steelers starting right tackle Chukwuma Okorafor.

The move comes at a time of desperation at the tackle position for the Patriots, who are at risk for potentially losing both of their starting tackles in free agency. Both Trent Brown and Mike Onwenu are set to test the free agent market next week, and there are no assurances they’ll be returning.

So the Patriots made a move to help with their depth issues by signing Okorafor, a 2018 third-round draft pick with 59 NFL starts under his belt.

The Patriots are pushing to fortify the offensive front, following a disastrous 2023 season offensively. Okorafor gives them a reliable veteran option that should compete for reps on a unit that could be preparing to start a rookie quarterback under center.

15 free agents the Ravens can sign that don’t count against compensatory picks

We’re looking at 15 free agents the Baltimore Ravens can sign that don’t count against compensatory picks for 2025

The NFL’s new league is less than a week away. With the legal tampering period scheduled to start on Monday, Baltimore will look to retool on defense while making cost-effective decisions.

All-Pro pass defensive tackle Justin Madubuike is the biggest concern this offseason after getting the franchise tag, but the Ravens must also navigate 26 looming free agents.

GM Eric DeCosta has clarified that he’s prepared to lose several key starters and retool via the draft with a handful of 2025 compensatory picks.

The formula is simple.

If you lose more unrestricted free agents than you sign, you are eligible for that many compensatory selections. What round they come is determined by how big their contract is.

DeCosta and other general managers can take advantage of the rule by signing players released before their contract expires. Those players don’t count toward the formula.

According to Over The Cap, plenty of players who can help the team and not detract from the formula will be available.

Here are 15 players Baltimore could sign that wouldn’t count against 2025 compensatory picks.

15 free agents the Eagles can sign that don’t count against 2025 compensatory picks

We’re looking at 15 free agents the Philadelphia Eagles can sign that don’t count against compensatory picks for 2025

The NFL’s new league is less than a week away. With the legal tampering period scheduled to start on Monday, Philadelphia will look to retool on defense while making cost-effective decisions.

All-Pro pass rusher Haason Reddick is the biggest concern this offseason, but the Eagles must also navigate 20 looming free agents.

GM Howie Roseman has clarified that he’s prepared to lose several key starters and retool via the draft with a handful of 2025 compensatory picks.

The formula is simple.

If you lose more unrestricted free agents than you sign, you are eligible for that many compensatory selections. What round they come is determined by how big their contract is.

Roseman and other general managers can take advantage of the rule by signing players released before their contract expires. Those players don’t count toward the formula.

According to Over The Cap, plenty of players who can help the team and not detract from the formula will be available.

Here are 15 players Philadelphia could sign that wouldn’t count against 2025 compensatory picks.

1 pending free agent the Colts could target from each AFC team

Taking a look at one pending free agent for the Colts from each AFC team.

With free agency right around the corner, the Indianapolis Colts have the chance to make some key additions to a roster that already has some promise.

Working with some of the most salary-cap space in the NFL this offseason, general manager Chris Ballard and the front office can continue to add pieces to the defensive side of the ball while improving the supporting cast for quarterback Anthony Richardson.

Re-signing some of their own players like Michael Pittman Jr., Grover Stewart and Kenny Moore II will be key. But they also could look around the conference to bring in some outside talent.

We know Ballard isn’t one to make huge splashes in free agency, but they are still going to be an active team even if it means simply adding depth.

After taking a look at potential NFC targets, here’s a look at one pending free agent from each AFC team that should interest the Colts:

Steelers make 2 more roster moves in addition to QB Mitch Trubisky

The Steelers released Mitch Trubisky, Chuks Okorafor and Pressley Harvin III on Monday.

The NFL offseason officially started today and the Pittsburgh Steelers wasted no time making moves to clear salary cap space.

The team announced the release of quarterback Mitch Trubisky, offensive lineman Chukwuma Okorafor and punter Pressley Harvin III.

The writing has been on the wall for all three weeks now; it was only a matter of the Steelers doing the deed.

Trubisky appeared in 12 games since signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers as a free agent in 2022. Trubisky had a 2-5 record throwing in seven starts for 1,884 yards, eight touchdowns and 10 interceptions.

Okorafor, selected by the Steelers in the third round of the 2018 NFL draft, played in 77 games with 59 starts. The full-time role he took over in 2020 was rescinded midway through the 2023 season in what was deemed a behavioral issue, and Okorafor was replaced by first-round rookie Broderick Jones.

Per Jason Fitzgerald at Over the Cap, the move saves the Steelers $8.75 million on the salary cap, leaving an estimated $3.1 of dead money on the books.

Harvin, a seventh-round 2021 NFL draft selection, punted 217 times for 9,473 yards (43.7-yard average).

The trio of moves saves Pittsburgh roughly $12.65M in cap space.

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Mike Tomlin is REALLY unhappy with Pittsburgh’s offensive line

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin has reviewed his offensive line, and he is more than willing to make his displeasure known.

