The New England Patriots offensive line was a problem in 2023, and despite adding a few new players (rookies and veterans) to the room this offseason, it was still an issue in the season opener.
Running back Rhamondre Stevenson may have rushed for 120 yards against the Cincinnati Bengals, but he was constantly hit in the backfield, and quarterback Jacoby Brissett was pressured more than any other quarterback in Week 1.
During the contest, the Patriots benched left tackle Chukwuma Okorafor in favor of Vederian Lowe, and while Lowe handled things a bit better, neither was overly impressive.
New England does have another option for the position, as they used their third-round pick on Caedan Wallace, who manned Penn State's right tackle spot in college.
Wallace actually got 18 offensive snaps in Sunday's 16-10 victory over Cincinnati, but all of them came as an extra tight end. In the game, he received a 64.2 overall grade from Pro Football Focus (61.5 run-blocking and 70.2 pass-blocking).
The former Nittany Lion didn't do enough during training camp and the preseason to earn the starting job, but if the Patriots can't get consistent play from either Lowe or Okorafor, giving the rookie opportunities could be the best move for the short and long term.
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