Tag: Mike Onwenu

What does Ex-Patriot Shaq Mason’s new contract mean for Mike Onwenu?

Will Shaq Mason’s new deal impact ongoing negotiations between the Patriots and Mike Onwenu?

[anyclip pubname=”2103″ widgetname=”0016M00002U0B1kQAF_M8036″]

Former New England Patriots offensive lineman Shaq Mason signed a brand new, three-year, $36 million contract with $22 million in guaranteed money with the Houston Texans on Wednesday.

Mason, 29, was acquired by the Texans in March, almost a year after the Patriots shipped him off to Tampa Bay to shore up the line in front of Tom Brady. With Brady now retired and the Buccaneers likely in a rebuild, they shipped off an elite guard to a team looking to protect their young quarterback, who we now know is C.J. Stroud..

With Michael Onwenu entering a contract year after performing well above his sixth-round pick status, the Patriots may have an understanding of the guard floor for that next contract.

In a previous article, I mentioned that the Patriots may be planning for life without Onwenu, but if they wish to retain young, homegrown talent, it feels like a contract of four years, $48 million is the starting point for the team in negotiations.

Onwenu is at the top of his position in terms of play and will likely cash in during the 2024 free agency period. However, with the Patriots only having 39 players under contract for 2024 and an estimated $100 million in cap space, they have the means to make it work. Even more so, the NFL salary cap continues to rise year after year with new money. So a $12-$14 million guard contract may seem silly now, but in a few years, the market will eventually even out.

The only thing that may hinder any contract negotiations is if the Patriots philosophically believe in their approach to draft the next guy and replace outgoing linemen, like they did with Ted Karras and Joe Thuney.

Frankly, I find that to be a good approach when you’re getting close to the cap, but with a 25-year-old, elite guard that has tackle flexibility sitting on the roster, they should do right and extend him early.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Patriots’ 5-step plan for a successful 2023 offseason

Here’s a five-step offseason plan that could turn the Patriots back into contenders.

The New England Patriots are already well into offseason planning, mainly focused on the NFL draft, while also determining who of their own to retain or let walk in free agency.

As simple as it may sound, there are numerous combinations of moves that could occur this offseason.

This offseason, there is an optimal, five-step plan that should see the Patriots returning to the playoffs in 2023. Hiring Bill O’Brien was the first major step for the team to take. Now with a proven offensive mind in the building, the Patriots will look to fill multiple holes on that side of the ball.

However, the issues don’t stop there, and like every team, there will always be improvements to make.

Let’s get into the five-step plan for a successful Patriots 2023 offseason.

How much would extension for elite offensive guard Michael Onwenu cost Patriots?

A Michael Onwenu extension probably won’t come cheap for the Patriots, and deservingly so.

It’s no doubt that the New England Patriots struggled along the offensive front throughout the 2022 season, However, one of their true bright spots for the team has been right guard Michael Onwenu.

The former sixth-round pick in the 2020 NFL draft has been a stud ever since he was selected out of the University of Michigan. With the Patriots already looking to build a cohesive offensive line this offseason, they could at least check one monumental move off the box by extending the former Wolverine with a new contract.

Onwenu is in the last year of his rookie deal, and it carries a cap hit of a little over $1 million. Since joining the Patriots, he has only allowed six sacks and has been penalized just six times. Without a doubt, it’s an impressive feat that has earned him PFF Grades of 75.2 pass blocking and 82.4 run blocking over his career.

Typically, guards of his age (25) and production have signed deals around $15 million average annual value (AAV). I think the Patriots could extend him for five years, $75 million with $30 million fully guaranteed. That’s typically in line with what other elite (yes, elite) guards have signed over the past few seasons.

This new deal would put Onwenu in the top-six for all guards in the NFL, behind other players like Quenton Nelson, Elgton Jenkins, Brandon Scherff, Joe Thuney, and Joel Bitonio.

It would be a well-deserved pay raise for an impact player that could help stabilize a unit that’ll need plenty of help keeping Patriots quarterback Mac Jones upright.

 

Estimated Contract: 5 years $75m, $30m guaranteed. Signed through 2028.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqby79hc76t2s390 player_id=01eqbvhghtkmz2182d image=]

[listicle id=135225]

Way too early Patriots’ 7-round 2023 mock draft

Who did the Patriots pick up in this 2023 NFL mock draft simulation?

The NFL season is not quite over, but it’s never too early for 2023 mock drafts, especially considering how disappointing the 2022 season has been up to this point.

One thing is for certain: the Patriots have some draft capital to build on their successes over the last few drafts of adding key players like Kyle Dugger, Josh Uche, Mike Onwenu, Mac Jones, Christian Barmore, Rhamondre Stevenson, Cole Strange, Marcus Jones, Jack Jones and Bailey Zappe.