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin is one of the better interviews in the NFL, and that’s been the case for years. Just as Tomlin can wax eloquent on the state of his team and life in general, he can also get straight to the point. Tomlin was in a mood to do the latter after reviewing the tape of his offensive line following Saturday’s game against the Jacksonville Jaguars and their surprisingly snappy defensive front. All three of Pittsburgh’s quarterbacks — Kenny Pickett, Mitch Trubisky, and Mason Rudolph — had defenders in their faces far too often for Tomlin’s taste, and he was making that clear in word and deed.

“Today was about the evaluation of our tape and then coming out here and doing what was appropriate relative to what we saw on tape,” Tomlin told the media on Monday. “We made some corrections this morning, some things that we talked about and some things that we didn’t talk about, and then we came out here and had a good workday. We’ll analyze this and then as a staff, we’ll start leaning in on some Detroit prep in preparation for our mock week.”

Asked to be more specific, Tomlin was happy to do so — to a point.

“There wasn’t enough detail from a fine motor skill standpoint, details relative to their position. They didn’t play with enough of an edge individually and collectively. The things that are on our tape, we’ve got to own, and I think they’ll be ready to do that.”

But Tomlin stopped there from an explanation standpoint.

“I’m not delving into the details with you guys. They know where I stand and what I expect, and it’s going to be fun to watch them work and respond to that adversity this week.”

Left tackle Dan Moore Jr. was likely the primary culprit — per Pro Football Focus, he allowed a sack and three quarterback hits against the Jaguars on 28 pass-blocking reps. This after allowing a sack and a quarterback hurry against the Seahawks in the prior week of the preseason.

Moore (No. 65) looked pretty overwhelmed when asked to handle pass-rusher Arden Key (No. 49) on an inside-to-outside move.

Left guard Kendrick Green (No. 53), who allowed two quarterback hits and a quarterback hurry against the Jaguars (and multiple pressures against the Seahawks), didn’t help his case, either. Key was the defender to deal with in this case, as well, and… well, you don’t often see a pancake bull-rush, but you’re about to right here.

Tomlin was asked whether the left guard position would come down to Sunday’s game against the Lions, and it sounds as if everybody in the building with an offensive line position should be on high alert.

“Man, a lot of spots will come down to this work. This work is weighted differently and appropriately so. The in-stadium work is significant, and increasingly so the more stadium exposure you get. So, make no mistake, this is a significant game for a lot of people.”

Left guard Kevin Dotson seemed to evade Tomlin’s wrath — he “showed some things,” as the coach said — so that could be a discussion.

One of the few Steelers offensive linemen who has shown more than “some things” is left tackle Chukwuma Okorafor, who made this week’s Secret Superstars list after allowing no pressures of any kind this preseason, and looking quite good against Jaguars first-overall pick Travon Walker. 

The Steelers added offensive lineman Adrian Ealy to their roster this week. When asked if this was a message to the rest of the line, Tomlin said, “I don’t send messages. I just make moves.”

What does he hope that Ealy will bring to the team?

“Quality play.”

Alrighty then! So, if you’re playing offensive line for the Steelers this week, you may not be for much longer, and the final preseason game would be the big test.

What we know for sure is that Mike Tomlin is not impressed, and he’s made that abundantly clear.

Secret Superstars for Week 2 of the 2022 NFL preseason

Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar names the most impactful under-the-radar performers in Week 2 of the 2022 NFL preseason.

There are those who will tell you that preseason games don’t matter — they are useless to analyze, as you have starters going against starters in relatively vanilla schemes, or backups going against backups; most of whom won’t be playing in the NFL when the regular season starts.

When you peel back to the truth past that hyperbole, there’s a lot more to it than that. The story in the middle of that is a huge ball of players who are either trying to establish themselves as potential starters, or are trying to save their careers in short spaces of time. What you’re looking for is how people fit into teams and schemes, or not.

And that’s why preseason performances actually do matter — they set the tone for the regular season more often than you may think.

Here are our Secret Superstars for Week 2 of the full 2022 preseason — the guys who stood out above the rest. These are not recent first-round picks, or lead-pipe locks to make a roster; these are the guys fighting for every bit of starting opportunities.

Mike Tomlin remains non-committal on starting RT position

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin appears to have not yet revealed the decision on who will be starting at right tackle Week 1 versus Giants.

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin held his first press conference of the 2020 regular season on Monday.

Among the many topics Tomlin addressed was the starting right tackle position. It appears the decision between Zach Banner and Chukwuma Okorafor will come right down to the wire.

“I’m comfortable with the right tackle prospects,” Tomlin told the media on Monday. “I feel like we have two guys who are starter-capable, and we’ll sort through that this week.”

What’s more interesting is that Tomlin said the choice will be who gives them the best chance this week. Whoever is eventually named the Week 1 starter at right tackle will be expected to step up, or step back.

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