Although the jury is still out on most of the 2021 and 2022 draft classes, there is some positive success being built since Matt Groh transitioned into owning the draft process.

Today, we’ll see how 2023 could potentially shake out with a way too early seven-round mock draft with only two weeks left in the regular season. For reference, the Pro Football Network mock draft simulator was used for this draft, and the draft slots are projected as of 12/23/2022.

Injury-plagued Patriots missing nine players at Tuesday’s practice

Nine players were missing at Tuesday’s practice for the Patriots.

The New England Patriots returned to practice on Tuesday, following their disappointing loss to the Buffalo Bills, and there were more than just a few missing faces on the field.

A combination of injuries and sickness have decimated the team in the final stretch of the regular season.

The good news is they’ve had extra rest time with their upcoming Monday Night Football game against the Arizona Cardinals coming after their second consecutive Thursday Night Football appearance. So they’ve had all weekend to sit back, relax and begin implementing the necessary changes to hopefully bounce back from consecutive losses to the Bills and Minnesota Vikings.

Of course, a big indicator of that will be their ability to stay healthy, which has been increasingly hard for them to do lately. They were missing nine players at practice on Tuesday, including multiple standout players on both sides of the ball.

There’s still plenty of time for the Patriots to get right ahead of their showdown with the Cardinals.

Even with their 6-6 record, they are still very much in the AFC playoff hunt as the eighth seed behind a New York Jets team they’ve already beaten twice and own a tiebreaker against.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqby79hc76t2s390 player_id=none image=https://patriotswire.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

[listicle id=132265]

The morning after: Marcus Jones was the hero Patriots needed

The Patriots improved to third in the AFC East with a huge win over the Jets.

The New England Patriots surprised the New York Jets with a 10-3 victory on Sunday, thanks to Marcus Jones’ 84 yard punt return for a touchdown, which left only five seconds on the clock.

It was the only touchdown scored on a day when defense was mostly the story. Matthew Judon continued his seismic start to the season so far, and the Jets were held in check with just 103 total yards on offense.

The Patriots improved to 6-4 on the season and swept a division rival in the process. Not only did the victory elevate them in the AFC East standings, but it also improved their overall standing in the NFL playoff picture.

Here are some leftover notes from the game.

The Morning After: Youth injects life into the Patriots’ season

Patriots’ rookies instilling hope in the team, despite a second straight loss

The New England Patriots fell to the Green Bay Packers 27-24 in overtime at Lambeau field. It was a surprisingly close game without QBs Mac Jones and Brian Hoyer, who left early in the first half with a head injury.

Bailey Zappe took over for the Patriots in his first ever live game action and threw 10 completions for 99 yards and a touchdown. It was a conservative game for sure, but Zappe managed to keep the game close and play mistake-free football.

There were some situations where Zappe’s decision-making or awareness wasn’t on point, but that is due to lack of experience more than anything. Jones went to Alabama and played against some of the best players in the world before he even stepped into the NFL.

Zappe played lower FBS competition and was thrown into a game on primetime at Lambeau field against a future Hall of Fame QB in Aaron Rodgers. He may not have won the game, but he didn’t lose it, either.

Winners and losers in Patriots road win over the Steelers

There are more winners than losers this week for the Patriots

A gutsy road win over the Pittsburgh Steelers was the New England Patriots’ response for laying an egg in the season-opener against the Miami Dolphins at South Beach.

And they should be proud of it.

Yes, the Steelers have all sorts of problems happening on the offensive side of the ball, and the defense was playing without star pass-rusher T.J. Watt. But Pittsburgh’s defense is still clearly an elite unit coming off a game where they forced Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow into five turnovers.

Being able to go on the road and beat a well-coached team like the Steelers in a hostile environment is an impressive feat regardless.

Seeing as this is the Patriots’ first win of the season, we’re going to do something different this week and not name any losers. It was a team-earned victory, and they’ll need to be even better when hosting the Baltimore Ravens in Week 3.

Here are the winners from Sunday’s game against the Steelers.

Report: Patriots place LT Isaiah Wynn, LG Mike Onwenu on COVID-19 list

That’s two starting offensive linemen.

The New England Patriots have placed left tackle Isaiah Wynn and left guard Michael Onewenu, two of their starting offensive linemen on the COVID-19/reserve list, according to ESPN’s Field Yates. If the two

New England has also been without right tackle Trent Brown for most of the season due to a calf injury.

The Patriots offense line has struggled in a big way, allowing 12 quarterback hits on rookie Mac Jones in Week 4. Onwenu appeared to get benched after committing two holding penalties. He played just 56% of snaps, with Ted Karras taking over. The Patriots have tried out multiple different offensive line at the right tackle spot with little avial.

If Wynn and Onwenu were to miss Week 5 against the Houston Texans, their absence would make an ugly season uglier for the offensive line.

[listicle id=111166]